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Photographic 

Sciences 
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microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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D 


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Couverture  endommagde 


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Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pellicul6e 


n 


Pages  damaged/ 
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Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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□    Cover  title  missing/ 
Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


^ 


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D 


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n 


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Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


Showthrough/ 
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D 


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n 


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D 
D 


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D 


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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  n  tio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X 


18X 


22X 


26X 


30X 


y 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


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TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END  "), 
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film6s  d  des  taux  de  r6duction  diffdrents. 
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de  I'angle  sup6iieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

/   c:::^ 


//* 


WEST 


FROM 


I 


VNNALS  OF  THE  WEST: 


y  yi  ^r  <y  ^  / 


F.MBnACINO  A  CONCISE  ACCOLNT  OF 

PRINCIPAL    EVENTS 


WHICH  HAVE  occlrred  in  the 


WESTERN    STATES    AND  TERRITORIES. 


FROM  THE  DISCOVERY  OF  THE  MISSISSIPPI  VALLEY  TO  THE  YEAH 


EIGHTEKX  HUNDRED  AND  FORTY  FIVK. 


COMPILED  FROM  TI'E  MOST  AUTIIKNTIC  SOURCES. 


BY  JAMES  II.  PERKINS. 


C  I N  C  I  \  N  A  r  I 


PUBLISHED    BY    J  A  M  i]  S    R.  ALBACII, 


J.  A.  &  U   r.  JAM!'.:*,  I'KINTIIRS. 


184- 


/ 


2  4  ?  S  3  8 


IliiU-rcil  ai-cordiiig  to  Act  (if  Congress,  in  tiic  yrur   ISlfi,  liy  Jamis  K.  Aiiiacm,  in  llio 
Cli'ikN  Oflue  ul  Uie  District  Court  of  the  Uiiitcd  States  for  the  Di.stri.t  (;f  Oliio. 


An  uticii 
fit'  Weslt'iii 
tlic  ht'st  at 
relV'rR'd  Id, 
paiTL's  xAiii, 
l)ropt'r  rcua 
bt'i'ii  lised  ii 

'riiu  liiiiil: 
matters  \\\\h 
wars  ill  17! 
iijK)ii  that   }) 

upon  any  ol 
\VasliiiiL,rt()ii 

most  lioiioial 
last  war,  aii( 
words  coiaj) 
state  tlieir  de 

A  C'hroiK) 
tound  siiflicie 
inents,  are  a 
l)agos, —  one 
Prospectus. 

Notwilhsta 
work,  many 
oil  liaf>;e  i/Ji 
inijiortant  en 
or  any  of  tl 
he  rei^arth'd  ; 
it"  caUed  tor, 

Ilopiiif^  thi 
Student  of  A 
liahitants  of 


rilEFACE. 


An  attempt  li;is  bct.-n  niade  in  this  voluinc  to  ])rcscnl  llio  ftiit'tics 
(if  Wi'stL'iii  History  in  a  Ibrin  easy  of  rcrcrt'iice,  and  drawn  iVoni 
the  l)C'st  authorities:  those  authorities  are  in  ahnost  every  ease 
referred  to,  and  a  list  of  the  worlds  consulted  niav  be  found  on 
pai^es  x^■iii,  xix,  and  \v.  \VheiU'Ver  it  eouhl  hv,  done,  witli  a 
l)roper  re^:ard  to  eoiiciscness,  tiie  words  of  eye-witnesses  have 
been  v.svd  in  the  accounts  ^iveii  of  iuipf)rlant  events. 

The  liniils  of  this  voiuiae  have  luaile  it  necessary  to  state  most 
matters  with  ^i-eat  brevity,  and,  with  th(!  exception  of  the  Indian 
wars  in  ITDO-D;"),  no  subject  has  received  a  full  developement ; 
upon  that  ixirtion  of  our  history  the  Compiler  dwelt  lon<rer  than 
upon  any  other,  because  the  condut't  of  the  administration  of 
Washiui^ton  toward  the  Aboriijines  is  believetl  to  bt^  auu)nL(  the 
most  honoiabli'  passa<^i'S  of  American  yXnnals.  The  events  of  the 
last  war,  and  those  which  haye  occurred  since,  are  njiven  in  a  few 
words  eomiiaratively, — as  many  volumes  are  in  circulation  which 
slate  their  details. 

A  C'hronolo£;ical  Tal.de,  an  Index  ^vhich  it  is  belii'Ved  will  be 
found  suliicienlly  full,  and  three  Majjs,  illustrating  the  early  settle- 
ments, are  ailded  to  the  Annals,  makiuii;  in  all  a  volume  of  612 
pages, —  one  hundred  more  than  the  Publisher  promised  in  his 
Prospectus. 

Notwithstanding  great  care  has  been  taken  in  ])reparing  this 
work,  many  mistakes  have  been  made,  a  list  of  those  ni/ticed  is 
on  page  592 ;  and  it  is  not  supposed  that  it  is  fre(!  from  other 
im})ortant  errors  and  omissions:  if  any  one  will  point  out  these, 
or  any  of  them  to  the  C()mj)iler  by  letter  or  otherwise,  it  will 
be  regarded  as  a  favor,  as  his  wish  is  to  make  any  future  editions, 
if  called  for,  as  full  and  exact  as  i)ossible. 

Hoping  that  this  volume  may  jjrove  of  some  service  to  tlie 
Student  of  Western  History,  and  of  some  interest  to  the  in- 
habitants of  the  Great  \'allev,  it  is 


RESPECTFULLY    DEDICIATED 


TO    THE 

NATIVES    OF    THE    WEST 


1,j12. 

15  lU. 

l.')2G. 

ia3S. 

1539.  ]\ray, 

Novemli 

1540, 

Octoboi 

IJll.  May, 

1542. 

M,iy  21, 

1543.  July, 

1544. 

1616. 

1630. 

1634. 

1G41. 

1660. 

1664. 

16G5. 

1668. 

1670. 

1671. 


1673. 

May 

13, 

.Tunc 

10, 

Jiiiin 

17, 

June 

^1, 

Julv 

July 

17, 

Soijtonibc 

167  J. 

May 

IS, 

1676. 

1677. 

1678. 

July 

14, 

Sojit. 

1.5, 

Nov. 

18, 

1679. 

Janu 

ary, 

August  7, 

August  2'i 

B 


ClIRONOLOdlCAL    TA13LE 


1512. 

1516. 

1526. 

i5:fs. 

1539. 

M.iy, 
November, 

1540. 

October, 

1541. 

May, 

1542. 

May  21, 

1513. 

July, 

1544. 

1616. 

1630. 

1634. 

1641. 

1660. 

1GG4. 

1665. 

1G6S. 

1670. 

1671. 

1673. 

May  13, 
.Tunc  10, 
June  17, 
June  21, 
Julv, 
July  17, 
Sciitenibcr, 

167j. 

May  IS, 

1676 

1677 

1678. 

July  14, 
Sept.  15, 
Nov.  18, 

1679 

January, 
August  7, 
August  27, 

Ponce  dc  Leon  discovers  Florida, 

Dif'!,'o  Mirurlo  visits  Florida. 

I'aniiiliilo  de  Narvaez  goes  to  Florida. 

Dc  Soto  asks  leav(!  to  cou(|uor  Florida. 

Dc  Soto  rcaclicH  Tampa  bay. 

Dc  Soto  ri';t(;li('s  App.ilachre  bay. 

Dc  Soto  in  (leorgia. 

Dc  Solo  reaches  Mavilla  on  the  Alabama. 

Dc  Soto  reaches  Mississippi, 

Dc  Soto  crosses  it  and  yocs  to  Washita. 

D(;  Soto  descends  Washita  to  Mississi[)pi. 

Dc  Soto  (H(?s. 

His  Ibllowers  try  tc  reach  Mexico  by  land  and  fail. 

De  Soto's  followers  reach  Mexico  by  water. 

De  Bicdma  presents  his  account  of  De  Soto's  expedition  to  King  of  Spain- 

Le  Caron  explores  Upper  Canada. 

Charles  1st  grants  Carolana  to  Sir  Robert  Heath. 

First  mission  founded  near  Lake  Huron. 

French  at  Falls  of  St.  Mary,  Lake  Superior. 

First  missionary  station  on  Lake  Superior. 

Colonel  Wood's  alledgcd  travels  previous  to  this  year. 

Allouez  founds  first  j)erinaiient  station  on  Lake  Superior. 

Mission  at  St.  Mary's  Falls  founded. 

Perrot  explores  Lake  jN'ichigan. 
La  Salic  first  goes  to  Ciuiada. 
Alledgcd  travels  of  Captain  Holt. 

French  take  formal  possession  of  the  northwest. 
Mar([ucttc  founds  St.  Ignatius  on  Strait  of  Mackinac. 

Marciucttc  and  liis  companions  leave  Mackinac  to  seek  the  JNIississipju. 
Manpiette  and  his  conij)ani;)ns  cross  from  Fox  river  to  Wisconsin. 
MarqiKHle  and  his  coiiipaiiions  reach  Mississippi. 
Mar(|U('tt('  and  his  conipanions  meet  IlHnois  Indians. 
Mar(iuottc  and  his  coin])anions  reach  Arkansas. 
Maniuctte  and  his  companions  l(-av(-  on  return  to  Canada. 
Marquette  and  liis  companions  reach  (ireen  ISay. 

Marquette  dies. 

La  Salle  goes  to  France  to  see  tlie  King. 

La  Salic  rebuilds  Fort  Frontenac. 

La  Salle  visits  France  a  second  time. 

La  Salle  and  Tonti  sail  for  Canada. 

La  Salle  and  Tonti  arrive  at  (Quebec. 

La  Salle  and  Tonti  cross  Lake  Ontario. 

Persons  from  New  England  said  to  have  explored  the  gouthwcst. 

La  Sallo  loses  his  stores. 

The  ("irilfin  sails  up  Lake  E^ie. 

The  Critiin  at  Mackinac. 


B 


VI 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLL. 


1079.  Sept.  IS, 
Nov.  I, 

Dec.  :j, 

KihO.  Jan.  4tii, 


Tim  firifVin  Kent  hark  fo  Nia(;arn. 

Lii  Sillc  .It  St,  ,I(».('|(h's  river,  L;ikc  Michigan. 

La  S:ill<'  croBsiis  to  K.iiikuktc, 


h;si 


L.I  .S.illc  in  I'cdriii  Luke. 

Kdrt  C'rcvccinir  l)Uilt. 

Il(!iiii('|)iii  Kent  111  «'X|il<)rn  MisKifisippi. 

L.i  S'lllr  ri'tiirns  to  (/Uiiadu. 
April&M;iy,II<'ntit'pm  on  tl.c  Mississippi.  [Illinoin. 

Si'iplcnilicr,  Tiinli  ulh'r  coinnHiiiiiii,'  Fort  St.  Luuis  (Hock  fort,)  forced  to  leave  llic 
Oct.  iV  Nov.    La  Salle  returns  to  llio  lllinoiH. 

Hennepin  returns  to  C.inatla. 

La  Salli^  and  Tonti  meet  at  Mackinac. 
La  Salle  a  third  time  ifoc^s  to  tln'  IlliiiuiH. 
La  Salic  ut  St.  Josejih'i  again. 


Feh.  2S, 
March, 


Noveinlicr, 

June, 
August, 
Nov.  3, 


16S2.  .Ian.  .^  or  f>.  La  Salic  ^rocs  from  Cliica<„'o  westward. 

Fell.  <!,  La  Salle,  on  hanks  of  the  Mississipjii. 

Feh.  13,  La  Salle  descend.s  Mississipjii. 

March  (i.  La  Salle  discovers  niniiths  of  Mississipjii. 

Septernlier,  La  Salle  returns  to  St.  .loseplTs  of  Michigan. 

1G83.  Dec.  i:'.  La  Sallo  roaches  France. 


UlSl.  July  2J, 
Sept.  20, 
Nov.  2.^), 
Dec.  2S, 


\6Ho.  .laniiary, 

Feliniarv  4 
Fell,  l:!,' 
March  15, 
July, 
Au(,'ust, 
Dec. 

1GS6.  March, 
April, 
Ajiril, 
August, 

1G87.  Jan.  12, 
March  Ifi, 
M.irch  17, 
May, 
.Tulv  24, 
Sept.  14, 

168S. 

1693. 


lt)9S.  Oct.  17, 

IG(lt).  Jan.  31, 
March  2, 

Scptcnihcr, 
1700.  January, 


1701. 
1707. 

nos. 


La  Salle  sails  from  Fr.ince  fc"-  mouth  of  Mississij)])!. 

La  Salle  reaches  St.   Domingo. 

La  Salle  sails  from  St.  Dfimingo  for  mouth  of  Misaissijipi. 

La  Salle  discovers  the  main  land. 

lr()(|UoiR  place  themselves  under  England. 

La  Salle  in  (lull"  of  Mexico. 

La  Salle  sends  party  on  shore  to  go  eastward  for  mouth  of  Mississiiipi, 

l^.i  Salle  reaches  Matagorda  Hay. 

La  S.ille  lell  i,i  Texas.' 

La  Salle  liuilding  in  Texas  :  unfortunate. 

La  SalU'  hiiilding  in  Texas:  unfortunate. 

La  Sallc!  goes  to  look  lor  Mississippi. 

La  Salle  returns  to  Matago.da  Day. 
La  Salle  goes  again  to  seek  the  Mississippi. 
Tonti  goes  down  Mississijipi  to  meet  La  Salic. 
La  Salle  returns  unsuecessfiil. 

La  Salle  leaves  for  Mississipjii  lie  third  time. 

La  Salle  sends  men  to  look  for  stores. 

La  Salle  follows  and  is  killed  liy  those  men. 

His  murderers  (|u;irrel  ;  si'ven  go  on  toward  Mississipjii. 

The  seven  reach  IIk^  Arkansas. 

The  seven  reach  Fort  St.  Louis  on  Illinois  river. 

La  Hontan's  travels  to  tin;  "  Long  river." 

liefore   this  tim(^    firavier,  the  founder  of  Kaskaskia,  was  among  the 
Kaskaskia  founded,  date  unknown.  [Illinois. 

Cahokia  founded,  date;  unknown. 
Peoria  foundeil,  date  unknown. 

DTherville  leaves  France  lor  Mississijijii. 
Dr.  Voxc  sends  two  vessels  to  the  Mississippi. 


DTherville  in  Bay  fif  Mohile. 
DTherville  enters  Mississippi. 
I)Thervill(>  returns  to  l-'rance. 
liiciiville  sounds  Mississijijii  and  meets  English. 

DTherville  returns  from  Franco. 
DTherville  goes  up  th(!  Mississipjii. 
DTherville  sends  Le  Sueur  for  cojijier. 

Do  1,1  Motto  Cadillac  founds  Detroit. 
DTherville  founds  colony  on  Mohile  river. 
Iro(]nois  again  jilaco  theins(;lves  under  England. 

First  gr.ints  of  land  at  Df-troit. 

D'Artaguetto  in  Louisiana. 


1710. 
1712. 
1714. 

1717. 

Scptc 

171S. 

1710. 

17iO.  Jannri 
Ajiril,| 
May, 

1722. 

1720. 

172f).  Nov. 

17J0.  Jan.&l 


1731. 

17J2. 

17J5. 


July  1- 


17;.6.  May, 
May  2( 
Ma'y 
May  31 

173!». 

1710.  March, 

1742. 

1744. 


1746. 

17 IH. 

1749. 

17,50. 
17.51. 
17.52. 


Noveml 


Juno, 

1753.  May, 
June, 

August 
Septciu 

Octobci 

Nov.  1.' 
Nov.  2, 
Dec.  4, 
Dec.  11 


niRONOLOtJICAL   TABLK. 


Vll 


[Illinois. 
to  k'iivc  llio 


f  Mis:iissiji|)l. 


among  the 
[Illinois. 


i7in. 
1712. 
1711. 
1717. 

1718. 
1710. 
1720. 

1722. 
172G. 
1729. 
1730. 

1731. 
17J2. 

1735. 
I7J6. 


fiovcrnor  Spotnwood  of  Virjjinia  csjilorc*  Uio  Allcghanic*. 

Louisiana  granted  to  Crozat. 

Fort  Uonalic  cominenc    1. 

Croz;it  r('si(.'ni  Louisiana. 
September,  Louisiana  Iraili;  (granted  to  Company  of  West. 

Culonistii  Hcnt  to  Louiaiana  and  Now  Orleans  laid  uiU. 


January, 

April, 
May, 


Nov.  2S, 
Jan.  &  Feb., 


Company  of  the  West  made  Company  of  the  Indies. 

Law   made  minister  of  finance. 

.Stock  orCoiiipiiiiy  of  the  Iiiilu;8  worth  SO^O  per  ceut. 

Company  of  Indies  bankru{>t. 

(!liarlevoix  visits  West. 

Irocpiois  a  third  time  place  themselves  under  England. 

French  aiiioii)^  the  Natchez  murdered. 


July  11, 


May, 
May  20, 
INlay  27, 
May  31, 


17:?!). 

1710. 
1712. 
1744. 

1746. 

1718. 

1749. 

17.50. 
17.51. 
17.52. 

i7.53. 


March, 


Natchez  c(mi|uered  and  destroyed. 
AUof^cd  travels  of  Sallinj?  in  liie  West. 

Previous  to  this  (iovernor  Keilii  wishes  West  secured  to  Kiigliiid. 

Company  of  Indies  resign  Louisiana  to  lung. 
Daiiiid  Itoonc  Ixirn. 

Vincciiiics  settled  according  to  some,  (see  [)p.  40  and  11.) 

Kx[ic(liti(in  of  French  ii;;aiiist  Cliickahaws. 
D'Artagiirtte  eonipiercd. 
liicnville  fails  in  assault  on  Chickasaws. 
Uicnville  retreats. 

French  collect  to  attack  Cbickasaws. 

Peace  between  French  and  Chickasaws. 

John  Howard  goes  down  Ohio. 

Tri'aty  of  F.nglish  and  Iro<iuoi8  at  Lancaster. 
Vaudreuil  fears  English  in/lucncc  in  West. 

Illinois  maketi  large  exports. 

Chickasaws  attack  French  post  on  Arkansas. 
Conrad  Weiser  sent  to  Ohio. 
Ohio  Com[iany  formed. 

Grant  of  land  to  Loyal  Company. 
Celeron  sent  to  bury  medals  along  Ohio. 
English  fort  built  on  Great  Miami. 
English  traders  seized  on  Maumee. 

Five  French  villages  in  Illinois. 
Forty  vessels  at  NewOrb^ans. 
Dr.  Walker  expbires  Kentucky. 

Christoi)lier  Gist  explores  Ohio  and  Great  Miami. 
November,   (Jist  surveys  lands  south  of  Ohio,  east  of  Kanawha. 

General  Andrew  Lewis  surveys  for  (irceiil)riar  Company. 

French  build  forts  on  P'rench  creek. 
French  attack  English  post  on  Great  Miami. 
Treaty  of  Logstowu. 
Families  settle  west  of  AUeghanies. 

Peniisvlv.inia  Assembly  informed  of  French  movements. 
Commissioner  sent  to  warn  French. 
Trent  sent  with  arms  for  friendly  Indians. 
Colonies  authorized  to  resist  French  by  force. 
Treatj  of  Winchester. 
Treaty  with  Irocpiois  ordered  by  England- 
Treaty  of  Carlisle. 

Ohio  Company  open  line  of"  Uraddock"?  road." 
Washington  leaves  Will's  creek  for  Ohio. 
Washington  reaches  Monongebela. 
Washington  reaches  Venango. 
Washington  reaches  French  Commander. 


June, 


May, 
June, 

August, 
September, 

October, 

Nov.  1.5, 
Nov.  22, 
Dec.  4, 
Dec.  11, 


Vlll 


ciiH()N(»r.()(;if',M.  TAHLr. 


Mol  Jan.  «'i,  V.'nstiiriKtoti  r<  lurns  in  WiII'h  cronk. 

Triirp|n  rallcil  mil  \ty  Nir^'miii. 
April,  Frrncli  I'ort  :il  \i'ii;iiiu''i  liiiihlirtl. 

Ajiril,  Niru'iiiia  lriMi|i>i  iiimma  vM'siwaril. 

April   17,  l''urt  at  ilir  Turk  urilir  ( lino  lakni  !iy  Fri'iidi 

Ma)',  \Va:.|lili;;lou  <  lO'-^i  m  AIIi  ijliaiiirH. 

Mny  »M,  Wasliiiinloi;  attacltH  ami  kills  .fiiiiKinvillij. 

June,  New  \nrk  ncniln  i.'iOOiilo  \'ir|{iiiia. 

July   1|  WaHliiii^jtnn  al  Kurt  .Nt'conxity. 

July  U,  Wasliin;»tiin  caiiitulalcH. 

(lcti)lM'r,  Waslmi^toii  rrtircs  tn  Mount  V'oriion. 
Frciitili  hold  llic  whole  West. 

17.55.  January,  Fraiu-c  [irnpo'^cH  a  <'(>ui|irc(iiiisc, 

Fi'l).  «••,  llraildiick  hiiiiN  in  Viritiiiia. 

April,  Fr.iiiir  ami  F.n^jlaiid  si'iid  llccts  to  Arncricn. 

April  20,  Hraddnck   niarrlicH  x\c  iluan'.. 

May  M,  l',\|ii'diti(in  aj^'aitiNt  Nova  Scotia  itiuvev  Ito^t'iii. 

July  S,  llraildo(  k  rfaidirs  Monoiijj'clit  la. 

July  !t,  liraddock  di  rfalcd. 

.hily   i:),  liraildock  died. 


n:G. 


mi. 


I7CS.  Oct.  2 

1709.  Man: 
May 
June 
Dec. ; 

1770.  Octoli 


I.cwiM  roniniandM  an  rxpcdiiion  .I'^'aiiist  tlu'  Oliio  Indiannj  and  liiil> 
Indians  I'lll  tlu'  N'aliry  ol"  Vir;,Miiia. 
War  drilarcd  lirtvvciii  France  and  F.n^land. 
Septrmlifr,    Ariiistnin;,'  attacks  Indiiins  at  Kittaning. 
FirHt  treaty  ol  Kastoii, 


175G.  January, 
April, 
Mav, 


17')7.  Massarro  of  Fort  William  Ilcnry. 

June  -9,       I'itt  roturns  to  ollice. 


17,58. 


July  1."), 
Au^'ust  2lj 
Sept.  il, 
()ctol)t!r, 
Nov.  ■"), 
Nov.  25, 


1759. 

1760.  Sept.  S, 


I.ouiHliur;^  and  I''ort  Frontcnac  tak^'U. 

INjst  l('a\es  tor  the  Ohio  riverto  conciliate  tlic  Indians. 

Post  colliers  with  Indians  at  Fort  I'ltt. 

(Irani  defeated. 

Washin;,'ton  openina  ^  road  over  the  mountains. 

WasiiinL,'lon  at  Loyallnnna. 

Washinj^'ton  it  Fort  l)u  (im  siie^  which  the  French  left  on  tlie  21th 

Second  treaty  of  F.aston. 

Post's  Kccond  mission  to  Ohio  Indiana. 

Ticondcroga,  Crown  Point,  Niagara,  and  Quebec  yicUl  to  English. 


1771.  March 

)772. 

May  ;}, 
April, 

1773.  Sept. 
Oct.    K 


177-1. 


The  Freiicii  yield  Canada. 

Cherokee  War. 

Ciriier.d  Monktoii  treats  with  the  Indians  at  Fort  Pitt  for  land. 

Settlers  (,'o  over  the  mountains. 

Uoj,'ers  ^oes  t>)  Detroit. 

Uogers  reaelu  »;  Detroit. 

Ko;,'ers  returns  across  Ohio  to  Fort  I'itt. 

Alex.uider  Henry  visits  northwest. 

Christian  Post  i,roes  to  settle  on  the  Muskinrruni. 

lioinpiet  warns  settlers  ofT  of  Indian  lands. 

Post  and  Ileckeweldf^r  f,'o  to  Muskin:jiiin. 

Preliminaries  to  ])eace  of  Paris  settled,  Louisiana  transferred  to  Spain. 

Treaty  of  Paris  concluded. 
Detroit  attacked  by  Pontiac. 
Mackinac  taken  by  Indians. 
Pres(pi'ile  (Krie)  taken  by  Indians. 
Fort  I'itt  besie;:ed  and  relii^ved  by  Domjuet. 
Proclamation  to  |)rotect  Indian  lands. 
.M.  Laclede  arrives  in  St.  (Icnevicve. 
M.  Laclede  selects  site  of  St.  Louis. 

,  Hradstreet  makes  peace  witli  northern  Indiann. 
I!oiiipiet  makes  j)eace  with  Ohio  Indians. 
Fia.iich  ollicers  ordered  to  give  up  Louisiana  to  Spain. 

1705.  April,  Sir  William  Johnson  makes  treaty  at  Ocrnian  Flats. 

May,  June,  Oeorge  Crouhan  troes  westward. 

Captain  Stirling  for  England  takes  possession  of  Illinois. 


Sept.  K), 

Nov.   l!t. 

December, 

1761 

1762. 

Nov.  3. 

1763. 

Feb,  10, 

May  9, 

June  4, 

June, 

June  to  Aug 

October, 

Nov.  3, 

December, 

1764. 

June  to  Aii^' 

November, 

April  21, 

1775. 


July, 

January 
Jan.  25 

March  ! 

Ai)ril  U 
Ajiril  2] 


June, 
June  1(1 

July, 
Se[)t.6& 
Oct.  6, 
Oct.  10, 
Novcmb 

March  1 
April  1, 
April  2(i 
May  23, 
May  27, 
April, 
May, 
Juno  28, 
June, 
July, 
Aufiust, 
October, 

October, 


niRONOLOfHrAL  TABLI'.. 


IX 


I KO. 


17G7. 


I7GS,  Oct.  2  J, 

17C9.  M.ircli, 
M.iy  1, 
.Iiiiic  7, 
Dec.  22, 

1770.  Octolu;r, 


mi  liiiN 


1771. 
)772, 

1773. 


March, 

Ma)  :), 
Ajiril, 

S(>|)t.  2'), 
Oct.   10, 


llicQlth, 


BngliHii. 


ml. 


1771. 


!il  to  Spnin. 


1775. 


July, 

.January, 
Jan.  i.'), 

March  28, 

April  10, 
Ajiril  21, 


June, 
June  10, 

Julv, 

Sr[;t.6S:12 
Oct.  6, 
Oct.  10, 
November, 

Marcli  17, 
April  1, 
April  2(,, 
May  23, 
May  27, 
April, 
May, 
Juno  2S, 
June, 
July, 
August, 
October, 

October, 


,\l|c;»Iiany. 

the  titii'  (if  tiie  IrDcpioU  to  all  south 


.^I'tlicrs  rrnsH  ninuntaitii^. 
\V.il|iiil<'  {'iiiupiiriy  propdKril. 
C'dluucl  JaMHK  Smith  viNitM  Kentucky. 

WiMtiTM  IniliaiiH  (»rnw  iinpntictit. 
rraiilJin  1.  ir  Walpole  Ciniip.iny 

Finif'y  viHit".  .y, 

ZciHbi'rger  liimiil    mi-.-.i(in  on  iIk* 

Tri'nfy  (if  ('"orl  .'^taiiwix  by  whicli 
ul  the  Ohio  i.s  purchaHi'il. 

MissisHippi  rom|i.iny  propoHod. 
llooii(>  ami  otlicr.s  start  fur  Kentucky. 
Itdoiii    ami  others  reach  Ueil  river. 
lluoiie  tak(  n  by  Indiuuti. 

Treaty  of  Loehaber. 

Ohio  ("oiiipi'iy  iiicrgeil  in  Walpole  Company. 

\V'ashill(;toil  vi-'ils  iIm'  West. 

The  I.'iiij,'  Hunters  e.xjilore  the  West. 

The  Zaiies  liiiiml  Wheeliritf. 

Moravians  iii\iieil  to  Hi;^'  Ueaver. 

Captain   Pittinau  in  Illinois. 

Spain  ubtaiUH  pu^seHMion  of  St.  Louis. 

The  Hoones  return  to  North  Carolina. 

Indians  killed  by  whitcH  (ui  Lower  Krnawha. 

Moravi  ins  invited  by  I)elaw,ires,  t'oiiml  Siioeiibriin  on  the  Muskinguui. 

OeiHiral  Uage'n  jiroclaniatioii  ai,'iinst  settlers  on  Wubasii. 

lioone  and  others  start  to  settle  Keiitiirky. 

liocjiie  and  others  are  attacked  by  Indians  and  turn  back. 

lliillilt,  McAfee,  &r.,  deseemi  tlie  Ohio. 

Itiitlitt,  McAfee,  iLc.,  Rurv(!y  at  I'alls,  and  on  Kentucky  river. 

Oeneral  Thmnpscui  surveys  in  the  valley  of  the  Lickini;. 

(Jeneral  Lyman  (jocs  to  Natchez. 

I'lirehase  by  Illinois  C()in[)any  in  Illinois. 

James  Ifarrod  in  Kentucky.  [within  Virginia. 

Duiimore  semis  Connolly  to    take    possession  of  Pittsbiirj,'h    as   being 
Connolly  calls  out  llii^  militia;   lie  is  arrested  by  St.  Clair;  his  folluW- 

ers  an'  riotouH,  and  lire  on  the  Indians.     ^ 
Connolly,  released  on  parole,  comes  to  ['ittsburgh  with  an  anncd  force, 
lie  ridiuilds  the  fort  and  calls  it  Fort  Dunmure. 
Ch(!rokees  attack  a  boat  on  the  Ohio. 
Connol'y  writes  to  the  settlers  to  Ijnware  of  the  Indians, 
Cresap,  h.iviiij^  Connolly's  letter,  attacks  Indians. 
Oreathoi'se  murders  several  Indians. 
Preparations  for  war. 
Logan  reveng(;s  his  family. 
Hoone  sent  for  surveyors  in  Kentucky. 
Friendly  Siiawanese  attacked  by  Connolly. 
Traders  murdered. 
McDomdd  attacks  \Vaii[)at(imica. 
,Troo|is  under  Lewis  march  down  Krrdiawa. 
Tro()])s  under  Lewis  reach  I'oiiit  Pleasant, 
iiattle  of  Point  Pleasant. 
Dunmore  makes  peace. 

Treaty    ''  Wataga  ;  purchase  by  Transylvania,  Company. 

Hoonc  goes  lo  Kentucky  ami  liuimls  Hoonesboro'. 

Henderson  reaches  Hooneslioro". 

Henderson  calls  representatives  together. 

Legislature  adjourns. 

Massachusetts  Council  try  *n  prevent  hostility  by  Ir()(iuois. 

Guy  Johnson  intliicnees  Iroiiuois  against  Aiiu:ricans. 

Oneidas  and  Tiiscaroras  adhere  to  America. 

Boone  and  several  families  move  to  Kentucky. 

Congress  forms  three  Indian  Departments. 

Meeting  of  Commissioners  and  Indians  at  Albany. 

Meeting  of  Commissioners  and  Imlian.s  at  Pittsbro'. 

Connolly  arrested  in  Maryland. 

Purchase  by  Wabash  Company  on  Wabash. 


X 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 


177G. 


April  2?,       An  nttack  on  Detroit  pro|)oRC(l  in  Conf;rpss. 

April  I!),        Washington  advises  tlio  employment  of  tiic  Indians. 

May,  Indians  incline  to  Itritish. 

Jiinn  3,  Congress  authorises  the  cin|)loyment  ot'  Indians. 

July  7  to  21,  Indians  attack  Kentuckians  ;  settlers  leave. 

(Jeorgc  Rogers  Clark  moves  to  Kentucky. 
Juno  (],         Kentuckians  petition   Virginia  for  admisKion  as  citizens,  and  choose 

Clark  and  Jones  memhers  of  Virginia  Assembly, 
August  23,    Clark  procures  j)Owder  from  Council  of  Virginia. 


Df 


Dec    2.'), 


Virginia  adni'ts  Kentucky  among  her  counties. 
Clark  and  Jones  return  hy  Pitts!)ro'  with  powder. 
Jones  killed  while  going  for  powder  to  Limestone. 
Clark  reaches  Ilarrodsburg. 


1777.  Summer, 


Spring, 

April, 

May, 


Cornstalk  murdered  at  Point  Pleasant. 

Congress  of  Indians  and  British  at  Oswego. 

Kentucky  infested  with  savages. 

Kentucky  chooses  Burgesses. 

Logan's  station  attacked. 
April  20  to  June  22 — Clark's  spies  in  Illinois. 
August,         Logan  crosses  the  mountains  for  powder. 

Colonel  Bowman  and  100  men  come  from  Virginia. 
Sep.26&27,Fort  Henry  (Wheeling)  attacked. 
.September,   First  Court  at  Ilarrodsburg, 
Oct.  1,  Clark  leaves  for  Virginia. 

Nov.  20,        The  attack  on  Detroit  urged  in  Congress. 
Dec.  10,       Clark  opens  his  plan  for  conciucring  Illinois  to  Governor  of  Virginia. 


1773. 


January  2, 
February  7, 
March  10, 
June  24, 
June  16, 
May, 

Juno  25, 
July  4, 
July  6, 
Aug.  1, 
Aug.  1, 
Aug.  S, 

September, 
Sept.   17, 
October, 
December, 


1779.  Jan.  29, 
January, 
Feb.  7, 
Feb.  24, 


April  I, 

May, 
May  21, 
.July, 
July, 
August, 
September, 
October, 
Oct.  13, 
Oct.  30, 


17S0. 


Feb.  19, 

Spring, 

Spring, 

May, 

May, 

June, 


Orders  issued  to  Clark  to  attack  Illinois. 

Boone  taken  prisoii(;r  at  Blue  Lick. 

Boone  carried  to  Detroit. 

Clark  passes  Falls  of  Ohio. 

Boone  «!scapes. 

Mcintosh  conimands  at  Fort  Pitt. 

Fort  Mcintosh  built. 

New  Jersey  objects  to  land  claims  of  Virginia. 

Clark  takes  Kaskaskia. 

Clark  takes  Cahokia. 

St.  Vincents  joins  the  American  cause. 

Boone  goes  to  attack  Paint  creek  town. 

Booncsboro'  besieged. 

Fort'L.aurens  built. 

Clark  holds  council  with  the  Indians. 

Treaty  with  Delawarcs  at  Pittsbro'. 

Virginia  grants  Henderson  and  Company  200,000  acres  on  Green  river. 

Governor  Hamilton  takes  Vinccnnes. 

Clark  hears  of  capture  of  Vincennes. 
Delaware  objects  to  land  claims  of  Virginia. 
Clark  starts  against  Hamilton. 
Hamilton  surrenders. 
Hamilton  is  sent  to  Virginia. 

Americans  suspect  and  attack  Iroquois. 

Lexington  Kentucky  settled. 

Virginia  passes  land  laws. 

Maryland  objects  to  land  claims  of  Virginia. 

General  Sullivan  devastates  Iro<iuois  country. 

Bowman's  expedition  against  Indian  towns  oi,  Miamies. 

Fort  Laurens  al)andoned. 

Indians  treat  with  Brodhead  at  Fort  Pitt. 

Rogers  and  Ben!    m  attacked  hy  Indians. 

Land  Commissioners  open  their  sessions  m  Kentucky. 

Congress  asks  Virginia  to  reconsider  land  laws. 

Hard  winter — great  suffering. 

New  York  authorises  a  cession  of  western  lands. 

Fort  Jefferson  built  on  Mississippi. 

(ireat  emigration  to  Kentucky. 

Virginia  grants  lands  in  Kentucky  for  education, 

St.  Louis  attacked  by  British  and  Indians. 

Louisville  cstablisluHl  by  law, 

Byrd  invades  Kentucky, 


1780.  July, 
July, 
Sept. 
Octolx 
OctolM 
Noveir 
Decern 

17rl.  .Tan. 
Januar 
Vv.h.  \f 
March 

April  1 


Septem 
Sejitem 
Octobe; 


17S2.  March, 
March, 
March 
June, 
.Tune 
Aug. 
Aug.  19 
Septem 
Novcmb 
Nov,  30 


11 
1- 


1783.  Jan.  20, 
March, 
A[)ril  1)= 
April  19 

May, 
June, 
July  12, 
August, 

Sept.  3, 
Sept.  7, 
.Vpt.  13, 
Sept.  22 
Oct.  1.% 

Dec.  20. 
Nov.  25, 


17S4.  Jan.  4, 
February 
March  1 
March  4 

April  9, 
June  22, 
July, 
Oct.  22, 

Dec.  27, 

1785.  .Ian.  21, 
April, 
May  20, 
May  23. 

July, 
August  S 


CnRONOLOGICAL    TABLE. 


XI 


and  choo3C 


Virginia. 


Green  river. 


1780.  July, 
July, 
Sept.  fi, 
Octohcr, 
October, 
November, 
December, 

Hrl.  Jan.  2, 
January, 
Feb.  1,5, 
March  1, 

April  16, 


September, 
September, 
October, 


17S2.  March, 
March, 
March  22, 
June, 
June  11, 
Aug.  14, 
Aug.  19, 
September, 
November, 
Nov.  30, 

1783.  .Ian.  20, 
March, 
April  18, 
April  19, 

May, 
Juno, 
July  12, 
August, 

Sept.  3, 
Sept.  7, 
Sept.  13, 
Sejjt.  22, 
Oct.  15, 

Dec.  20. 
Nov.  2.'), 


1784.  Jan.  4, 
February, 
Marcli  1, 
March  4, 

April  9, 
June  22, 
July, 
Oct.  22, 

Dec,  27, 

1785.  Jan.  21, 
April, 
May  20, 
May  23. 
July, 
August  8, 


Clark  prepares  to  attack  Shawanese. 

lie  destroys  Hritish  store  on  Miami,  kc, 

Uesobition  of  Congress  relative  to  western  lands. 

(,'onnecticut  [)asses  tirst  act  of  cession. 

Fort  I'itt  threatened  by  savages. 

Kentucky  divided  into  three  counties. 

Clark  prepares  to  attack  Detroit. 

Virginia  makes  her  first  act  of  cession. 

Sfianiiirds  take  St.   Joseph's. 

Mr.  Jay  instructed  that  he  may  yield  the  navigation  of  tlie  Mississippi. 

New  York  cedes  Iier  western  lands. 

Hrodhead  attacks  Delawares  on  Muskingum. 

Mary  Ileckowelder  born ;  first  white  child  in  Ohio. 

Americans  begin  to  settle  in  Illinois. 

Chickasaws  attack  fort  Jeli'erson. 

Colonel  Floyd  rescued  by  Wells. 

Moravians  carried  to  Sandusky  by  nritish  and  Indians. 

Moravian  missionaries  taken  to  Detroit. 

Williamson  leads  ri  party  against  the  Moravians,  but  finds  the  town 

Kentucky  organized.  |_deserte<l. 

(Jreat  emigration  of  girls  to  Kentucky. 

Moravians  murdered  by  Americans. 

Moravian  missionaries  taken  to  Detroit. 

Kstill'g  defeat. 

Crawford's  expedition. 

Crawford  burnt. 

Attack  on  Hrvaiifs  station. 

Battle  of  the  'lilue  Licks. 

Clark  invades  the  Miami  valleys  the  second  time. 

Land  offices  opened. 

Provisional  articles  of  peace  with  Great  Britain. 

Hostilities  of  United  States  and  Great  Britain  cease. 

Kentucky  formed  into  one  District. 

Congress  calls  on  States  to  cede  lands. 

Peace  ])roclaimed  to  the  army. 

English  propose  to  carry  away  negroes. 

Washington  protests  against  course  of  English. 

Rufus  Putnam  applies  for  lands  in  west. 

Haron  Steuben  sent  to  receive  western  jjosts. 

Cassaty  sent  to  Detroit. 

Virginia  withdraws  Clark's  commission. 

Definitive  treaty  of  peace. 

Washington  writes  to  Duane  about  western  lands. 

Congress  proposes  ijrms  of  cession  to  Virginia. 

Congress  forbids  all  purchases  of  Indian  lands. 

Congress  instructs  Indian  Commissioners. 

Virginia  grants  Clark  and  his  soldiers  lands. 

Virginia  authorises  cession  on  terms  proposed. 

British  leave  New  York  taking  negroes; 

Daniel  Brodhead  opens  a  store  in  Louisville. 

Treaty  of  peace  ratified  by  United  States. 
James  Wilkinson  goes  to  Lexington  Kentucky. 
Virginia  gives  deed  of  cession. 
Indian  Commissioners  reinstructed. 
Pittsburgh  re-surveyed. 
Treaty  of  peace  ratified  by  England. 
Virginia  refuses  to  comply  with  treaty. 
England  refiises  to  deliver  up  western  posts. 
Treaty  with  Iroijuois  at  Fort  Stanwix. 
Logan  calls  meeting  at  Danville. 
First  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 
Kentucky  receives  many  emigrants. 

Treaty  with  Delawares,  &c.,  at  Fort  Mcintosh. 
An  attempt  to  settle  at  iiioMth  of  Scioto. 
Or'inance  for  survc^y  of  western  lands  passed. 
Second  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 
Don  Gardoqui  comes  from  Spain. 
Third  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 


Xll 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE. 


17^5.  August, 


17S6.  J:inuary, 
J:iiiu:irv, 
.l;in.  10, 
Jim.  31, 
Mnrch   1, 
!\laj-  IC, 
May, 
Miiv  26, 
Juno  30, 
July  2f), 
Aiifrnst, 
Sei)t(!nil)cr, 
Sopc.  11, 
October, 
October  S, 
November, 

November, 
Dec.  22, 

1787.  January, 
March  8, 
May, 
Juno, 
July. 
July  27, 
July  13, 
July, 

August  IS, 
August  29, 

Sept.  17, 
Oct.  27, 
Oct.  2, 
Oct.  3, 
Oct.  6, 
Nov.  23, 
Nov.  2fi, 
December, 

1788.  Summer, 

Ja.iuarv, 
Feb.  29, 
April  7, 
July  2, 
Julv  3, 
July  9, 
Julv  28, 
July  25, 

August, 
Sept.  2, 
Sept.  22, 

Nov.  4, 
Nov.  IS, 
November, 
Dec.  24, 
Dec.  2S, 
Dec.  29, 


1789.  Jan.  9, 

Spring, 

June, 

June, 


Tmlians  tlirraton  bostility. 

Great  ronlbdonicy  of  northwestern  Indians  formed  by  Brant. 

Fort  Harmar  built. 

Hiant  visits  England  to  loarn  purposes  of  ministers, 

Virginia  agifu's  to  inilcjx'ndcni'e  ol'  Kentucky. 

I'utnani  and  'rup|)ercall  nii'Oting  to  Ibrni  Ohio  Company. 

Treaty  with  Sliawanc^o  at  I'urt  KiMMcy,  (mouth  ol' Great  Miami.) 

Ohio  ("oniitany  ot"  Associates  formed. 

(Jiivernor  of  Virginia  writes  to  Congress  respecting  Indian  invasions. 

The  negotiations  as  to  Mississip])i  lielbre  Congress. 

Resolution  of  Congress  produces  cession  by  Connecticut. 

Congress  authorises  the  invasion  of  northwestern  temtory. 

Pittsi)urgh  Gazette  first  publishcHJ. 

Mr.  Jay  authorized  to  yield  navigation  of  Missiasijipi  for  a  term  of  years. 

Clark  and  his  troojis  at  Vincennos. 

Connecticut  makes  second  act  of  cession. 

Clark's  troo])s  leave  liiin. 

Clark  seizes  Spanish  pro]ierty  at  Vineennes. 

Virginia  protests  against  yielding  navigation  of  Mississi[)|)i. 

Great  dissatisliiction  in  tli(^  west. 

Governor  of  V^irginia  informed  ns  to  Clark's  moveinents. 

Great  Indian  Council  in  northwest ;  they  address  Congress. 

Fourth  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 

Oh'".^  Company  chooses  Directors. 

Meeting  in  Kentucky  relative  to  navigation  of  Mississippi. 

Wilkinson  go(;s  to  New  Orleans. 

Dr.  Cutl<;r  negotiates  witli  Congress  for  lands  lor  Ohio  Company. 

Congress  make  order  in  fivor  of  Ohio  Company. 

Ordinance  j)assed  for  governnieiit  ot"  northwestern  territory. 

Ifarry  Iiinis  rel'uses  to  jirosecutc  invaders  of  Indian  lands. 

KiMitucky  (Jazette  established. 

Syinmes  ap])lics  for  land. 

Kntries  of  Virginia  Military  Ilescrve,  north  of  Ohio,  begin. 

Fifth  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 

Ohio  Company  completes  contract  I'or  lands. 

Symmcs'  a])[)lication  referred  to  lioard  of  Treasury. 

Troops  ordered  west. 

St.  Clair  appointed  Governor  of  northwestern  territory. 

Preparations  made  by  Ohio  Company  to  send  settlers  west. 

Synimes  issues  ])ro|)osals  for  settlers. 

John  Brown,  lirst  western  representative  goes  to  Congress. 

Indians  expected  to  make  treaty  at  Marietta. 

Great  emigration  ;  4,.")00  persons  pass  Fort  Harmar. 

Denman  ])urchases  Cincinnati. 

The  admission  of  Kentucky  debated  in  Congress. 

Ohio  Company  settlers  laud  at  Muskingum. 

Marietta  named. 

The  admission  of  KontucUy  refused  by  Congress. 

iSt.  Clair  reac'hos  northwestern  t(M'ritory. 

Si.vtli  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 

First  law  of  northwestern  territory  jiublishcd. 

Symnies  starts  for  the  west 

Losantiville  (Cincinnati)  laid  out. 

First  court  lield  at  Marietta. 

Symines  reaches,  hi.s  purchase. 

Great  Indian  Council  in  northwest  to  forbid  treaties  with  separate  nations. 

Sevontli  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 

Columbia  settled  by  Stites. 

Dr.  Connolly  in  Kentucky  as  a  British  agent. 

The  founders  of  Cincinnati  leave  Maysvillc. 

Cincinnati  reached  according  to  McMillan. 

Virginia  passes  third  act  to  make  Kentucky  independent. 

George  Morgan  removes  to  New  Madrid. 

Treaties  of  Fort  Harmar  concluded. 

Wilkinson  goes  to  New  Orleans  again. 

Daniel  Story,  lirst  teacher  and  [)ieacher.  in  Ohio  Company's  purchase. 

Symmes'  setth.'inents  threatened  by  Indians. 

Major  Doughty  arrives  at  Symines'  purchase  and  begins  Ft.  Washington. 


1789.  Julv, 
Inly  20,1 
Se|iteuibl 
Sept.  29| 
Oct.  ti, 
Dec.  29,1 

1790.  Jan.  1  orl 
Spring, 
Ai)ril, 
May, 
Julv  1.5,1 
July  2t;, 
Se])L  l."),| 
Sept.  30, 
Oct.  l.">, 
Oct.  17, 
Oct.  IS, 
Oct.  19, 
Oct.  22, 
Decembe 
Decenibe 
Decembe 

1791.  Jan.  2, 
Feb.  4, 
M^irch  3, 
March  9, 
March  12 
April  27, 
May  o, 
May  15, 
May  21, 
May  23, 
July  27, 
August  1, 
S('pt.  fi, 
Sei)t.  7. 
Sejit.  17, 
Oct.  12, 
October, 
Nov.  4, 
Nov.  S, 
December 

1792.  January  7 
January  9 
h'cb. 
Feb.  1, 

March, 
April  3, 
A|iril  3, 
May  S, 
]\tay  S. 
May  22, 
May  22, 
June 
June  20, 

July  7, 
Aug.  21, 
S(pt.  1.'), 
Sept.'27, 
Nov.  (i, 
Nov.  i>. 
Dicenibci 

1793. 


CHRONOLOGICAL   TABLE. 


Xlll 


nt. 


rliami.) 
invasions. 

f- 

orm  of  years. 


iipany. 


17S!).  July, 

Tuly  20, 
f^('|itcinl)cr, 
Sept.  20, 
Oct.  6, 
Dec.  29, 

1790.  .T;iii.  1  or  2, 
Spring, 
Ai)ril, 
INlay, 
Jiilv  15, 
July  2(i, 
Sept.  15, 
Sept.  30, 
Oct.  15, 
Oct.  17, 
Oct.  IS, 
Oct.  10, 
Oct.  22, 
Dccoinhor, 
Dcccnilicr, 
DcccnilxM', 

1701.  Jan.  2, 
Feb.  4, 
IVlarch  3, 
March  0, 
Marcli  12, 
April  27, 
.May  - 
I\Iay 
May 
May 
July 


ate  nations. 


purcliasc. 
'ashington. 


•J, 
15, 
21, 
23, 
27, 
Aut,'iist  1, 
S(!pt.  G, 
Sej>t.  7. 
Sei)t.  17. 
Oct.  12, 
()ctol)er, 
Nov.  4, 
Nov.  8, 
December, 

1792.  January  7, 
January  '.', 
h'eb. 
I'eb.  1, 

March, 
April :?, 
A|)ril  3, 
May  S, 
IMay  8. 
Mav  22, 
May  22, 
June 
June  20, 

July  7, 
Aut;.  21, 
Sept.  1.'), 
Scpt.-27, 
Nov.  (i, 
Nov.  (I. 
December, 

17'.t3.  March  1st, 
April, 
April  .'^, 
May  17, 
May  18, 
.May  30, 


We.stern  scouts  withdrawn  by  Virpinia. 

Ki;,'hth  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 

Ooveriior  .Miro  f)f'  New  Orb-ans  writes  Sebastian. 

Conj^'ress  eiii|)o\vers  President  tn  call  out  western  militia. 

President  autliorises  (lovernor  St.  Clair  to  cull  out  militia. 

Cicneral  Harmar  reaches  Cincinnati  with  300  troops. 

Ciovernor  St.  Clair  at  Ciiicinnt.ti,  which  name  is  then  given  it. 

St.  Clair  goes  west  to  Kaskaskia. 

Ciaiiiclin  sent  to  Wabasli  Indians. 

Jndiaii  hostilities  take  ])lacc. 

St.  Clair  calls  out  western  militia. 

Ninth  Kentucky  Convention  meets. 

Troops  rrnthcr  at  Fort  Wa  dimjjton. 

Harmar  leuves  Fort  Wasliin^'ton. 

Colonel  Hardin  with  the  advance  reaches  Miami  villages. 

Main  army  reaches  Mi;imi  villages. 

Trotter  ;;oes  after  Indians. 

Hardin's  first  defeat. 

Hardin's  second  defeat. 

Kentuckians  petition  Congress  to  fight  Indians  in  their  own  way. 

Admission  of  Kentucky  to  l"iiitrd  States  brought  before  Congress. 

IMassic  and  others  contract  to  settle  Manchester. 

liig  liottom  settlement  destroyed  by  Indians, 

Congress  agree  to  admit  Kentucky. 

F.xcise  laid  on  si)irits. 

Scott  of  Kentucky  authorised  to  march  against  Indians, 

Procter  starts  on  his  western  mission. 

Procter  reaches  Butfalo  creek, 

Procter  is  rel'iised  a  vessel  to  cross  Lake  Eric. 

St.  Clair  at  Fort  Washington  prcji'iring  his  e.viiodition. 

Procter  abandons  liis  mission. 

Scott  marches  up  Wabash. 

Meeting  at  Brownsville  ;itr,iin.st  ex'cise. 

Wilkinson  marches  ;i(;uinsl  Kel  river  Indians. 

Collector  of  Alleghany  and  W:islungton  counties  (Pcnn.)  attacked. 

Meeting  at  Pittsburt'li  against  excise, 

St.  Clair  commfuici's  his  march. 

l''ort  Jetferson  commenced. 

Wilson  maltreated  in  west  of  Pennsylvania, 

St.  Clair's  defeat. 

The  remainder  of  the  army  at  Fort  Washington. 

Convention  elected  to  Ibrni  Constitution  for  Kentucky, 

Peace  ofiered  by  the  V.  Slates  to  the  Indians,  through  the  ?enecas. 

I'ond  and  Stcdinan  sent  west. 

Urant  invited  to  l'hiladel|iliin. 

Wilkinson  sends  to  iield  of  St.  Clair'a  defeat. 

Gallipolis  settled. 

Iroquois  chii  fs  visit  Philadelphia. 

Instructions  issued  to  Trucmtin. 

Kentucky  Constitution  prepared. 

I'lxcise  laws  anieiuic'd. 

Cajitain  Hendrick  sent  west. 

Instructions  issued  to  Rutus  I'litnaiii. 

Triienian  haves  Fort  Wa.^hiogton--IIardin  also. 

General  Wayne  niovis  westward. 

Brant  visits  Philadelphia. 

V\rv  lands  given  to  sulllrirs,  b}-  Connecticut. 

Indians  seize  ().  M.  Spencer,  ..S^e 

(ireat  anti-excise  meeting  at  PiitsburLdi. 

Washington  issues  proclamation  iMi  Excise  law. 

R.  Putinini  tnakes  a  treaty  at  \'incennes. 

Adair  attacked  near  Fort  St.  (!lair. 

(Vposiiion  to  c.\ci.=e  law  diminishes. 

I'nited  States  troops  at  Legionvillc,  on  the  Ohio. 

Lincoln,  Rnndolj)!!  and  Pickering,  appointed  to  treat  with  Indians. 

Fnited  States  leuioii  goes  down  to  Cincinnati. 

(JeiU't  reaches  I'nited  States. 

Comniissioners  reach  Niagara. 

Cionet  is  presented;tn  Washington. 

First  Democratic  society  in  I'hiladtlphia. 


XIV 


CHRONOLOGICAL    TABLE. 


17'Xl.   .Iiinp, 

July  If), 
July  21, 
July  ;(1, 
Aut;.  Hi, 
Oct.  7, 
Oct.  in, 
Oct.  24, 
Oct.  17, 
Nov. 
Dec.  2J, 
Dec.  2'), 


17''1.  Jaiiunry, 
Fcbruiiry, 
February, 
i^prini;, 
April, 
April, 
May, 
May, 
Summer, 
June  UO, 
June, 

July  k;, 

July  17, 
July  e:!, 
July  2ti, 
July  --.'(i, 
Aug.  1, 
Auy.  7, 
Aug.  8, 
Aug.  V.\, 
Aug.  18, 
Aug.  20, 
Aug.  21, 
Sept. 
Sept.  11, 
Sepl.  2.1, 
Sei)t&.()ct 
Dec.  28, 


179'). 


Jan.  21, 

Spring, 
May, 
June  ir>, 
July, 
July, 
Aug. :!, 

Aug.  10, 
Augu.st, 
Sept .")  or  y, 
Oct.  27, 
Nov.  4, 


Comm'ssioners  correspond  with  (lovcrnor  Simcoc. 

Commissioners  meet  I'lrant  and  hold  a  council. 

(.'ommissionersnt  Elliott's  house,  mouth  of  Detroit  river. 

Commissionery  mee'  Indian  delegates. 

Final'aetion  of  the  commis.sioners  and  Indians. 

Wayne  leaves  Cincinnati  with  iiis  legion. 

Wayne  encamps  at  (Greenville. 

Wnyne  ia  joined  by  Kentuckiuns  under  Scott. 

liOwryancI  i5oyd  attacked. 

I'Vench  emissaries  sent  west. 

Field  of  St.  Clair's  defeat  taken  possession  of  by  Wayne's  troops. 

Dissatisfaction  in  the  West. 

Opposition  to  excise  feebler. 

Whiskey  riots  recommence. 

Lord  Dorchester's  s^peech  to  Indiins. 

The  Mingo  Creek  Association  i'ormed. 

Wayne  pre|)ares  for  hit'  cami)aign. 

General  Simcoe  builds  a  fort  on  the  Mauniee. 

Democratic  society  formed  at  Fittsburgh. 

Spaniards  offer  help  to  Indians. 

Frencli  emissaries  forced  to  leave  west. 

Contest  respecting  Presiiu'isle. 

Indians  auackcd  Fort  Recovery, 

Suits  commenced  against  whiskey  rioters. 

First  gathering  about  Neville's  liouse. 

Neville's  house  burnt. 

Meeting  at  Mintjo  Creek. 

Mail  robbed  by  fJradford. 

Scott,  with  KiOt)  men,  joins  Wayne. 

Oreat  gathering  at  liraddock's  field. 

Washington  issues  proclamation  against  whiskey  rioters 

Wayne  near  .Maumee. 

Wayne  sends  his  last  peace  message  to  Indians. 

W^ayne  builds  Foil  Deposit. 

Wayne  meets  and  roncjuers  Indians. 

Commissioners  of  government  meet  committee  of  rioters. 

British  try  to  prevent  Indians  making  peace. 

Vote  taken  upon  obedience  to  the  law  in  Pennsylvania. 

Washington  calls  out  militia. 

Fort  Wayne  built. 

Indians  ask  for  peace  of  Colonel  Hamtramck. 

Indians  sign  preliminaries  of  a  treaty. 

Prisoners  are  interchangetl. 

Connecticut  prepares  to  sell  her  reserve. 

Council  of  ( Jreenville  opens. 

The  Baron  de  Carondelet  writes  Sebastian. 

jay's  treaty  formed. 

Treaty  of  (ireenville'signed. 

Coimcil  ot  Oreenville  closed. 

Grant  by  Con"ress  to  Gallipolis  settlers. 

Connecticut  sells  Western  Reserve  to  Land  company. 


179t'.. 


1797 


179S. 


Pinckney  concludes  treaty  with  Spain. 
Dayton  laid  out. 

Chillicothe  founded. 

M.  Adet,  French  Minister,  sends  emissaries  to  disafTect  the  west  to 
the  union. 

Sebastian  visits  the  southwest. 
Sept.  Cleveland  laid  out  and  named. 

July,  British  give  lip  posts  in  northwest. 

August,       Ditiiculiies  with  Spain  begin. 
August,      (ieneral  Wayne  died. 
August,      First  paper  mill  in  the  west. 

Power  visits  Kentucky,  and  writes  to  Sebastian. 
Oct.  Daniel  Boone  moves  west  of  Mississipjii. 

Oct.  Occupying  claimant  law  of  Kentucky  passed, 

W.  II.  Harrison  appointed  secretaryjof  Northwest  territory. 
Alien  and  sedition  laws  passed, 
^'ullifying  resolutions  in  Kentucky. 
Death  abolished  in  Kentucky,  except  for  murder. 
Dec.  Representatives  for  Northwest  territory  first  chosen. 


nii'.i;  Feb.  4, 

February 
I'ebruary 
Sept.  24, 
Oct.  (I, 

IKH).  May  7, 
May  30, 

Oct.  1, 
Nov.  ;i, 
Nov. :!, 

I'^Ol. 


Dec. 

1"*02.  January, 
January, 
April  ;fO, 
Oct.  It;, 
Nov.  1, 
Nov.  29, 

1803.  April, 
April, 
April, 
April, 
Oct.  21, 
Dec.  20, 

1804.  March  26, 
May  14, 

1305.  Jan.  11, 
June  11, 
June, 
June, 
June, 
June, 

180G.  July  29, 
Aug. 
Aug.  21, 
Sept. 
Nov. 
Dec.  (), 
Dec.  10, 
Dec.  14. 
26, 


1307 


Jan.  17, 
Jan. 
May 
May, 


1808. 


June, 


1809. 

Feb.  17, 

1810.  August, 

1811.  July, 
August, 
Oct. 

Nov.  7, 
Dec.  16, 

1812.  June  1, 
June  28, 


CHRONOLOGICAL    TABLE. 


XY 


17',ni;  Feb.  4,         Rcprespntativcs  of  Northwest  territory  mccl  to  noiuinate  caiidiJatca 
tor  Council. 
February,   Kentucky  eonstitiition  nnirntled. 
February     Inierniil  irnpruvtiniiits  talked  nt  in  Kentucky. 
Sept.  21,      Ass*eniiilv  of  Noriliwe^i  territory  <>r|,'anizt;i  at  Cincinnati. 
Oct.  (i,         W.  H.  llarrison  appointed  delegate  in  Congress  lor  JN.  West  territory. 


s  troops. 


the  wc3t  to 


K'H).  May  7, 
May  ;!0, 

Oct.  1, 

Nov.  :t, 

Nov.  3, 

ISOl. 


Dec. 

lSO-2.  January, 
January, 
April  ;fO, 
Oct.  16, 
Nov.  1, 
Nov.  2'J, 

1S03.  Ai)ril, 
April, 
April, 
April, 
Oct.  21, 
Dec.  20, 

1(;04.  March  2f), 
May  14, 

1805.  Jan.  11, 
June  11, 
June, 
June, 
June, 
June, 

ISOG.  July  29, 
Aug. 
Au-.  21, 
Sept. 
Nov. 
Dec.  (), 
Dec.  10, 
Dec.  14. 
26, 

1807.  Jan.  17, 
Jan. 
May 
May, 


1308. 


June, 

1S09. 

Feb.  17, 

1810.  August, 

1811.  July, 
August, 
Oct. 

Nov.  7, 
Dec.  16, 

1812.  June  1, 
June  28, 


Indiana  territory  formed. 

Conni'Cticiit  yields  jurisdiction;of  her  reserve  to  the  U.  States,  and  U. 

States  Kivef'  her  paleiitd  lor  the  soil. 
Treaty  of  St.  Ildefonso. 

Assembly  of  Northwest  territory  meets  at  Cliillicothe. 
First  missionary  in  Connecticut  Reserve. 

VV.  H,  Harri.-on  appointed  Governor  of  Indiana  territory. 

St  Clair  re-appuinted  Oovernor  of  Northwest  territory. 

Cincinnati,  in  place  of  Cliillicothe,  a<;aiii  made  seat  of  government  for 

Northwest  territory. 
Thomas  Worthiiiijton  goes  to  Washington,  to  procure  the  erection  of 

Ohio  into  a  stale. 

University  at  Athena,  Ohio,  established. 

First  Hank  in  Kentucky. 

Congress  agree  that  Ohio  may  become  a  state. 

The  Spanish  Iiueudant  forbids  the  use  of  X.Orleans  by  the  Americans 

Convention  meets  to  form  a  constitution  for  Ohio. 

Constitution  formed. 

New  Orleans  opened  to  Americans  again. 

Livingston  and  Munroe  in  France — purcliase  Louisiana. 

Lands  lociited  for  .Miami  Fniversily. 

Miami  F.xporting  Company  chartered. 

The  Senate  ratify  the  purchase  of  Louisiana. 

Louisiana  given  up  to  the  Americans. 

Louisiana  orcanised. 

Lewis  and  Clarke  start  on  their  expedition. 

Michigan  territory  formed. 

Detroit  burned  to  the  ground. 

IJurr  visits  the  west. 

General  Assembly  meet  in  Indiana  territory. 

Tecuinthe  and  the  Pn^ihet  begin  to  influence  the  Indians. 

Steps  taken  to  make  National  road. 

Iji'.rr's  letter  to  Wilkinson. 

Spaniards  cross  the  Sabine. 

15urr  goes  west ;  is  at  I'lttsburg. 

Lewis  and  Clarke  ri'turn  from  Oregon. 

Davies  tries  to  arrest  Burr. 

Sebastian  found  guilty  by  Kentucky  House  of  Representatives 

Hurr's  men  go  down  the  Ohio. 

Burr's  boats  and  stores  arrested. 

Burr  meets  his  men  at  the  mouth  of  the  Cumberland. 

Burr  yields  to  civil  authority  of  Mississippi. 

Burr  escapes  and  is  seized. 

Burr's  trial  at  J{ichinond. 

Slavery  finally  forbidden  in  Indiana. 

Bank  of  Marietta  chartered. 

Bank  of  Cliillicothe  chartered. 

Teeumtheand  the  Prophet  remove  to  Tippecanoe. 

Illinois  territory  formed. 
Miami  University  chartered. 

Meeting  of  Tecunithe  and  Harrison  at  Vincennes. 

Tecumthegocs  to  the  south. 

Harrison  proposes  to  visit  Indians. 

Harrison  marclu^s  toward  Tippecanoe. 

First  steamer  (New  Orleans)  leaves  Pittsburg. 

Battle  of  Tippecanoe. 

Great  earthquakes  begin. 

General  Hull  marches  from  Dayton. 

British  at  .Maiden  liear  of  the  declaration  of  war. 


XVI 


CHRONOLOGICAL    TABLE. 


1812,  July  1,  Hull  sends  men  and  goods  l)y  wiitcr  to  Detroit. 
July  2,  Ilullliiiirs  of  the  dcdariiliun  ol' war. 

July  1'2,  Aiucricaiis  at  Saiidwieli. 

July  17,  Mackinac  taken  hy  the  Hritisii. 

Aug.  7,  Hull  retires  to  Deiroii. 

Aug.  K),  ISroek  reaelie.s  .Maiden. 

Auij.  11,  IJrockat  Saiidwicli. 

Auy.  l(i,  liroek  belorc^  Detroit. 

Aufi.  ](),  Hull  surrenders. 

Aug,  l.'»,  Massacre  ot  troops  near  Chicago. 

Sept.  H,  Fort  Harrison  attacked. 

S  |)i.  17,  W.  H.  Harrison  api)uiui<d(.'()inniander  in  N'orihwest. 

OiU.  CJenerid  Hopkins  atlacks  llic  Indians  on  llic  W'aliash. 

Oct.  (lovcrnor  Hdwards  ali;icks  the  Indians  on  the  Illinois. 

Dec.  Colonel  Campbell  attacks  the  Inilians  on  the  Missisianevvay. 

1813.  Jan.  10.  Winchester  reachrs  the  rapids  of  Maumee. 
Jan.  17,  Sends  troops  to  Frenchtown. 

Jan.  18,  l?ritisli  at  Frenciilown  defeated. 

Jan.  L"i,  Americans  dofeateil  at  i'rcnchiown,  with  great  loss. 

Jan,  215,  Massacre  of  the  wounded. 

Jan.  21,  Harrison  retreats  to  i*orta,^o  river. 

F'l).  1,  Harrison  advances  to  .MautuP(>,  ami  builds  Fort  Meigs. 

A[)ril  '28,  Fort  Meigs  besieged. 

May  .'■),  (Jeiieral  Clay  reaches  Fort  ".Vleigs ;  Dudley's  party  lost. 

May  y,  British  retmai  to  .Maiden. 

July  IB,  Hritish  fleet  prepare  to  attack  Eric. 

JlllylU,  Fort  Stejjhenson  besieged. 

Aug.  2,  Sieiic  of  Fort  Stcpluii-on  raised. 

Aug.   1,  I'erry'j  vessels  leave  Krie. 

Sept.  10,  Victory  by  I'erry,  fin  lake  Eric. 

Sept.  27,  American  army  at  Maiden. 

Sept.  2'.>,  American  army  at  Sandwich. 

Oct.  b,  Battle  oi  the  Thames. 

IHll.  Feb.  Holmes's  e.xjiedition  into  Canada, 

l^'eb.  J.  C.  Symmes  died. 

July,  Fi.\]i(;dition  undt^r  Croglian  against  Mackinac, 

July,  Fort  Shelby,  at  Prairie  du  Chieii.  taken  by  the  liritish. 

July  22,  Treat/  with  Indians  at  (Jreenville. 

Oct.  i\ov.  Me.Vrthur's  expedition  into  Canada. 

Dec.  21,  Treaty  of  Ghent. 

A'arious  treaties  with  Indians. 
Ohio  ta.xes  the  Banks. 


1S,12.   Frliruar' 
May  II,' 
May  21, 
July  21, 
Aug.  2, 
Aug    27 
Julj , 
Sept. 
Oct. 

1S3.5.    May, 

H36.    Sept. 
Dec. 

1S37. 

Sept. 

1S38. 

1S39. 

1840.    Spring, 

1S42.    May, 

1S43. 

Nov. 

1S44.   June  27, 

184.5. 

April, 


IPl.^i. 
1816. 

1S17. 

1S18. 
1S19. 

1820. 

1822. 

1823. 
182.5. 
1826. 
1830 
1S.}1. 
1S32. 


Pittsburgh  incorporated. 
Colinnbus  madecajiital  of  Ohio. 
Bank  ot  Shawneetown  chartere<l. 
General  Ranking  law  ot  Ohio  passed. 
Indiana  admitted  to  the  Union. 


Feb. 

March, 
March, 
Dec. 

Dec.  11, 

September,  Nortliwest  of  Oliio  bought  of  Indians. 

Jan.  &  Oct.  Unitc'l.  States  bank  opens  branches  in  Cincinnati  and  Chillicothe. 

Aug.  26,     Illinoi..  becomes  a  Stale. 

The  first  steamer  on  Luke  Erie. 
Sei)tcTnbcr,  Contest  of  Ohio  and  the  United  States  bank. 

December,  Nullification  resolutions  of  Ohio. 
Nov.  23,      Missouri  adinitttnl  to  United  States. 
May,  Cass  visits  Lake  Su])erior,  &c. 

Jan.  31,       Ohio  moves  in  relation  to  canals. 
Jan.  31.       Ohio  moves  in  relation  to  schools. 

Feb.  M,      Illinois  moves  in  relation  to  canals. 

Feb.  4  Si  .5,  Ohio  passes  canal  and  school  laws. 

The  first  steamer  on  Lake  Michigan. 

Treaty  by  Keokuk  at  Prairie  du  Chien. 

Blackh.awk  driven  west  of  INIississippi, 

First  steamer  at  Cliicago. 
lilackhawk  crosses  Mississippi  again. 


CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLi:. 


XV 1 1 


1S32. 

Fnbrunry, 
May  14, 
May  21, 
July  21, 
Aufj.  2, 
Aug    27, 
Julj , 
SVpt. 
Oct. 

1835. 

May, 

1836. 

Sept. 
iJcc. 

1837. 

Sept. 

1838. 

1840. 

Spring, 

1842. 

May, 

1843. 

Nov. 

ISll. 

June  27j 

1845. 

April, 


Grfat  floixl  in  (tliio. 

Stiliinan'H  dcfrat. 

Iiiclian  creek  setllomellt  destroyoil. 

Hhickliawk  (Ict'eated  on  Wisconsin. 

Hlackli.iuk  (li'fcntfil  on  Mississippi. 

HIackhav.k  (U"livor(!(l  to  rnileil  SialPR. 

Cholera  ainoii;^  Scott's  troojjsaml  aionjj  LakcH. 

Treaty  with  Imlians. 

(.'liolcra  atCiiiciiinati  aiiil  alonj^  tlie  Ohio. 

Michi^;an  asks  admission  to  I'nited  States. 
Congress  otfers  her  conditions. 

Terms  otForcd  Michic^an  rejected. 
Terms  in  a  second  Convention  agreed  to. 

Miciiigan  admitted. 

Alton  riots,  I.ovejoy  killed. 

Contest  with  Mormons  in  Missouri. 

IJank  Commissioners  appointed  in  Ohio. 

Nauvoo  founded. 

Cincinnati  Astronomical  society  Hiunded. 

Illinois  banks  closed  by  Legislature. 
Corner  stone  oi'  Cincinnati  Observatory  laid. 

Joe  Smith  killed. 

Banking    law  of  Ohio   creating    a    State   banU    witli   i)ranclic?!,    and 

independent  banks. 
Observatory  at  Cincinnati  finished. 


LIST   OF   BOOKS 

UaED  IN  TIIK  rUKPAHATION   OF  THIS    WORK. 


\inciiean  Slate  Pnpcrg.    21  vol?.    Wanhinsion. 

Vols.  I.   Ill  IV.   arc    Forcien  Aflnlru,  I.  to  I V. 

"     V.nod  VI.    "     liKlluii  Allairr-.  1..  II. 

"     VII..  VIII.,  IX.  arc  FIriHiirc,  I..  II.,  III. 

"     X..  XI.,  nr(^  (.'oniriiorcp,  kr..  I.,  II. 

'•     XII.,  XIII.,  arc  Mlliiary  Allairs,  I.,  II. 

"     XIV.  U  Nnvnl  AllalrB,  1. 

"     XV.  in  I'oM  Ollici;.  I. 

"     XVI..  XVII,.  XVlII.arc  Puhlic  Lamls  I. ,11.,  III. 

"     XIX.  ix  rialiiiH,  I. 

"     X\.  X.\l.  arc  Mi.-Tfllancoiia,  I.,  II. 
.'Vincriran  ArrliivOB.     Foiirlli  Scrici.     .j  Vols.     \Vasliini;tr>n.     IHJT  lo  1P44. 
AiiiPricaii  I'iimecr,    Cinriiiimti.     IH)'-'.     18411. 
AlwaU'rV  lllslury  lit  <  iliir).    (;irii'ii.nall.     No  ilatp. 
AccDiiiil  (if  the  First  I )ijr(ivcry  of  Florida,     I.otkIoii.     17G;t. 
Arroiiiit  of  llK!  Frc'iicli  Scitli'iiK'nls  111   Nortli  Aiiicncii.     llo:Jlon.     ITIO. 
ArcouMl  <if  CoMfcrciK-PS  jiiil  Troalips  lieUvciiii  t'lr  William  Joliiisoii,  and  Indian.^,  at  Fort  JolliisO' 

ill  IT."!,'),  '."iG.     l.onduii.     r.'jti. 
Aliiiou's  Kciiiciiiliranicr ;  frciiii  I77.>  to  17g-4,     Loniloii.    riililirfhrd  from  year  to  yi'ur  :  with  an  intro 

diii'lory  viiliiiiii'.yiviiii!  inailcr  previuiis  to  177,). 
^\iniriraii  Kcmciiiliraiiccr,  iiWiiit"  matlor  in  rclalion  lo  JayV  trraly,  17'.»j.    3  Vols,    riiiladclplii.^ 

17'.).). 
ArniMlroiis's  Notirri"  of  llie  War  of  1^12.    2  vols.    N'cw  York.     J8il). 
AIIch'h  Anieriiaii  Ilio^raptiiral  Dirlioiiary.    llottoii.     Iri:i2. 

IJaiirroflV  IlHory  Uiilled  SlalM      Itodtoii,     lP:t4  tn  181(1. 

Ituller's  Kfiiitiirky.    Second  edilioii.    Ciiiciiiiiali,  Iti'M. 

lirown'ri  History  of  llliiioifl.     Ni'w  York.     1811. 

ltuiler'8  History  of  Kciiliicky.     t'iiiriiiiiali.     ld3G. 

JJiirk's  History  ol  Virginia. 

Homiuet's  Kx(irdilioii,  17lil.     London,  1700. 

liarlie  Marhois' llisiory  of  Louisiana.    Translation.    riiil«ilol|iliia.     1330 

IlrarkonridKo's    Indilenls  of  ilio  Wliiskfy  Insiirrcrliciii.     I'hiladelpliia. 

voliiine  in  three  parts,  nafh   paLied  asi,  and  railed,  a  siparale  volume. 

from  July  to  Septeiiili(!r,  1791.    Vol.  II.lliosu  which  followed.     Vol. 

There  is  also  an  appendix. 
Urief  Stale  of  the  Province  of  Pennsylvania  :  in  which  the  conduct  of  the  .\sscinhly  is  cxaminal 

London,  17.")5. 
Answer  to  the  aliovc.     Ijondon.    17.')."). 

Uriel  View  of  the  conduct  of  I'i'iinsylvania  in  17.").').     I,ondon.     175C. 
Hrown's  Views  of  the  t.'ainpaiL'n  of  ilie  Northwest  Army.    Troy,  .\.  Y.     1814. 
Rrown's  History  ol  the  Second  War  of  Independence, 
liuone's  Advenlnrea.     N.  Y.     1H44. 
llecrher's  Account  of  Alton  Hints.     Alton.     1838. 
IJIackhawk's  Account  of  HiinijClf.    (^iiirinnali.     1833 
liutler'H  West(!rn  t'hronoloL'V.     Frankfort,  Ky.     1837. 
liurtjesb'yVccuunt  of  Perry's  Viclory,  with  strictures  on  tiie  conduct  of  Captain  Elliott.    Uoslon.    18M 


n'r).— N.  It.  This  is  on. 
Vol.  I.  fives  the  incideni- 
III.  those  which  preceded 


1780— \cw  York.     1P38. 
(Said  to  he  hy  Dr.  Miichell.) 


[\.  U.. 


London 
This  yives  his  secret  Instructions. 


1757. 


Charlevoix's  New  France.    Paris.     1744.    1774. 

'■         Journal.  "  "  <' 

(.arvcr's  Travels.     London.     I7H0. — Philadelphia. 
Contest  in  America  lictween  Eiijiland  and  France. 
Colden's  History  of  the  Iroquois.     London.     17.55. 
Correspnndence  of  (leiict,  &c.     Philadelphia.     17'.)3, 
Coxe's  Description  of  Carolaiia.     London.     I72J. 
(Carey's  American  Museum,  &e.     Philadelphia.     1789,  &c. 
('incinnati  Directory.     1819. 
<^ist's  (;:iiiciiinatl.    Cinciiinaii.     1P41. 
Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany.    2  Vols.     1844.     184.^. 
Chase's  Law.s.    3  Vols.  Cincinnati.     183.>. 

"        Pkelch  of  History  of  Ohio.    Cincinnati.     1833. 
Campbell's  Remains.    Columhun.    1638. 

Drake's  Indian  Captivities.     lioston.     1839. 

Iloddridpe's  Notes.    Wellshurch,  Va.     18J4. 

Dillon's  History  of  Indiana.     Vol.1.     Indianapolis.     1843. 

Drake's  Picture  of  Cincinnati.    Cincinnati.     1815. 

Drake's  Life  of  Tecumseh.    Cincinnati.    18)1. 

Drake's  Life  of  lilackhawk.    (^'incinnati.     184ii. 

Dallilia's  Narrative  of  the  Hatile  of  lirownslown,  Auinst  9,  1812.     New  York.     ISIO. 

Davis's  Memoirs  of  liurr.    2  Vols.     New  York.     1837. 

Dawson's  Life  of  Harrison.    Cincinnati.     1824. 

Expedition  of  liraddork;  lieins  extracts  of  letters  from  an  officer.     London.     17,'i.'). 
Enipiiry  into  causes  of  the  .Vlienaiion  of  the  Delaware  and  SliawaUvSC  Indians  t'rom  the  British  in 
terest.    Taken  from  Puhlic  Documciiis.    London.    17J9. 


r.lllcott's  Journa 
Kxcriilive  Journ 

Filson's  Accoiin 
I'liidley's  HiMlorv 
Kilson's  Accoiiij 
Letters  of  a  PI 
riiiil's  llecollccti 
j-'liiit'i*  Ceoi,'rapli 

(Jililn'  Memoirs  ( 
(ireeiie's  Fuels  n 

Hennepin's  Loiii 
"  New 

Hall's  .'^ketches  oi 
Holmes  Annals. 
MhII'ij  Htalisticri  o 
lliitoirc  (H-nernI 
llarri.«on'H  Aihlre 
lleckewelder's  .\; 
lluM's  Trial.     11, 
lliiH's  Memoirs. 
liiiH's  Defence. 
Historical  He^risli 
History  of  Louisi 

Historical  Collecij 
Uiitchins'  (;eoi;ra|i 
'  llisloric, 
History  of  the  coi 
Mall's  Meiiiiijr  of  | 
Hunt's  llisiorv  of 
Hesperian.  ('|'eri( 
Hall's  Wilderness 

Independent  Chro 

linlay's  Topoi>raii 

viiliinie  iu   Lond 

craphy  ;  Filson's 

llslied  in  v>  vols,  i 

Indian 'J'reatics  fro 

Jeirerson's  Memoir 

"  Notes  01 

J'lurnal  of  the  Fedu 

KerchevnI's  Valley 
i\«nliicky  Resohitio 
Killioiirn's  Ca/.eltet 

La  Salle,  P[iark«'  L 
Land  Laws  oi'L'nii 
Leitres  Edifiantes.* 

I  anman's  His'ory  c 
Letter  to  a  Friend, 
Letters  from  an  An 
French.     3  Vols, 
do.  of  lliij  Heaver 
eyes.     A  I'ourth  v 
I.oskiel'.s  History  of 
Land  LawsaHelliii) 
Latrohe's  Ramhler  i 
Laws  of  .Missouri. 
"        Indiana,  rei 
"       Ohio, 
Law's  Historical  At 

Marquette's  Journal 
.Mar(iiielte,  Life  of  h 
Marshall's  History  o 
McClunij's  Western 
Morehead's  Address, 
.Mcmoires  Historiijne 
.Massachiisetis  Hislo 
■Mante's  History  oft 
.''linutes  of  Hie  Treat 
•Vac  Afee's  History  o 

*  Since  this  work 
NVw  York,  in  a  coii| 
William  Inuraliam  h 

t  .«iiice  this  work  v 
li«<  reached  lis,  in  wl 
Tlie  atleiiijit  is,  liowe 
I'J-7,  after  La  Salle' 
Mississippi.    Mr.  lin 


LIST   OF   BOOKS. 


\1X 


r.llli'otl'B  Jmirnal.  kf.    riiiladclpliift,    IPOn. 

Eicriillvu  JuuriialH  of  tlic  Seiiftlo.     'J  Vols.     VVaxhinijton,  1828 


Kilwm'H  Arrount  of  Kmliirky.     London.     17!)n. 

riiiillpy'H  IliHiory  of  llic  WhiHkPV  liiKurrerliini.     t'liilndeliil 

Fjlu'iii's  Acroiiiit  (if  Kchlufky  In   Froiich.    I'lirm.     I'n.'!. 

I  f.llpru  t\f  A  IMniitnr  1 


ihl«.     l''X< 


Li'tlern  of  A  I'laiilfir.] 

'^  Ucrdllcclioiis  ol  Lasl 'IVii  Voars  in  MiBHissi|i;ii  Valley.     IJoaloti.     18JC 


[V.  It.— TliU  l8  a  P.S.  to  UrcvccQiur'* 


2  void.    N.  V.    i?ii;. 


ai  Fort  Jolmso 
i>r  :  witli  an  iniro 
lis.    l'biladelplii.i 


II.  This  is  nm 
ires  the  incideni' 
which  preccdti! 

intily  irf  ciaminc<l 


riiiii  " - -. 

Kluit's  Uoui;ru|)liy.     Cinriiinati.     Wi2 

(JililH*  MrinoirH  of  thn  Adinlniptraiions  of  \Vanlilnaton  and  Jolin  Ail.ims 
Cri'Ciio's  VulU  rcladvu  to  tlie  Munnuiiii      Cimiiuiati.     1H3'J. 

llpniiRliln'g  I.onisinna.     Pari*.     1GH4. 

"  Nnw  Disc.ovnry .     Utrerlit.     4Gil7. 

Hali'M  Sliotrlica  of  thn  VVrsi,  Philadelphia.  IH3,>. 
Holmes  Aniialn.    'J  Vols.    Carnliriili;<!.     IH-.'tl. 
Hall's  StatiHlir,)  of  llip  West.    Ciiiriniiail.     I8;)(i. 
Iliiloirc  (;(!niral  d<M  VoyuRP:'.     Faric.     17.")T. 
llarnson'H  Address,  Ih:)T,  in  Oliio  lllstoriral  Transaclloni". 
Ili'rkeweldcr'rt  Narrative.     Philadi'lpliia.     IH'.MI. 

lliillV  Trial.     Ilosion.     1611.    [.\,  11.— This  volume  docn  not  (jlve  llic  evidence.] 
HullV  Memoirs,     lloston.     1H24. 
liullV  Defence.     Hoslon.     \r*\4. 

Ilisloriinl  He(!iHlor  of  i;iiited  Slates,     IMitod  tiy  T.  II.  Palmer.    •!  Vols.     Pliiladelphia.     18U. 
Hi-lory  of  Loui.siana.     Ily  M.  I.e  I'uL'e  do  Pralz.    2  vols.    I'uris.     17j8. 

"  TraHslated.     London.     17tj3. 

Ilisloriral  Colleciinns of  I'ennsylvaiim.     Ity  SlnTiiinn  D.iy.     Pliilndelpliiaand  New  Haven    _\o(1atc. 
Uiilcliiiis' (JeoL-rafihiral  Description  of  N'iruinia,  Pennsylvania,  .Mi      land,  4c.c.     London.     1778. 

Historical  Narrative  and  Toposrapliical  DescripllcMi  of  Lmii.-iana,  &.c.     I'liiladelphia.    1784. 
History  of  llie  ronipiesi  of  I'loriiln  liy   De  Solo.     I'nrls.     IC^.I —London.     lU'O. 
flail's  .Memoir  td'  Harrison.     Philadeli  Ida  and  Cincinnati.     IV'M. 
Hum's  History  of  the  Mormon  War.     St.  Louis.     1941. 
Ilcsp«ri:in.     (Periodical.)     ('(dunilius  and  ( 'iiirinnati. 
Hall's  Wilderness  ami  War  patli,  in  Wiley  and  Putnam's  Library.    New  York.     It*-1G. 

hidepomlent  Chronicle  and  (leneral  .Advertiser.     Iloston.     [N.  11.— Democratic] 
linlayV  Topo^raoliicnl  Description  of  thn  Western  'I'errilory  of  North  America.     Pulilished  In  nnfi 
volMiiKMn   London,  in    I'.'.IJ,  I7fi:t  .ind   in   1 7'.)7.— The  edition  of  17117  contaiits   P-nvnal's  Topo- 
craphy  ;  Filson's  Kentucky  ;   tlie  two  works  of  Huicliins,  and  ten  otlier  addilion.s.     It  was  repul)- 
llslied  in  li  vols,  at  \.  V'.,  i7!t:i. 
Indian  Treaties  from  1778  to  18:i7.    Washington.     1837. 

Jeticrson's  Memoirs  and  Correspondence.     Itoston  and  New  York.     1!?30. 

•'  Notes  on  Virginia.     London.     1787. 

Journal  of  tlie  Federal  Convention.     Uoston.     1810. 

Kerclieval's  Valley  of  VirL'inia. 

Kentucky  Resolutions  of  \7\iS.     Kiclunnnd,  V.     1832. 

Kilhonrn's  Gazetteer  of  Ohio.    Columlms.     1837. 


La  Salle,  Pparks' Life  of.     Hoston.     1814. 

Land  Laws  oi' L'nited  States.     tVastungton.     1828. 

Leitres  Kdifiatites.*    Paris.     1781. 

"  Oriu'inal  edition  pidilislied  from  year  to  year. 

I  anmait's  His'ory  of  Michiaan.     New  York.     1843. 

Letter  to  a  Friend,  pivin-;  an  a'-connt  nt  Ifraddock's  n<!feat.     Boston.     17.")5. 

Letters  from  an  A  mericnn    Farmer,  &:.     Hy   Hector  St.   John  de   Creveccrnr.     First   puldislied  in 
French.     3  Vols.     Paris.     I7h7.    [\.  H. — (."oiitains  map  of  Scioto,  from  (Jetieral   Richard 'Hutler  : 
do.  of  Itig  Heaver  from  "  While  Minio  :"  do  of  Mnskiii;:um  from  Houipiet,  lliilchins,  and  Wliitc 
II.    Uosloti.    IS'.IO        eyes.     A  tonrlli  volume  (^ives  Filson's  Account  of  Kentucky  .J 
I.oskiel's  Hi<lory  of  Moravian  Missions.     I.,ondon.     1791. 
l.,aiid  Laws  airecting  Oliio.    Columlius.     1825. 
Latrohe's  Ramlder  in  .America.     New  York.     1835. 
Laws  of  .Missouri.     Jetrerson  City.    1842. 
London.     1757.  »        Indiana,  revised. 

Ohio,  "  Cohimtiui.     1841. 

in.structlons.]         Law's  Historical  Address  at  Vincennes.     Louisville.     1639. 

Marquette's  Journal  in  Tlievenot.t    Paris.     1681. 

.Vanineite,  Life  of  liy  Sparks.     Iloston. 

Marshall's  History  of  Kentucky.    2  Vols.     Frankfort.     1W4. 

McClung's  Western  Adventure,    (jincinnati.     1839. 

Morehead's  Address.     Frankfort,  1841. 

Menioires  Histori()ues  sur  la  Louisiatie.     Paris.     1753. 

.Massachusetts  Historical  Colleilions.    29  Vols.     3  Series.     Iloston.     IPdti  to   181G. 

Mante's  History  of  the  War  of  1754-G3.     1772.     Proliahly  pulilished  at  London. 

.Minutes  rif  the  Treaty  of  Carlisle  in  17,')3.     No  date  of  pulilicalioii. 

Mae  Afee'a  History  ofllie  War  of  1812.    Lexington,  Ky.    1816. 

•  Since  this  work  went  to  press,  a  translation  of  tlio  Letters  referred  to  in  it  lixa  lieen  puldislied  In 
\pw  York,  in  a  couple  of  volumes  entitled  "  1-^arIy  Jtsnil.s  iu  .Nortlt  America.  'I'ranslated  liy  Kev. 
William  In^raliatn  Kip." 

f  Since  this  work  went  to  press,  a  volume  callecl  "  Notes  on  the  Vortliwest  hy  VVm.  J  A.  P.radford," 
hn"  reached  us,  in  which  an  nttenipt  is  made  to  throw  di-credit  upon  Mar(piette's  alleeed  discovery. 
The  altemni  is,  lio\vever.  'lased  upon  an  error,  viz.  that  Marnnetle's  account  was  not  pulilished  till 
10-7,  after  La  Salle's  Vo>a'.'e,  whoreas  it  appeared  in  1081.  the  year  licfore  La  Salle  reached  thn 
Mis.si.ssippi.    Mr.  Bradford  had  never  seen  tlic  orij/inal  edition  of  Thevenot.    See  his  "  Notes,"  p.  G8 


Im  the  Brltieh  m 


XX 


LIST    OF  DODKS. 


Mrm<)lrn(in  ili(  l.axt  Wnr  111  Niirili  Anicrlrn.    :i  VuIk.    Yvcnlon.    1791.    [V.  II.— ThU  work  U  In 

I'kmicIi.     The  Scidhi  ii*  Ihto  wnllMi  H()iiliiiiic).| 
MliiiiKH  ottln;  I'roviiiclftl  Council  (if  I'fiiiisylvuiiln.    I'liMl^icil  by  llic  Piatr.    .1  voIh.    FlnrrlnMUf 

Ih;ih  mill  iHiii. 
Mnr-li,iMV  l.jd' nrWa-lilimton.    .1  VoIh.    riilln(lcl|ilila.     IPdl  ami  1H07. 
MnrliiiV  IIMiirv  ol  l.uiil^iaiia.    U  Vol".     Now  t./rli'uns.     |h'."J. 
ftlclioiMlilH  Ski  If  III':",    t'liiiliiiiali.  |i-;iH. 

Mrollft'H  Ui'iiorl  to  lli(>  HHiintc    WiikIiIiirIoii.     Ifl3. 
Norlli  AiiiiTiran  Kt'vlcw.     Ilosliin. 
Nrw  \  iirk  IliHtiirlraK'ollcrllon^.    ;i  VoIh.     Nuw  York. 
Nilos'  VVirlJy  Ui'i^iaicr.    Ilaliliiiuro. 


IHll.     18H.     l&i\. 


Olwrrvniloiis  on  llic  Norlli  .AiiiPrican  I. anil  (,'<<iiipatiy,  Ac.     London. 
Olil  JoiiriiaU  oil 'oiit;ri."*H,  from  1774  to  I7f8.    •!  Voln.     Way  &  tildcoii 
Ohio  .ImiriialH,  iiiiIiIhIiiiI  yrarly. 
Oliiu  C.iiml  ItMciiiiiuiilH.    L'oliiiiiliUH.     lH-.;8. 


i7!ie. 

,    Waiihlngton. 


lf".'3 


I'owiiall'H  MciiiorialH  on  Sfrvirc  in  Norlli  Atiicrlin. 
I'rc.-Diii  !-ialf  iif  Noilh  Aiinrirn.     Iiomlon.     17,"),). 


London.    1707, 


111.-1.  lilt       lU'*^"!         ..win,         ,■•■••     ■.■l.>  ■. ..,,„. 

rroiiil'!<  IJIslorv  of  l'<Miiisylvaiila.    ij  VoIm.    I'hiladi'l|iliia.     17'Ji. 

Plain  rurl.".     i'liilailcliiliia.     I7S|. 

I'rool'rt  of  llio  I'lirriiiilioii  of  James  VVilkiiiHon.     liy  Daiilol  Clarl<.     I'lillailclpliia.     '^'OO. 

I'Ica  ill  viiiiliraliun  of  lln' I'oiiiii  rlinit 'i'iilf  lo  coiilottil  lands   west  of  .New  York,     lly  Ilcnjainii: 

'I'riinihull.     Now  llavt'ii,     1771, 
Trtsfiil  SlaUi  of  Viri;iniu,&r.     Ity  IIiikIi  Jonrs.     London.     17'.''1.  . 

I'reaniil  SlaKi  of  Kiiro|icaii  .^"•ItlcmciilH  on  MlHHssi|i|ii.     lly  Captain  I'liilip  Pitlinaii.    London.     1/  H 
I'ilkin'n  lli.-'iory  of  llic  LiiiiLil  .>>UiUis.     i\cw  Haven.     if-Jrt. 


VVOBll 


Revised  PiftluicB  of  Virijinia.    Ilirliiiiond.    1H19. 

Ufporiof  ilii'  (.oiiiiiiillct;  lo  iiuiuiif  iiiio  ilic  conduit  of  Ocncral  Williinnon,  Fcliniary,  1811. 

Ington,    IHll.  ^  , ,  ,      . 

Ut-vifw  of  iliu  Military  Opcraiioiis  in  Nurili  Aiiiuriia,  from  1713  to  1.00.    By  fiovernor  LlviiiBSton 

of  New  Jersey.     Loud  ii.     17,'i7. 
Uaiiit^ay's  History  of  llie  War  from  17,">,')  10  1703.     IMIiiliiir(;li.     177!l, 
Relations  du   la  Lonisiaiie,  &c.     •-'  Volf>.     Amstprdam.     172",     N.  ll.-A'ol.  second  contains  tlif 

dociiineiils  relative  to  Law's  .MiSfissippi  Cumpuiiy. 
Rou'ers'  JiinriialH.     London.     ITIi.i. 
Ueiiwiclion  tlie  Ste.'in  Kiiyinc.    New  York.    1839. 

Silliinnn's  Journal.    Vol.31.     New  Haven.     I8;)7. 
Bpuika' VVa!(liiiii;ton.     ]-i  VjIs.     Itoston.     1837. 
"      Franklin.     10  Vol,     lloston,  IHIO. 
"       Lite  of  Morris.     Ilosliin.    l»3iJ. 
Ftuart's  Memoirs  ol  Indian  Wars. 
Htoiie's  Life  liraiiilt,    'J  Vols.     New  York.     1838. 
Pmolletl's  History  of  KnijUiiid. 

tiloddard's  .'^keti-iies  of  Louisiana.     I'liiladelplila.     1812. 
Set  of  I'iaiis  and  I'orts  in  Noilli  Anieriia,  rediired  from  actual  survey.     1703.    Proliably  pulilislied  a; 

l^ondon.  _., 

Ptale  of  lliitisli  and  I'reicli  Colonies  in  \ortli  America.     In  two  lellers  to  a  friend.     London,     lu.) 
St.  Clair's  Narrative  of  (lis  cain|ia'!.'n.     I'liiladelpliia.     IHI'2. 
Suiyth's 'i'ravels  ill  Aimrica.     ;t  Vols.     London.     I7.-'I.    See  p.  13,j  of  this  volume.     [N.  B.— T-y 

man  C.  Hraper,  of  lialiimore,  wlio  has  tested  l)r,  Smj  IIi'h  work  liy  original  doiunieiits  in  his  p()KSC:=- 

gioii,  pioMiiiiiH'es  ii  lull  of  1,'iitire  lalsehoods  ;  not  mere  e-\uyeratiuiis,  but  sliam' !e;.s  lies, — Main: 

script  letter  to  Ciiiciiinali  Historiial  ."Society. J 
Secret  Joiiriuils  of  Congress.     I  Vols,     lloston.     1820. 
Stipp's  Miscellany.    Xenia.Oliio,    1827. 

Stale  of  the  case  relative  to  rmled  .^late.s  Hank  in  Olilo.    Cincinnati.    1823. 
Ttiutclii'r's  Lives  of  llie  Indians.    2  vols.     \.  V.     18;'2. 
Transactions  of  .American  .\iitiipiari,An  Society.     Worcester,  Mass.     1820. 
Tonti's  Account  of  La  Salle's  II  scoveries,     I'aris      I0~7,     [."^jiurious.] 
Todd  ii  Diake's  Lil'i!  of  Harrisuii.     ('iiiiiiinati.     1810. 
'I'ravels  in  North  America  in  17il",  '110  anil  'i)7,  hy  Isaac  Weld.    2  Vols,     London.     1799. 

Travels  in  Louisiana,     liy lio.ssn.     Translated  hy  J.  R.  I'orster.     London.     1771. 

Transactions  of  Oliiu  Historical  Society,  containing  liurnet's  J^etttrs.    Cincinnati.    1839. 

Universal  Modern  History.     London.     1763. 

United  Stales  na/etle,  edited  hy  John  Toiino.  Pulilished  at  Xew  York  from  April  15,  1769  to  Nov 
cmlier,  3,  IT'JU  ;  then  transferred  to  I'liiladelpliia.     It  was  Federal. 

Voliiey's  View  of  the  Climate  and  Soil  of  tlie  United  States.    London.     1804. 

View  of  the  Title  lo  Indiana,  a  tract  of  country  on  Hie  river  Oliio.  IMiiladelpliia.  1770.  [N.  B.- 
See  pa^e  Ui7  of  lliis  volume.    This  contains  ttic  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwi-x  of  1708.] 

Voyages,  &c.  relative  lo  tlie  l)iscovi;ry  of  America.     I'aris.     18'11. 

Whittlesey's  Discourse  on  Lord  Duiiinore's  Kxpedition.    Cleveland.    1842. 

"  Life  of  Filch.    (In  American  Biography,  New  Series,  vi.)    lloston 

Withers' Cliioniclis  of  liorJcr  Warfare.     Clarkshiirgh,  Va.     1821. 

Western  Moiilhly  Magazine.    Cincinnali.    I8;i2,  &.c.     Periodical. 

WashingUin's  Journal.  I'uliiislied  at  Williamsluirgii,  Va.  Kepulilislied  London,  K.'S-I,  with  a  map 
[N.  I!.— Oil  this  map  tlie  Srio'o  is  called  "  Sikoder,"  and  lake  Krie  ■'  l>ri  or  Ukswego,"  This  la^ 
name  is  also  given  l.ike  Frie  o;i  llie  iii.ip  to  Culdcu's  history  of  llie  Iroipiois.  London,  ]7,')j.  U: 
the  Cuiiilierlaiid  is  marked  "  Walker's  Settlement,  1730.''   Sec  page  111  and  nolu  of  tliis  volume  ] 

VVelniore's  Missouri  Gazetteer.    St.  Louis.     li^'.\~. 

Wilkinson's  Memoirs.    3  Vols.    I'liiladelpliia.     18IC. 

Western  Messenger.     Periodical.    Ciucinnati. 

Western  Garland.    Periodical.    Cincinnati. 


sr 


I.v  the 

which  is 
rado  of  C 
tincnt,  nc'u 
a.s  because 
shore,  naiii 
ltd  to  uiidi 
hope,  com 
oiuUess  stoi 
that  was  su 
which  poss 
drank  of,  oj 
he  was  mac 
circumstanc 
lie  went  onl 

In   the   1] 
Diego  Aliru 
Leon,   and 
.siderable  qi 
spread  abrc 

Ten  ycai 
undertook  t( 
Gulf  of  Me 
years,  had 
excited  to  a 
of  Montezui 
constantly  \ 
those  living: 

o 

'  I'asctia,  the 
day  of  Flowers,' 
1 


TliU  work  U  In 
IH.    Ilnrtlnlxirt' 


n.     1S'J3. 


SPANISH  AND  FRENCH  DISCOVERIES. 


■09. 

li.    Hy  Ucnjniiiir. 


London.    H'O 

ry,  1811.    Wosli 
Grnor  I.lviniiston, 

Dtiil  containH  t!if 


lalily  piililislipJ  a; 

London.    n,')J 

[S.  B.-T.y 
lis  ill  liiH  p(is^se>- 
(■:,s  lies.— .Main; 


1799. 
1^1. 

16;>9. 

15,  1769  to  Nov 
177C.    [\.  B.- 


''>-t,  with  a  mar 
veKD."  This  lu; 
jiulon,  1733.  u: 
of  lliia  volume  j 


In  the  year  1512,  on  Eix.stcr  Sunday,  llie  Spani.sh  name  for 
which  i.s  Pascua  Florichi;*  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon,  an  old  com- 
rade of  Cohimbu.s,  discovered  the  coast  of  the  Anu-ricaji  con- 
tinent, near  St.  Augustine;  and,  in  honor  of  the  day,  as  Nvell 
as  because  of  the  bh)ssoms  which  covered  the  trees  along  the 
.shore,  named  the  new-found  country  Fk)rida.  Juan  liad  been 
led  to  undertake  the  discovery  of  strange  lands,  partly  by  the 
hope,  common  to  all  his  countrymen  at  that  time,  of  finding 
endless  stores  of  gold,  and  partly  by  the  wish  to  reach  a  fountain 
that  was  said  to  exist,  deep  within  the  forests  of  North  America, 
which  possessed  the  power  of  renovating  the  life  of  Ihose  who 
drank  of,  or  bathed  in,  its  waters.  In  return  for  his  discovery 
he  was  made  Governor  of  the  region  he  had  visited,  but  various 
circumstances  prevented  his  return  thither  until  1521,  and  then 
he  went  only  to  meet  with  death  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians. 

In  the  mean  time,  in  1516,  a  roving  Spanish  sea  captain, 
Diego  Miruelo,  had  visited  the  coast  first  reached  by  Ponce  de 
Leon,  and  in  his  barters  with  the  natives  had  received  con- 
siderable quantities  of  gold,  with  which  he  returned  home,  and 
spread  abroad  new  stories  of  the  wealth  hidden  in  tiie  interior. 

Ten  years,  however,  passed  before  Pamphilo  de  Narvaez 
iuidcrtook  to  prosecute  the  examination  of  the  lands  north  of  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico ;  the  shores  of  which,  during  the  intervening 
years,  had  been  visited  and  roughly  surveyed.  Narvaez  was 
excited  to  action  by  the  late  astonishing  success  of  the  conqueror 
of  Montezuma,  but  he  found  the  gold  lor  which  he  sought,  ily 
constantly  before  him ;  each  tribe  of  Indians  referred  him  to 
those  living  still  farther  in  the  interior,  and  from  tribe  to  tribe 

'  I'ascua,  the  old  English  " Pasch"  or  Passover  j  "Pascua  Florida"  is  the  •'•IIoJ^- 
day  of  Flowers." 


i 


Dc  Soto  in  Florida. 


1510. 


he  niul  his  cotupatiions  waiidcicd,  wt-ary  ntul  disappointed, 
during  six  iiioiiths;  then,  having  reached  the  shore  afraiii,  naked 
and  I'aniishj'd,  they  tried  to  refrain  the  Spanish  r()h)nies;  hut  ol 
three  hiuuhed  only  lour  or  five  at  h'ngth  reaehed  Mexico.  And 
still  these  disappointed  wanderers  persisted  in  their  orif^inal 
I'ancy  tiiat  l''lori(hi*  was  as  wealliiy  as  Mexico  or  Pecii ;  and 
alter  all  their  wanderings  and  simerin^s  so  told  the  world. f 

Auionj;  those  to  whoui  this  report  came,  was  Ferdinand  de 
Soto,  who  had  heen  wiUi  Pizarro  in  the  conquest  of  Peru,  and 
who  longed  lor  an  opportunity  to  make  hinisellas  rich  and  notetl 
as  the  other  great  Captains  ol'  the  day.  lie  asked  leave  of  the 
Kini;  of  Spain  to  concjuer  Florida  at  ids  own  cost.  It  was  given 
in  1538;  with  a  brilliant  and  noble  band  of  followers,  he  left 
Europe;  and  in  May  1531),  after  a  stay  in  Cuba,  anchored  his 
vessels  near  the  coast  of  llie  Peninsula  of  Florida,  in  the  bay 
of  S[)iritu  Santo,  or  'I'ampa  bay.| 

Do  Soto  entered  upon  his  march  into  the  interior  with  a  deter- 
mination to  succetid.  lie  had  brought  with  him  all  things  that 
it  was  supposed  could  be  neeilful,  and  that  none  might  be 
tempted  to  turn  back,  he  sent  away  his  vessels.  From  June  till 
November,  of  153'J,  the  Spaniards  toiled  along  until  they  reached 
the  neighborhood  of  Appalachee  bay,  finding  no  gold,  no  foun- 
tain of  youth.  During  the  next  season,  1540,  they  followed  tiie 
course  suggested  I  "  the  Florida  Indians,  who  wished  them  out 
of  their  country,  and  going  to  the  north  east,  crossed  the  rivers 
and  climbed  the  mountains  of  Georgia.  De  Soto  was  a  stern, 
severe  man,  and  none  dared  to  murmur.  Still  finding  no  cities 
of  boundless  wealth,  they  turned  westward,  towards  the  waters 

•  Hy  Florida  the  Spaniards  of  early  times  meant  at  least  all  of  North  America  south 
of  the  fircat  Lakes. 

t  For  facta  in  relation  to  Florida  sec  Baiicrofl's  Hist.  U.  S.,  Vol.  I. 

]  The  ()rigiii;d  luithorities  in  rthition  to  Dc  Sdto,  ar?  an  anonymous  Portuguese  writer, 
a  gentleman  of  F.lvas,  wlio  claims  to  have  been  an  eye-witness  of  what  he  relates  ;  and 
Luis  Hernandez  de  Biednia,  who  was  also  with  the  expedition,  and  presented  his 
account  to  the  Spanish  king  in  lull.  W'e  have  also  a  letter  lioni  De  Soto,  to  the 
authorities  of  the  city  of  Santiago,  in  Cuba,  dated  July  9,  1539.  These  authorities  in 
the  main  agree,  though  the  ]'ortuguese  account  is  much  the  fullest,  and  the  Governor's 
letter  of  course  relates  but  few  events.  The  I'ortugucse  narrative  was  published  in 
1557 ;  llakluyt  gave  it  in  English  in  1G09,  and  it  was  again  published  in  London  in 
16S6;  a  French  transl.iiinn  ajipeared  in  Paris  in  1GS5.  Its  erediliility  is  questioned. 
See  Sparks  in  Hutlcr's  Kentucky,  2d  Ed.  498;  also,  liancrofl's  U.  S.I ;  66.  note.  The 
account  by  Uiedma  and  De  Soto's  letter  are  in  a  work  published  in  Paris,  called  "  Voy- 
Qf^cs,  Ixihtlii'its,  li  Jftmoiira  origittau.r  pour  nrrvir  a  I'liixtoiri'  dc  la  dtronvcrtc  ih: 
PAmeriqite."  One  volume  of  this  collection  relates  to  Florida,  and  appeared  in  1S41. 
We  have  epitomised  the  account  as  given  by  Bancroft  in  his  first  volume. 


154-2. 

of  the   I\ 
catne  to 
of  the  T<i 
hut  tlie  n 
Indians  v 
Find  in 
stant  aftni 
march  to\ 
near  the  ^ 
f!('t  forwfii 
Great  \U\ 
tude.      A 
horses,  m: 
ing  succes 
ward,  into 
ward   agai 
Mississipj) 
no  gems,  i 
deep  mor; 
their  third 
lowing  sj)i 
descemled 
ing  to  learr 
when  he  r 
portion  flo^ 
Determined 
eight  days 
deep  into  i 
and  horses 
challenged 
yielded   to 
climate;  he 
died.     His 
Deprived 
iards  deterrr 
West  again 
ing  up  and 
The  Red  ri 
again  they  \ 
great  Fathei 


I'yW. 


154-2. 


Death  of  Di'  Soh. 


3 


ipointcd, 
II,  iiiikt'd 
s;  l)Ht  ot 
().  A  nil 
original 
cm;  luul 

•Id.t 

iniuul  tl( 
'cru,  sinil 
ind  noted 
fti  of  tho 
vas  given 
s,  he  lell 
lored  his 
I  the  bay 

h  a  deter- 
hings  that 
might   be 

June  till 
:y  reached 

no  ibun- 
lowed  the 

lliem  out 

the  rivers 
a  stern, 
no  cities 

le  waters 


Imonca 


sonth 


kiPPO  writer, 

Iroliitos ;  and 

Iresented  his 

Solo,  to  liic 

lutlinritios  in 

Govornor'a 

|)ubliNhed  in 

London  in 

qnnstioncd. 

.  note.  The 

llled  "  Vorj- 

Wonvcrtc  lie 

Ired  in  1S41. 


of  the  Mohih',  and  lollovving  those  waters,  in  October  (I. '» 10,) 
cntne  to  the  town  f)f  MaviMa  on  the  Alabama,  above  the  junction 
of  the  'rombocbee.  This  town  the  Europeans  wished  to  occupy, 
but  the  natives  resisted  them,  and  in  a  battle  which  ensued,  the 
Indians  were  defeated. 

Finding  himself,  notwithstanding  his  victory,  exposed  to  con- 
stant attacks  from  the  reihnen  at  this  point,  I)e  Soto  resumed  his 
inarch  towards  the  Mississippi,  and  passed  the  winter,  probably, 
near  the  Ya/oo.  Tn  April  1511,  once  more  the  resolute  Spaniard 
fiot  forward,  and  upon  the  first  of  May  reached  the  banks  of  the 
Great  River  of  the  West,  not  far  from  the  3r)th  parallel  of  lati- 
tude. A  month  was  spent  in  preparing  barges  to  convey  the 
horses,  many  of  which  still  lived,  across  the  rapid  stream.  Hav- 
ing successfully  passed  it,  the  explorers  pursued  their  way  north- 
ward, into  tho  neighborhood  of  New  Madrid;  then  turning  west- 
ward again,  marched  more  than  two  hundred  miles  from  the 
Mississippi  to  the  highlands  of  White  river.  And  still  no  gold, 
no  gems,  no  cities;  only  hart'  prairies,  and  tangled  forests,  and 
deep  morasses.  To  the  south  again  tliey  toiled  on,  and  passed 
their  third  winter  of  wainlering  upon  the  Wasliila.  In  the  fol- 
lowing spring  (1542,)  De  Soto,  weary  with  hope  long  deferred, 
descended  the  Washita  to  its  junction  with  the  Mississijipi,  wish- 
ing to  learn  the  distance  and  direction  of  the  sea.  He  lieard, 
when  he  reached  the  mighty  stream  of  the  West,  that  its  lower 
portion  flowed  through  endless  and  uninhabitable  swamps. — 
Determined  to  learn  the  truth,  he  sent  forward  horsemen ;  in 
eight  days  they  advanced  only  thirty  miles.  The  news  sank 
deep  into  the  stout  heart  of  the  disappointed  warrior.  His  men 
and  horses  were  wasting  around  liim;  the  Indians  near  by 
challenged  him,  and  he  dared  not  meet  them.  His  health 
yielded  to  the  contests  of  his  mind  and  the  influence  of  the 
climate;  he  appointed  a  successor,  and  upon  the  21st  of  Ma) 
died.     His  body  was  sunk  in  the  stream  of  the  Mississippi. 

Deprived  of  their  energetic  tliough  ruthless  leader,  the  Span- 
iards determined  to  try  to  reach  Mexico  by  land.  They  turned 
West  again  therefore,  and  penetrated  to  the  Red  river,  wander- 
ing up  and  down  in  the  forests,  the  sport  of  inimical  Indians. 
The  Red  river  they  could  not  cross,  and  jaded  and  heartless, 
again  they  went  eastward,  and  reached  in  December  1542,  the 
great  Father  of  waters  once  more.     Despairing  of  success  in 


French  in  the  West. 


1671. 


the  attempt  to  rescue  themselves  by  land,  they  proceeded  to  pre- 
pare s\ich  vessels  as  they  could  to  take  them  to  the  sea.  From 
January  to  July  1543,  the  weak,  sickly  band  of  gold-seekers, 
labored  at  the  doleful  task;  and  in  July  reached,  in  the  vessels 
thus  wrought,  the  Gulf  of  Mexieo,  and  by  September,  entered 
the  river  Panuco.  One-half  of  the  six  hundred*  who  had  dis- 
embarked with  De  Soto,  so  gay  in  steel  and  silk,  left  their  bones 
among  the  mountains  and  in  the  morasses  of  the  South,  from 
Georgia  to  Arkansas. 

Such  was  the  first  expedition  by  Europeans,  into  the  great 
Western  Valley  of  North  America.  They  founded  no  settle- 
ments, left  no  traces,  produced  no  effect  unless  to  excite  the 
hostility  of  the  red  against  the  white  men,  and  to  dishearten  such 
as  might  otherwise  have  tried  to  follow  up  .he  career  of  dis- 
covery to  better  purpose.  As  it  was,  for  more  than  a  century 
after  the  expedition  of  De  Soto,  the  West  remained  utterly 
unknown  to  the  whites.  In  1616,  four  years  before  the  Pilgrims 
"moored  their  bark  on  the  wild  New  England  shore,"  Le  Caron, 
a  French  Franciscan,  had  penetrated  through  the  Iroquois  and 
Wyandotsf  to  the  streams  which  run  into  Lake  Huron ;  and  in 
1634,  two  Jesuits  had  founded  the  first  mission  among  the  rivers 
and  marshes  of  the  region  east  of  that  great  inland  sea ;  but  it 
was  1641,  just  one  hundred  years  after  De  Soto  reached  the 
Mississippi,  that  the  first  Canadian  envoys  met  the  savage  nations 
of  the  Northwest,  at  the  falls  of  St.  Mary,  below  the  outlet  of 
lake  Superior.  This  visit,  however,  led  to  no  permanent  result, 
and  it  was  not  till  1659  that  even  any  of  the  adventurous  fur- 
traders  spent  a  \v  inter  on  the  frozen  and  inhospitable  shores  of 
the  vast  lake  of  the  North,  nor  till  1660  that  the  unflinching 
devotion  of  the  Missionaries  caused  the  first  station  to  rise  upon 
its  rocky  and  pine-clad  borders.  But  Mesnard,  who  founded 
that  station,  perished  in  the  woods  in  a  few  months  afterward, 
and  five  more  years  slipped  by  before  Father  Claude  Allonez,  in 
1665,  built  the  earliest  of  the  lasting  habitations  of  white  men 
among  the  ki?  IV  and  hospitable  Indians  of  the  Northwest. 
Following  in  his  steps,  in  1668,  Claude  Dablon  and  James 
Marquette    founded  the  mission  at  St.  Mary's  Falls;  in  1670, 

*  De  Bicdma  says  there  landed  620  men. 

+  The  Wyandots  arc  the  same  as  the  Hurons.  Ilcckowelder's  Narr.  33C,  note  ;  see 
their  traditionary  history  by  J.  Badger,  w  Missionary  among  them.—Cist's  Cincinnati 
Miscellany  I.  153. 


1673. 

Nichola: 
explorec 
session 
presence 
ing  regi( 
of  listen 
island 
cxcellen 


ing  the 


1 


mg  more 
had,  of 
banks, — 
but  whol 
Gospel  h 
to  them  1 
dant  of  ( 
having  re 
Monsieur 
spring  of 
talked  of 

Upon 

Michillim 

Indian  co 

The  fir 

Father  ha 

plan,  begj 

that  great 

cause ;  wj 

swallow  tl 

and   burie 

draw  nigh 

there  that 

good  advi 

not  follow 

I  should  b 

Passing 

voyager,  ri 

•  This  was 
Strait  were  afl 
the  southern  si 

t  For  the  ab 


1671. 

id  to  pre- 
a.  From 
1-scekcrs, 
le  vessels 
',  entered 
had  dis- 
leir  bones 
uth,  from 

the  great 
[10  settle- 
excite  the 
irten  such 
er  of  dis- 
a  century 
id   utterly 
;  Pilgrims 
Le  Caron, 
:juois  and 
1 ;  and  in 
the  rivers 
?a;  but  it 
iched  the 
re  nations 
outlet  of 
nt  result, 
ous  fur- 
shores  of 
iflinching 
rise  upon 
founded 
>erward, 
Inucz,  in 
lite  men 
orthwest. 
id  James 
in  1670, 


!,  note :  see 
s  Cincinnati 


1673. 


Marquette  leaves  Green  Buy. 


Nicholas  Perrot,  as  agent  for  Talon,  the  intcndant  of  Cinada, 
explored  lake  Michigan  as  far  as  Chicago;  in  1671  formal  pos- 
session was  taken  of  the  Northwest  by  French  officers  in  the 
presence  of  Indians  assembled  from  every  part  of  the  surround- 
ing region,  and  in  the  same  year  Marquette  gathered  a  little  flock 
of  listeners,  at  Point  St.  Ignatius,  on  the  main  land  north  of  the 
island  of  Mackinac*  During  the  three  years  which  this  most 
excellent  man  had  now  spent  in  that  country,  the  idea  of  explor- 
ing the  lands  yet  farther  towards  the  setting  sun,  had  been  grow- 
ing more  and  more  definite  in  his  mind.  He  had  heard,  as  all 
had,  of  the  great  river  of  the  West,  and  fancied  upon  its  fertile 
banks, — not  mighty  cities,  mines  of  gold,  or  fountains  of  youth — 
but  whole  tribes  of  God's  children  to  whom  the  sound  of  the 
Gosjjul  had  never  come.  Filled  with  the  wish  to  go  and  preach 
to  them  he  obeyed  with  joy  the  orders  of  Talon,  the  wise  inten- 
dant  of  Canada,  to  lead  a  party  into  the  unknown  distance ;  and 
having  received,  as  companions  on  behalf  of  the  government,  a 
Monsieur  Joliet,  of  Quebec,  together  with  five  boatmen,  in  the 
spring  of  1673,  he  prepared  to  go  forth  in  search  of  the  much 
talked  of  stream. t 

Upon  the  13th  of  May,  1673,  this  little  band  of  seven  left 
Michillimacinac  in  two  bark  canoes,  with  a  small  store  of 
Indian  corn  and  jerked  meat,  bound  they  knew  not  whither. 

The  first  nation  they  visited,  one  with  which  our  reverend 
Father  had  been  long  acquainted,  being  told  of  their  venturous 
plan,  begged  them  to  desist.  There  were  Indians,  they  said,  on 
that  great  river,  who  would  cut  off  their  heads  without  the  least 
cause ;  warriors  who  would  seize  them ;  monsters  who  would 
swallow  them,  canoes  and  all ;  even  a  demon,  who  shut  the  way, 
and  buried  in  the  waters  that  boiled  about  him,  all  who  dared 
draw  nigh;  and,  if  these  dangers  were  passed,  there  were  heats 
there  that  would  infiillibly  kill  them.  "I  thanked  them  for  the?, 
good  advice,"  says  Marquette,  "but  I  told  them  that  I  could 
not  follow  it ;  since  the  salvation  of  souls  w^as  at  stake,  for  which 
I  should  be  overjoyed  to  give  my  life." 

Passing  through  Green  Bay,  from  the  mud  of  which,  says  our 
voyager,  rise  "  mischievous  vapors,  that  cause  the  most  grand 

•  This  was  the  first  town  of  Michillimacinac.  The  post  and  station  north  of  the 
Strait  were  afterward  destroyed,  and  others  with  the  same  name,  St.  Ignatius,  l)uilt  on 
the  southern  shore,  at  the  extremity  of  the  peninsula  of  Michigan — Charhvoix^s  Journal. 

I  For  the  above  dates,  &c.,  see  Hancroft's  U.  S.,  Vol.  III. 


6 


Marquette  reaches  the  Mississippi. 


1613. 


1673. 


and  perpetual  thunders  that  I  have  ever  heard,"  they  entered 
Fox  river,  and  toilhig  over  stones  which  cut  tlieir  feet,  as  tliey 
dragged  their  canoes  through  its  strong  rapids,  reached  a  village 
where  lived  in  union  the  Miamis,  Mascoutens,|  and  "  Kikabeux" 
(Kickapoos.)  Here  Allouez  had  preached,  and  behold!  in 
the  midst  of  the  town,  a  cross,  (unc  hdle  croix,)  on  which 
hung  skins,  and  belts,  and  bows,  and  arrows,  which  "these 
good  people  had  offered  to  tlie  great  Manitou,  to  thank  him 
because  he  had  taken  pity  on  them  durijig  the  winter,  and  had 
given  them  an  abundant  chase." 

Beyond  this  point  no  Frenchman  had  gone ;  here  was  the 
bound  of  discovery;  and  much  did  the  savages  wonder  at  the 
hardihood  of  these  seven  men,  who,  alone,  in  two  bark  canoes, 
were  thus  fearlessly  passing  into  unknown  dangers. 

On  the  10th  of  June,  they  left  this  wondering  and  well-wish- 
ing crowd,  and,  with  two  guides  to  lead  them  through  the  lakes 
and  marshes  of  that  region,  started  for  the  river,  which,  .as  they 
heard,  rose  but  about  three  leagues  distant,  and  fell  into  the 
Mississip])i.  Without  ill-luck  these  guides  conducted  them  to 
the  portage,  and  helped  diem  carry  their  canoes  across  it;  then, 
returning,  left  them  "  alone  amid  that  unknown  country,  in  the 
hand  of  God." 

With  prayers  to  the  mother  of  Jesus  they  strengthened  their 
souls,  and  committed  themselves,  in  all  hope,  to  the  current  of 
the  westward-dowing  river,  the  " jMescousin "  (Wisconsin;)  a 
sand-barred  stream,  hard  to  navigate,  but  full  of  islands  covered 
with  vines,  and  bordered  by  meadows,  and  groves,  and  pleasant 
slopes.  Down  this  they  floated  until,  upon  the  17th  of  June, 
they  entered  the  Mississippi,  "  with  a  joy,"  says  Marquette, 
"that  I  cannot  express." 

Quietly  floadng  down  the  great  river,  they  remarked  the  deer, 
the  buffaloes,  the  swans,  —  "wingless,  for  they  lose  their  feathers 
in  that  country,"  —  the  great  fish,  one  of  which  had  nearly 
knocked  their  canoe  into  atoms,  and  other  creatures  of  a'r,  earth, 
and  water,  but  no  men.  At  last,  however,  upon  the  21st  of 
June,  they  discovered,  upon  the  western  bank  of  the  river,  the 
foot-prints  of  some  fellow  mortals,  and  a  little  path  leading  into 
a  pleasant  meadow.  Leaving  the  canoes  in  charge  of  their 
followers,  Joliet   and    Father  Marquette  boldly  advanced  upon 

J  In  Cliarlevoix's  time  these  occupied  the  country  from  the  lihnois  to  the  Fox  river, 
and  from  Lake  Micliigan  to  the  Mississippi. — See  his  Map. 


this  path 
wore    th( 
which, 
nigh  as 
ence  kno 
embassy 
and  told 
voyagers 
them  as 
much   coi 
given  to 
was  of  h( 
the  Frenc 
hufTalo. 
with  gren 
spent  the 
returned 
The  Illino 
remarkabh 
what  efTen 
Leavinc 
which  wer 
heard   on 
mouth  of  t 
of   which 
"Through 
California, 
upon  certa 
Pekitanoni 
from  its  m 
stream  run 
Sea.     "If 
despair   of 
Missouri,  1 
them,  whic 
came  to  tl 

*  A  (log  fcas 
Expeditions  of 
the  meat  is  sor 
Historical  Soci 
Txatiiral  Histor 

+  The  grand 


1C73. 


1673. 


Marquette  renchea  Jirkansas. 


:y  entered 
it,  as  they 
i  a  village 
akabuux" 
ehokl!  in 
on  which 
h  "these 
hank  him 
,  and  had 

was  the 

ler  at  the 
k  canoes, 

,vell-\vish- 

the  lakes 

1,  Ji.s  they 

into  the 
i  them  to 

it;  then, 
ry,  in  the 

ned  their 

urrent  of 

3nsin ; )  a 

i  covered 

pleasant 

of  June, 

arquette, 

the  deer, 
feathers 
d  nearly 
V,  earth, 
21st  of 
■iver,  the 
ling  into 
of  their 
ed  upon 

l'"ox  river, 


tliis  ])ath  toward,   as  thoy   supjioscd,   an   Indian   village.     Nor 
wore    they  mistaken;  for  they  soon  came    to    x   little  town,  to 
which,  recommending  themselves  to  God's  care,  they  went  so 
nigh  ns  to  hear  the  savages  talking.     Having  made   their  pres- 
ence known  by  a  loud  cry,  they  were  graciously  received  by  an 
embassy  of  four  old  men,  who  presented  them  the  pipe  of  peace, 
and  told  them,  that  this   was  a  village  of  the  "Illinois,"     The 
voyagers  were  then  conducted  into  the  town,  where  all  received 
them  as    friends,  and  treated  them  to  a  great  smoking.     After 
much   complimenting  and    present-making,    a   grand   feast  was 
given  to  the  Europeans,  consisting  of  four  courses.     The   first 
was  of  hominy,  the  second  of  fish,  the  third  of  a  dog,*  which 
the  Frenchmen  declined,  and  the  whole   concluded  with  roast 
bufl^alo.     After  the   feast  they  were  marched  through  the  town 
with  great   ceremony   and    much    speech-making;  and,   having 
spent  the  night,  pleasantly  and  quietly,  amid  the  Indians,  they 
returned   to  their  canoes  with  an   escort  of  six   hundred  people. 
The  Illinois,  Marquette,  like  all  the  early  travellers,  describes  as 
remarkably  handsome,  well-maimered,  and  kindly,  even  some- 
what effeminate. 

Leaving  the  Illinois,  the  adventurers  passed  the  rocks  upon 
which  were  painted  those  monsters  of  whose  existence  they  had 
heard  on  Lake  Michigan,  and  soon  found  themselves  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Pekitanoni,  or  Missouri  of  our  day;  the  character 
of  which  is  w^ell  described;  muddy,  rushing,  and  noisv  — 
"Through  this,"  says  Marquette,  "I  hope  to  reach  the  Gulf  of 
California,  and  thence  the  East  Indies."  This  hope  was  based 
upon  certain  rumors  among  the  natives,  which  represented  the 
Pekitanoni  as  passing  by  a  meadow,  five  or  six  days'  journey 
from  its  mouth,  on  the  opposite  side  of  which  meadow  was  a 
stream  running  westward,  which  led,  beyond  doubt,  to  the  South 
Sea.  "If  God  give  me  health,"  says  our  Jesuit,  "I  do  not 
despair  of  one  day  making  the  diseovery."  Leaving  the 
Missouri,  they  passed  the  demon,  that  had  been  portrayed  to 
them,  which  was  indeed  a  dangerous  rock  in  the  river,f  and 
came  to  the  Ouabouskigou,  or  Ohio,  a  stream  which  makes  but 

*  A  dog  feast  is  still  a  feast  of  honor  among  the  savages.  Sec  Fremont's  Report  of 
Expoditions  of  1S42,  '43,  and  "li,  printed  at  Washington,  1S4.5;  p.  42.  Fremont  says 
the  meat  is  somewhat  like  mutton.  See,  also,  Dr.  Jarvis's  discourse  before  the  N.  York 
Historical  Society  in  1819,  note  R.j  Lewis  and  Clark's  Journal,  II.  165;  Godman's 
Natural  History,  I.  254. 

t  The  grand  Tower. 


8 


Marquette  returns. 


1675.       1674. 


a  small  figure  in  Father  Marquette's  map,  being  but  a  trifling 
water-course  compared  to  the  Illinois.  From  the  Ohio,  our 
voyagers  passed  with  safety,  except  from  the  niusquitoes,  into 
the  neighborhood  of  the  "Akamscas,"  or  Arkansas.  Here  they 
were  attacked  by  a  crowd  of  warriors,  and  had  nearly  lost  their 
lives;  but  Marquette  resolutely  presented  the  peace-pipe,  and 
some  of  the  old  men  of  the  attacking  party  were  softened,  and 
saved  them  from  harm.  "  God  touched  their  hearts,"  says  the 
pious  narrator. 

The  next  day  the  Frenchmen  went  on  to  "Akamsca,"  where 
they  were  received  most  kindly,  and  feasted  on  corn  and  dog  till 
they  could  eat  no  more.  These  Indians  cooked  in  and  eat  from 
earthen  ware,  and  were  amiable  and  unceremonious,  each  man 
helping  himself  from  the  dish  and  passing  it  to  his  neighbor. 

From  this  point  Joliet  and  our  writer  determined  to  return  to 
the  North,  as  dangers  increased  towards  the  sea,  and  no  doubt 
could  exist  as  to  the  point  where  the  Mississippi  emptied,  to 
ascertain  which  point  was  the  great  object  of  their  expedition. 
Accordingly,  on  the  ^  .'th  of  July,  our  voyagers  left  Akamsca ; 
retraced  their  path  with  much  labor,  to  the  Illinois,  through 
which  they  soon  reached  the  Lake;  and  "nowhere,"  says 
Marquette,  "did  we  see  such  grounds,  meadows,  woods,  stags, 
bufTaloes,  deer,  wildcats,  bustards,  swans,  ducks,  parroquets, 
and  even  beavers,"  as  on  the  Illinois  river. 

In  Sept(-mber  the  party,  without  loss  or  injury,  reached  Green 
Bay,  and  reported  their  discovery ;  one  of  the  most  important  of 
that  age,  but  of  which  we  have  now  no  record  left  except  the 
brief  narrative  of  Marquette,  Joliet,  (as  we  learn  from  an  abstract 
of  his  account,  given  in  Hennepin's  second  volume,  London, 
1698,)  having  lost  all  his  papers  while  returning  to  Quebec,  by 
the  upsetting  of  his  canoe.  Marquette's  unpretending  account, 
we  have  in  a  collection  of  voyages  by  Thevenot,  printed  in 
Paris  in  1681.*  Its  general  correctness  is  unquestionable;  and, 
as  no  European  had  claimed  to  have  made  any  such  discovery 
at  the  time  this  volume  was  published,  but  the  persons  therein 
named,  we  may  consider  the  account  as  genuine. 

Afterwards  Marquette  returned  to  the  Illinois,  by  their  request, 

*  This  work  is  now  very  rare,  but  Marquette's  Journal  has  been  republished  l)y  Mr. 
Sparks,  at  least  in  substance,  in  Butler's  Kentucky,  '2d  Ed.  -192;  and  in  the  American 
Biography,  1st  series,  Vol.  X.  A  copy  of  the  map  by  Manjuette,  is  also  given  by  Mr. 
Bancroft,  Vol.  III.  We  have  followed  the  original  in  Thevcnot,  a  copy  of  wliich  is  ia 
Harvard  Library. 


and  minisi 
J  ear,  as  h 
proj)ose(i 
insula,  an[ 
went  a  liltl 
time  passel 
had  said  si 
went  to  se| 
praying,  In 
mouth  of 
body  was 
have  been 
grave  in   j 
years  after' 
the  most  t 
cross  the 
Marquette. 

While  tl 
labors  of  k 
and   each  c 
perfect    the 
Joliet.     Th 

La  Salle 
we  learn  J 
lost,  by  SO! 
stirring  ant 
tune  among 
about  the  y 
of  those  ag 
his  daily  b 
expedition 
Pacific,  wh 
the  hot  mir 

*  Charlevoix' 
spells  the  nanu 
chasipi ;  "  oth( 
all  the  Indian 
"  Outtoauets," 
nations.  Our 
which  is  writt 
isi'awa,"  and 
always  called  I 

t  Charlevoix 


1675.       1674. 


La  Salle  rebuilds  Fort  Fronfenac. 


litOO! 

IIli 


a  trifling 
Ohio,  our 
,  into 
^^jre  they 
Y  hjst  their 
-pipe,  and 
lened,  and 
"  says  the 

a,"  where 
nd  dog  till 
d  eat  from 
,  each  man 
ghbor. 
)  return  to 
no  doubt 
imptied,  to 
.'xpedition. 
Akamsca ; 
s,  through 
.n-e,"  says 
ods,  stags, 
)arroquets, 

led  Green 
lortant  of 
xcept  the 
n  abstract 
London, 
uebec,  by 
account, 
inted  in 
and, 
discovery 
s  therein 


A 


request. 

ihcd  by  Mr. 
le  American 
ivcn  by  Mr. 
'  wluch  is  ia 


and  ministered  to  them  until  1675.  On  the  i3th  of  May,  in  that 
jear,  as  he  was  passing  with  his  boatmen  up  Lake  Michigan,  he 
pro])osed  to  land  at  the  mouth  of  a  strwira  running  from  the  pen- 
insula, and  perform  mass.  Leaving  his  nu'U  with  the  canoe,  he 
went  a  little  way  apart  to  pray,  they  waiting  for  him.  As  much 
time  passed;  and  he  did  not  return,  they  cidled  lo  mind  that  he 
had  said  something  of  his  death  being  at  hand,  and  anxiously 
went  to  seek  him.  'I'hey  found  him  dead  ;  where  he  had  been 
praying,  he  had  died.  The  canoe-men  dug  a  grave  near  the 
mouth  of  the  stream,  and  buried  him  in  the  sand.  Here  his 
body  was  liable  to  be  exposed  by  a  rise  of  water;  and  would 
have  been  so,  had  not  the  river  retired,  and  left  the  missionary's 
grave  in  peace.  Charlevoix,  who  visited  the  spot  some  fitly 
years  afterward,  found  that  the  waters  had  forced  a  passage  at 
the  most  difficult  point,  had  cut  through  a  bluff,  ratlier  than 
cross  the  lowland  where  that  gi-ave  was.  The  river  is  called 
Marcjuette.* 

While  the  simple-hearted  and  true  Marquette  was  pursuing  his 
labors  of  love  in  the  West,  two  men,  differing  widely  from  him, 
and  each  other,  were  preparing  to  follow^  in  his  footsteps,  and 
perfect  the  discoveries  so  well  begun  by  him  and  the  Sieur 
Joliet.     These  were  Robert  de  la  Salle  and  Louis  Hennepin. 

La  Salle  was  a  native  of  Normandy,  and  was  brought  up,  as 
we  learn  from  Charlevoix,!  among  the  Jesuits ;  but,  having 
lost,  by  some  unknown  cause,  his  patrimony,  and  being  of  a 
stirring  and  energetic  disposition,  he  left  his  home  to  seek  for- 
tune among  the  cold  and  dark  regions  of  Canada.  This  was 
about  the  year  1670.  Here  he  mused  long  upon  the  pet  project 
of  those  ages,  a  short-cut  to  China  and  the  East;  and,  gaining 
his  daily  bread,  we  know  not  how, — was  busily  planning  an 
expedition  up  the  great  lakes,  and  so  across  the  continent  to  the 
Pacific,  when  Marquette  returned  from  the  Mississippi.  At  once 
the  hot  mind  of  La  Salle  received  from  his  and  his  companion's 

•Charlevoix's  Letters,  Vol.  II,  p.  96.  Niw  Franco,  Vol.  VI.  p.  20.  Marquette 
spells  the  name  of  the  great  western  river,  •' Mississipy  ;  "  HiMinepin  made  it  "Mcs- 
chasipi;"  others  have  written  "  Meschasabc."  &c.  &c.  There  is  great  confusion  in 
all  the  Indian  oral  names;  we  have  "  Kikabeaux,"  "  Kikapous,"  "  Quicapous  ;  " 
"  Outtoauets,"  "Outnovas;"  "  Miamis,"  "Oumamis;"  and  so  of  nearly  all  the 
nations.  Our  "Sioux,"  Charlevoix  tells  us,  is  the  last  syllable  of  "  Nadouessioux," 
which  is  written,  by  Hennepin,  "  Nadoussion"  and  "Nadouessious,"  in  his  ''Lou- 
isiana,^' and  "  Nadouessans,"  in  his  "  Nouvtlle  Decouverte-"  The  Shawanesc  are 
always  called  the  "Chouanons." 

t  Charlevoix's  New  France,  Paris  edition  of  1744,  Vol.  II.  p.  2G3. 


10 


La  Sulla  goes  to  France. 


1678.        1678. 


narrations,  the  idea,  that,  hy  followinc;  the  Great  River  north- 
ward, or  by  turninf^  up  souie  of  the  streams  which  joined  it  from 
tlie  westward,  liis  aim  might  be  certainly  and  easily  gained. 
Instantly  he  went  towards  his  object.  lie  applied  to  Frontenac, 
tlien  governor-general  of  Canada,  laid  before  him  an  outline  of 
his  views,  dim  but  gigantic,  and,  as  a  first  step,  proposed  to 
rebuild  of  stone,  and  with  improved  fortifications.  Fort  Frontenac 
upon  Lake  Ontario,  a  post  to  which  he  knew  the  governor  felt 
all  the  affection  due  to  a  namesake.  Frontenac  entered  warmly 
into  his  views.  He  saw,  lliat,  in  La  Salle's  suggestion,  which 
was  to  connect  Canada  with  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  by  a  chain  of 
forts  upon  the  vast  navigable  lakes  and  rivers  which  bind  that 
country  so  wonderfully  together,  lay  the  germ  of  a  plan,  which 
might  give  unmeasured  power  to  France,  and  unequalled  glory 
to  himself,  under  whose  administnition  he  fondly  hoped  all  would 
be  realized.  He  advised  La  Salle,  therefore,  to  go  to  the  King 
of  France,  to  make  known  his  project,  and  ask  for  the  royal 
patronage  and  protection;  and,  to  forward  his  suit,  gave  him 
letters  to  the  great  Colbert,  minister  of  finance  and  marine. 

With  a  breast  full  of  hope  and  bright  dreams,  in  1675,  the 
penniless  adventurer  sought  his  monarch ;  his  plan  was  approved 
by  the  minister,  to  whom  he  presented  Frontenac's  letter ;  La 
Salle  was  made  a  Chevalier;  was  invested  with  the  seignory  of 
Fort  Catarocouy  or  Frontenac,  upon  condition  he  would  rebuild 
it;  and  received  from  all  the  first  noblemen  and  princes,  assu- 
rances of  their  good-will  and  aid.  Returning  to  Canada  he 
labored  diligently  at  his  fort  till  the  close  of  1677,  when  he  again 
sailed  for  France  with  news  of  his  progress.  Colbert  and  his 
son,  Seignelay,  now  minister  of  marine,  once  more  received  him 
with  favor,  and,  at  their  instance,  the  King  granted  new  letters 
patent  with  new  privileges.  His  mission  having  sped  so  well, 
on  the  14th  of  July,  1678,  La  Salle,  with  his  lieutenant,  Tonti, 
an  Italian,  and  thirty  men,  sailed  again  from  Rochelle  for  Quebec, 
wheie  they  arrived  on  the  15th  of  September;  and,  after  a  few 
days'  stay,  proceeded  to  Fort  Frontenac* 

Here  was  quietly  working,  though  in  no  quiet  spirit,  the  rival 
and  co-laborer  of  La  Salle,  Louis  Hennepin,  a  Franciscan  friar, 
of  the  Recollet  variety;  a  man  fidl  of  ambition  to  be  a  great 
discoverer;  daring,  hardy,  energetic,  vain,  and  self-exaggerating, 

*  Charlevoix's  iVtu>  France,   1744,  Vol.  II.  p.  264,  266,    Sparks'  life  of  La  Salic. 
American  Biography,  new  series,  1.  10  to  15. 


almost  to 
his  own  h 
jurkcd  bei 
their  yarn 
seem,  by  t 
returned 
extent,  pn 
bolder  tra\ 
his  religio 
about  to  st 
was  in  re; 
probably. 

The  Ch( 
the  minds  i 
soften  their 
pick  up  pe 
the  18th  ol 
vessel  of  tc 
chroniclers, 
sea.     The 
were  passes 
and  Niagar: 
Falls  as  wr 
zines  Avith  ( 
that  they  c( 

•Ilcnnopiii'.s 
France,  Vol.  II 
in  the  early  tra\ 

Lake  Ontario 

Lake  Erie,  w; 
they  lived  whcf 
it  was  also  Lak( 

Lake  Huron, 
Orleans. 

L;ike  Michiga 

or  Illinouacks  : 
It  ' 

'      Lake  Supcrio: 

Lake  of  Conde. 

Green  Bay,  w 

Illinois  river, 

and  the  Mississi 

River  St.  Louis. 

Giiio  river  wa: 

Missouri  rive 

is  called  Yellow 


1678.        1678. 


La  Salle  at  JViagnra. 


11 


vcr  north- 
led  it  from 
ly  gjilnctl. 
Frontonac, 
I  outline  of 
roposed  to 

Frontcnac 
vcrnor  felt 
ed  warmly 
ion,  which 

a  chain  of 
I  bind  that 
Ian,  which 
illcd  f^lory 
I  all  would 
)  the  King 
[•  the  royal 

gave  him 
u'ine. 

1675,  the 
s  approved 

letter;  La 

eignory  of 

dd  rebuild 
nces,  assu- 

anada  he 
he  again 
and   his 

eived  him 
ew  letters 
so  well, 

int,  Tonti, 

)r  Quebec, 
iler  a  few 

the  rival 
scan  friar, 
3e  a  great 
■rgerating, 

of  La  Sajlc. 


almost  to  madn(;ss;  and,  it  is  ft-arcd,  more  anxious  to  advance 
his  own  holy  and  uniioly  ends  than  the  tr\ith.  He  had  in  Europe 
lurked  behind  doors,  he  telN  us,  that  he  might  hear  sailors  si)in 
tlu'ir  yarns  touching  foreign  lands;  and  he  profited,  it  would 
seem,  by  their  instructions.  lie  came  to  Canada  when  La  Salle 
returned  from  his  first  visit  to  the  court,  and  had,  to  a  certain 
extent,  prepared  himself,  ijy  journeying  among  the  Iroquois,  for 
bolder  travels  into  tlu;  wilderness.  Having  been  appointed  by 
his  religious  superiors  to  accompany  the  expedition  which  was 
about  to  start  for  the  extreme  West,  under  La  Salle,  Hennepin 
was  in  readiness  for  liim  at  Fort  Frontenac,  where  he  arrived, 
probably,  some  time  in  October,  1678.* 

The  Chevalier's  first  step  was  to  send  forward  men  to  prepare 
the  minds  of  the  Indians  along  the  lakes  for  his  coming,  and  to 
soften  their  hearts  by  well-chosen  gifts  and  words;  and  also,  to 
pick  up  peltries,  beaver  skins,  and  other  valuables;  and,  upon 
tlu!  18lh  of  November,  1678,  he  himself  embarked  in  a  little 
vessel  of  ten  tons,  to  cross  Lake  Ontario.  This,  says  one  of  his 
chroniclers,  was  the  first  ship  that  sailed  upon  that  fresh  water 
sea.  The  wind  was  strong  and  contrary,  and  four  weeks  nearly 
were  passed  in  beating  up  the  little  distance  between  Kingston 
and  Niagara.  Having  forced  their  brigantine  as  far  towards  the 
Falls  as  was  possible,  our  travellers  landed ;  built  some  maga- 
zines with  difficulty,  for  at  times  the  ground  was  frozen  so  hard 
that  they  could  drive  their  stakes,  or  posts,  into   it   only  by  first 


*  Ileiinppiii's  iVf  JO  Discover;/,  Utrecht  edition  of  1697,  p.  70. — Charlevoix's  New 
France,  Vol.  II.  pp.  266.  We  give  the  names  of  the  lakes  and  rivers  as  they  appear 
in  the  early  travels. 

Lake  Ontario  was  also  Lake  Frontenac. 

Lake  Erie,  was  Erike,  Erige,  or  Erie,  from  a  nation  of  Erics  destroyed  by  the  Iroquois  ; 
thoy  lived  where  the  State  of  Ohio  now  is  (Charlevoix's  Nno  France,  Vol.  II.  p.  62  ;) 
it  was  also  Lake  of  Conti. 

Lake  Huron,  was  Karegnondi  in  early  times  {3/f2;)  of  1G5G  ;)  and  also,  Lake  of 
Orleans. 

Lake  Michigan,  was  Lake  of  Puans  {ISL-p  of  16r)6  ;)  also,  of  the  Illinois,  or  lUinese, 
or  Illinouacks  ;  also  Lake  Mischigonong,  and  Lake  of  the  Dauphin. 

Lake  Superior  was  Lake  Supcrieur,  meaning  the  Upper,  not  the  Larger  Lake — also. 
Lake  of  Conde. 

Green  Bay,  was  Baic  des  Puans. 

Illinois  river,  in  Hennepin's  Louisia/ia,  am\  Joutol's  Journal,  is  River  Seignclay  ; 
and  the  jMississippi  river,  in  those  works  is  River  Colbert;  and  was  by  La  Sullc,  called 
River  St.  Louis. 

Ohio  river  was  Ouahouskigou,  Ouabachi,  Ouabache,  Oyn,  Ouye,  Bello  Riviere. 

Missouri  river,  was  Pekitanoni,  Riviere  des  Osages  et  Massourites ;  and  by  Coxe 
is  called  Yellow  River. 


12 


La  Sdlk  in  Lake.  Michigan. 


1679. 


pouring  upon  it  boiling  water;  and  then  made  aequuintance  will 
the  Iroquois  of  the  villag.''  of  Niagara,  upon  Lake  Erie.  Not 
far  from  this  vilhige,  La  SaUe  founded  a  scicond  fort,  upon  whicl. 
he  set  his  men  to  work;  but,  finding  the  Iroquois  jealous,  ht 
gave  it  up  for  a  time,  and  merely  erected  temporary  fortifieations 
for  his  magazines;  and  tlu-n,  hiaving  orders  for  a  new  ship  to  b(. 
built,  he  returned  to  Fort  Frontenae,  to  forward  stores,  cables, 
and  anchors  for  his  forthcoming  vessel. 

Through  the  hard  and  cold  winter  <lays,  the  frozen  river  lying 
before  them  "  like  a  plain  paved  with  line  polished  marble," 
some  of  his  men  hewed  and  hammered  upon  the  timbers  of  the 
GriJ/in,  as  the  great  bark  was  to  be  named,  while  others  gathered 
furs  and  skins,  or  sued  for  the  good-will  of  the  bloody  savag(!.s 
amid  whom  they  were  quartered ;  and  all  went  merrily  until  tht 
20th  of  January,  1679.  On  that  day,  the  Chevalier  arrived  from 
below ;  not  with  all  his  goods,  however,  for  his  misfortunes  had 
commenced.  The  vessel  in  which  his  valuabh'S  had  been 
embarked  was  wrecked  tlirongh  the  bad  management  of  the 
pilots;  and,  though  the  more  important  part  of  her  freight  was 
saved,  much  of  her  provision  went  to  the  bottom.  During  the 
winter,  however,  a  very  nice  lot  of  furs  was  scraped  togetlu'r, 
with  which,  early  in  the  spring  of  1679,  the  commander  returned 
to  Fort  Frontenae  to  get  another  outfit ;  while  Tonti  was  sent 
forward  to  scour  the  lake  coasts,  muster  together  the  men  whn 
had  been  sent  before,  collect  skins,  and  see  all  that  was  to  be 
seen.  In  thus  coming  and  going,  buying  and  trading,  the  sum- 
mer of  this  year  slipped  away,  and  it  was  the  7th  of  August 
before  the  Griffin  was  ready  to  sail.  Th(!n,  with  Tc-Deiuns,  and 
the  discharge  of  arquebuses,  she  began  her  voyage  up  Lake  Erie. 

Over  Lake  Erie,  through  the  strait  beyond,  across  St.  Clair, 
and  into  Huron,  the  voyagers  passed  mo.st  happily.  In  Huron 
they  were  troubled  by  storms,  dreadful  as  those  upon  the  ocean, 
and  were  at  last  forced  to  take  refuge  in  the  road  of  Michilli- 
mackinac.  This  was  upon  the  27th  of  August.  At  this  place, 
which  is  described  as  one  "  of  prodigious  fertility,"  La  Salle 
remained  until  the  middle  of  Septemljer,  founded  a  fort  there, 
and  sent  men  therefrom  in  various  directions  to  spy  out  the  state 
of  the  land.  He  then  went  on  to  Green  Bay,  the  "Bale  des 
Puans,"  of  the  French ;  and,  finding  there  a  large  quantity  of 
skins  and  furs  collected  for  him,  he  determined  to  load  the 
Griffin  therewith,   and   send  her  back  to  Niagara.     This  was 


1680. 

done  with 
was  (It'sp  i 
petent  and 
men,  pro,-( 
the  most  k 
to  find  strat: 
the  head  o 

From  th 
time  was 
question, 
the  river  o 
Here  he  b 
hearing  not 
it  was  too  la 

On  the  3( 
men,  thirty  ^ 
his  "  great  ^ 

By  a  shor 
and  "fallinc 
to  observe  t 
a  village  of 
raljins,  but,  ; 
being   in    gr 
absence  of  tl 
of  which  Ian 
huts  or  wigw 
not  far  from 
Salle  county, 
betook  them' 
the  4th  of  Jn 
the  lake  of  I 
numbers,  but 
lime  with  the 
build   anothc 
ing  tribes  w( 
and,  morcov( 
A   spot   upo] 

*  Sec  on  this  p( 

iCh.irlcvoix,  J^ 

flirt  of  the  Miam 

Tonti's,  agree  thi 

See,  also,  Sparks 


1G79. 

itance  will, 
Erie.  Not 
ipoii  whioli 
jealous,  ht 
)rlirieiilions 
ship  to  bt 
res,  cables, 

river  lying 
1    marble,'' 
bcrs  of  the 
IS  <i;alhered 
(ly  sa\  a;^es 
ly  until  the 
rriveJ  iVoni 
:)rtunes  had 
had   been 
iient  of  the 
freight  was 
During  the 
d  together, 
cr  returned 
was  sent 
men  who 
was   to  be 
the  sum- 
of  August 
^eums,  and 
Lake  Erie. 
St.  Clair, 
In  Huron 
the  ocean, 
f  Michilli- 
his  place, 
La  Salle 
brt  there, 
t  the  state 
'Baie  des 
uantity  of 
load  the 
This  wa?; 


IfiSO. 


La  Salle  at  Peoria  Lake. 


13 


■>■) 


done  with  all  promptness;  and,  upon  the  18th  of  September,  she 
was  (iesp  tched  under  the  charge  of  a  pilot,  supposed  to  be  com- 
petent and  trustworthy,  while  the  Norman  liimself,  with  fourteen 
men,  proceeded  up  Lake  Michigan,  paddling  along  its  shores  in 
the  most  leisurely  manner;  Tonti,  meanwhile,  having  been  sent 
to  find  stragglers,  with  whom  he  was  to  join  the  main  body  at 
the  head  of  the  lake. 

J  F'rom  the  19th  of  September  till  the  1st  of  November,  the 
time  was  consumed  by  La  Salle  in  his  voyage  up  the  sea  in 
question.  On  the  day  last  named,  he  arrived  at  the  mouth  of 
the  river  of  the  Miamis,  or  St.  Josephs,  as  it  is  now  called.* 
Here  he  built  a  fort  and  remained  for  nearly  a  month,  when 
hearing  nothing  from  his  GriJ/in,  lie  determined  to  push  on  before 
it  was  too  late. 

On  the  3d  of  December,  therefore,  having  mustered  all  his 
men,  thirty  working  men  and  three  monks,  he  started  again  upon 
his  "great  voyage  and  glorious  undertaking."! 

By  a  short  portage  they  passed  to  the  Illinois,  or  Kankakee, 
and  "falling  down  the  said  river  by  easy  journeys,  the  better 
\o  observe  that  country,"  about  the  last  xJ  December,  reached 
a  village  of  the  Illinois  Indians,  containing  some  five  hundred 
cabins,  but,  at  that  moment,  no  inhabitants.  The  Sieur  La  Salle, 
being  in  great  want  of  bread-stuffs,  took  advantage  of  this 
absence  of  the  Indians  to  help  himself  to  a  sufficiency  of  maize, 
of  which  large  quantities  were  found  hidden  in  holes  under  the 
huts  or  wigwams.  This  village  was,  as  near  as  we  can  judge, 
not  far  from  the  spot  marked  on  our  maps  as  Rock  Fort,  in  La 
Salle  county,  Illinois.  The  corn  being  got  aboard,  the  voyagers 
betook  themselves  to  the  stream  again,  and  toward  evening  on 
the  4th  of  January,  1680,  fell  into  a  lake,  which  must  have  been 
the  lake  of  Peoria.  Here  the  natives  were  met  with  in  large 
numbers,  but  they  were  gentle  and  kind,  and  having  spent  some 
lime  with  them.  La  Salic  determined  in  that  neighborhood  to 
build   another  fort,  for  he  found  that  already  some  of  the  adjoin- 

I  ing  tribes  were  trying  to  disturb  the  good  feeling  which  existed ; 
and,  moreover,  some  of  his  own  men  were  disposed  to  complain. 
A   spot   upon   rising   ground,  near  the  river,  was  accordingly 

*  See  on  this  point,  Nortli  American  Review,  January  1S39,  No.  CII.  p.  71. 

t  Charlevoix,  New  France,  (Vol.  11.  p.  269,)  tells  us,  that  La  Salle  returned  from  the 
litrt  of  the  Miamis  to  Fort  Frontenac ;  but  Hennepin,  and  the  journal  published  as 
Tonti's,  agree  that  ho  went  on,  and  tell  a  more  consistent  story  than  the  historian. 
Sec,  also,  Sparks'  life. 


i 


14 


Ln  Salle  returns  to  Canada. 


1080.        1681. 


rhnson  nLoiit  Ihc  middle  of  January,  and  the  fort  of  Crevecmir 
(lirokiti  Heart,)  eonnnenced ;  a  name  expressive  of  the  very 
natural  anxiety  antl  sorrow,  which  the  pretty  certain  loss  of  his 
(Irilfin^  and  liis  consequent  impoverishment  (for  ihere  were  no 
insurance  offices  then,)  the  danger  of  hostility  on  the  part  of  the 
Indians,  and  of  mutiny  on  the  part  of  his  own  men,  miglit  well 
cause  him. 

Nor  were  his  fears  by  any  means  groundless.  In  the  first 
place,  his  discontented  followers,  and  afterwards  emissari'.";  from 
the  Mascoutens,  tried  to  persuade  the  Illinois  that  he  was  a 
friend  of  the  Iroquois,  their  most  deadly  enemies;  and  that  he 
was  among  them  for  the  purpose  of  enslaving  them.  But  La 
Salle  was  an  honest  and  fearless  man,  and,  as  soon  as  coldness 
and  jealousy  appeared  on  the  part  of  his  I.osts,  lie  went  to  them 
boldly  and  asked  the  cause,  and  by  his  frank  statements  pre- 
served their  good  feeling  and  good  will.  His  disappointed  ene- 
mies, then,  or  at  some  other  time,  for  it  is  not  very  clear  when,* 
tried  poison ;  and,  but  for  "  a  dose  of  good  treacle,"  La  Salle 
might  hav(!  ended  his  days  in  his  Fort  Crevecceur. 

Meanwhile  the  v/inter  wore  away,  and  the  prairies  were  getting 
to  look  green  again ;  but  our  discoverer  lieard  no  good  news, 
received  no  reinforcement ;  his  property  was  gone,  his  men  were 
fast  deserting  him,  and  he  had  little  left  but  his  own  strong  heart. 
The  second  year  of  liis  hopes,  and  toils,  and  failures,  was  half 
gone,  and  he  further  from  his  object  than  ever;  but  still  he  had 
that  sl.ong  heart,  and  it  was  more  than  men  and  money.  He 
saw  that  he  must  go  back  to  Canada,  raise  new  means,  and  enlist 
new  men;  but  he  did  not  dream,  therefore,  of  relinquishing  his 
projects.  On  the  cont  -ary,  he  determined  that,  while  he  was  on 
his  return,  a  small  party  sliould  go  down  to  the  Mississippi  and 
explore  that  stream  towards  its  sources ;  and  that  Tonti,  with  the 
few  men  that  remained,  should  strengthen  and  extend  his  rela- 
tions among  the  Indians. 

For  the  leader  of  the  Mississippi  exploring  pfirty,  he  chose 
Father  Lewis  Hennepin;  and,  having  furnished  him  with  all  the 
necessary  articles,  started  him  upon  his  voyage  on  the  last  day 
of  February,  1680. 

Having  thus  provided  against  the  entire  stagnation  of  discovery 

*  Cliarlevoix  says  it  was  at  the  close  of  1G79  ;  Hennepin,  that  they  did  not  reach  the 
Illinois,  till  Januiiry  4th,  1G80.  We  have  no  means  of  deciding,  but  follow  Hennepin, 
wiio  is  particular  as  to  dates,  and  was  present. 


during  his 
his  journej 
was  to  he 
(enac,  a  di; 
trying  seas 
full  of  float 
of  winter, 
not  to  be 
carious  a  st; 
his  plans  w 
and  water, 
Michigan, 
lie  found, 
was  lost;  hi 
his  goods, 
gelie,  he  wo 
Salle  knew  n 
him  once  mo 
the  Illinois, 
from  the  jea 
bands  of  Iro 
in  New  York 
Their  sulFerii 
to  'abandon  1 
which  with  i 
Salle,  who  ha 
posts  upon  th 
found  them  u 
dreams  again 
however,  to  t 
more  means: 
meet  his  coir 
spoke,  as  we 
courage  whicl 
And  here  i 
notice  the  adA 
left  Fort  Cre 
days  he  reach^ 
as  he  best  cou 
Wisconsin.     ] 
Indians,  who 


IfiSO. 

Creveccciir 
the   very 

OSS  of  his 
wore  no 

lart  of  the 

night  well 

I  the  first 
ari'.'S  from 
ho  was  a 
d  that  he 
IJiit  La 
s  coldness 
it  to  them 
(lents  pre- 
inted  ene- 
■ar  when,* 
'  La  Salle 

ere  getting 

)od   news, 

men  were 

ong  heart. 

,  was  half 

ill  he  had 

ncy.     Ho 

and  enlist 

tshing  his 

le  was  on 

lisippi  and  < 

I,  with  the  j 

his  rela- 

Ihe   chose 
[th  all  the 
last  day 

Lliscovery 

jt  reach  the 
Hennepin, 


1G81. 


Hennepin  on  Mississippi. 


16 


duriii.^  liis  forced  ahsenco,  La  Salle  at  once  betook  himself  to 
iiis  jdurney  eastward :  a  journey  scarce  conceivable  now,  for  it 
was  to  1)0  made  by  land  from  Fort  Crovoca*ur  round  to  Fort  Fron- 
tenac,  a  distance  of  at  least  twelve  hundred  miles,  at  tho  most 
trying  season  of  the  year,  when  the  rivers  of  tho  lakes  would  be 
full  of  floating  ice,  and  olFor  to  the  traveller  neitiior  the  security 
of  winter,  nor  the  comfort  of  summer.     Hut  the  chevalier  was 
not  to  bo  daunted  by  any  obstacles;  iiis  affairs  wore  in  so  pro- 
carious  a  state  that  he  felt  he  must  make  a  desperate  elTort,  or  all 
his  plans  would  be  for  ever  broken  uj) ;  so  through  snow,  ice 
and  water,  lie  won  his  way  along  the  southern  borders  of  Lakes 
Michigan,  Erie  and  Ontario,  and  at  last  reached   his  destination. 
lie  found,  as  he  expected,  every  thing  in  confusion:  his  Grifliu 
was  lost;  his  agents  had  cheated  him ;  his  creditors  had  sei/od 
his  goods.     Had  his  spirit  been  one  atom  less  elastic  and  ener- 
getic, he  would  have  abandoned  tho  whole  undertaking;  but  La 
Salle  know  neither  fear  nor  despair,  and  by  midsummer  we  behold 
him  once  more  on  his  way  to  rejoin  his  little  band  of  oxplori'rs  on 
tho  Illinois.     This  pioneer  body,  meanwhile,  had  suflorod  greatly 
from  the  jealousy  of  the  neighboring  Indians,  and  the  attacks  of 
bands  of  Iroquois,  who  wandered  all  tho  way  from  their  homes 
in  Now  York,  to  annoy  tho  less  warlike  savages  of  tho  prairies. 
Their  sulTerings,  at  length,  in   September,  1680,  induced  Tonti 
to  'abandon  his  position,   and  seek  the    Lakes  again,  a  point 
which  with  much  difficulty  he  effected.     When,  therefore.  La 
Salle,  who  had  hoard  nothing  of  all  those  troubles,  reached  tho 
posts  upon  the  Illinois  in  December  1680,  or  January  1681,  ho 
found  thorn  utterly  deserted ;  his  hopes  again  crushed,  and  all  his 
dreams  again  disappointed.     There  was  but  one  thing  to  be  done, 
however,  to  turn  back  to  Canada,  enlist  more  men,  and  secure 
more  means:  this  he  did,  and  in  June,  1681,  had  tho  pleasure  to 
meet  his  comrade,  Lieutenant  Tonti,  at  Mackinac,  to  whom  ho 
spoke,  as  we  learn  from  an  eye-witness,  with  the  same  hope  and 
courage  which  he  had  exhibited  at  the  outset  of  his  ontorprise. 

And  here  for  a  time  we  must  leave  La  Salle  and  Tonti,  and 
notice  the  adventures  of  Hennepin,  who,  it  will  be  remembered, 
left  Fort  Crevecceur  on  the  last  of  February,  1680.  In  seven 
days  he  reached  the  Mississippi,  and,  paddling  up  its  icy  stream 
as  he  best  could,  by  the  11th  of  April  had  got  no  higher  than  the 
Wisconsin.  Here  he  was  taken  prisoner  by  a  band  of  northern 
Indians,  who  treated  him  and  his  comrades  with  considerable 


16 


La  Stille  gnex  dawn  Missisxippi. 


1682. 


kiniltn'ss,  and  took  thcin  up  the  rivor  until  about  the  first  nf  May, 
when  tlicy  rrar-licd  ihr  Kails  of  St.  Anthony,  which  wore  then  so 
chrisfcnrd  liy  Ili-nncpiti  in  honor  of  liis  ])atron  saint.  Tli'rc  thoy 
took  to  the  land,  and  Inivi'Hin}^  nearly  two  hundred  inilos  toward 
the  north-west,  hroiii^dit  him  to  their  villaji;es:  these  Indians  were 
the  Sioux.  Here  Ilennt  pin  and  his  comiianioiis  remained  ahouf 
three  months,  treated  kindly  and  trusted  by  their  captors:  at  the 
end  of  that  time,  he  met  with  a  band  of  Frenchmen,  headed  by 
one  Sieur  du  Luth,  who,  in  pursuit  of  trade  and  game,  had  pene- 
trated thus  far  by  the  route  of  Lake  Superior;  and,  with  these 
fellow  countrymen  the  Franciscian  returned  to  tlie  borders  of 
rivili/^ed  life,  in  November,  IfiSO,  just  after  La  Salle  had  gone 
back  to  the  wilderness  as  we  have  related.  Hennepin  soon  after 
went  to  France,  where,  in  1684,  he  published  a  work  narrating 
Ills  adventures.* 

To  return  again  to  th(!  Chevalier  himself,  he  met  Tonti,  as  wo 
have  said,  at  Mackinac,  in  June,  1681 ;  thence  he  went  down 
the  lakes  to  Fort  Frontenac,  to  make  the  needful  preparations  for 
prosecuting  his  western  discoveries;  these  being  made,  we  find 
him,  in  August,  1681,  on  his  way  up  the  lakes  again,  and  on  the 
3(1  of  November  at  the  St.  Josephs,  as  full  of  confidence  as  ever. 
The  middle  of  December  had  come,  however,  before  all  were 
ready  to  go  fi)rward,  and  then,  with  twenty-three  Frenchmen, 
eighteen  eastern  Indians,  ten  Indian  women  to  wait  upon  their 
lazy  mates,  and  three  children,  he  started,  not  as  before  by  the 
way  of  the  Kankakee,  but  by  the  Chicago  river,  travelling  on 
foot  and  with  the  baggage  on  sledges.  It  was  upon  the  5th  or 
6th  of  January,  1682,  that  the  band  of  e.'plorers  left  the  borders 
of  Lake  Michigan ;  they  crossed  the  po. '  j;e,  passed  down  to 
Fort  Crevecoeur,  which  they  found  in  good  condition,  and   still 

*  This  volume,  called  "A  Description  of  Louisiana,"  he,  thirteen  years  afterwards, 
cnliirgi^d  iuid  altered,  and  published  with  the  title, »'  New  Discovery  of  a  Vast  Country 
situ;ilud  in  Aiiicrica,  hetweoii  \t'w  Mcvico  ;ind  the  Fro/.vn  Ocean."  In  tliis  new  pub- 
lication, he  claimed  to  have  violated  La  Salle's  instructions,  and  in  the  first  place  to 
have  gone  down  the  Mississipjii  to  its  mouth,  belbre  amending  it,  His  claim  was  very 
naturally  duubtcd  ;  and  examination  has  proved  it  to  be  a  complete  fable,  the  niatcriaU 
havinj;;  been  taken  from  an  account  published  by  Le  Clercq  in  1691,  of  La  Salle's  suc- 
cessful voyage  down  the  great  river  of  the  West,  a  voyage  of  which  we  have  presently 
to  speak.  This  account  of  Lc  Clercq's  was  drawn  from  the  letters  of  J-'ather  Zcnobc 
Meinbre,  a  priest  who  was  with  La  Salle,  and  is  the  most  valuable  published  work  in 
relation  to  the  final  expedition  from  Canada,  made  by  that  much-tried  and  dauntless 
commander.  The  whole  su!)jrct  of  Hennepin's  credibility,  is  presented  by  Mr. 
Sparks,  in  his  life  of  La  Salle,  with  great  fairness  and  precision,  and  to  that  we  refer 
all  curious  readers. 


1C82. 

going  forwa 

the  .Mississi| 

ward  passaj. 

of  the    mont 

Priidliomme 

circumstanct 

named  from 

or  nine  days 

upon  the  6l 

vliicli   the  ^ 

here  we  shall 

the  "  Proco 

original  in  tli 

"  We  land 

three  leagues 

reconnoitre  tl 

likewise  e.xani 

two  outlets  be 

the  river,  a   li 

place,  beyond 

North  Pole  wi 

j)are(l  a  colum 

the  arms  of  Fr 

LOULS  LE  ( 

The  whole  pai 
dial,  the  Bomi 
firearms  and  cr 
tie  la  Salle,  w 
French ; — 

"  'In  the  nai 
rious  Prince,  .1 
France  and  of 
of  April,  one  tl 
the  commissioi 
vlilch  may  be  i 
do  now  take,  ii 
the  crown,  posj 
tors,  ports,  ba 
provinces,    citi 

2 


1682. 

of  May, 
then  so 
ere  thoy 
n  toward 
ins  \V(TO 
[•(1  about 
} :  at  tho 
•adcd  hy 
ad  pcnc- 
ith  these 
irdcrs   of 
lad  ff^nv 
loon  after 
narrating 

iti,  as  wc 
L'ut  down 
•ations  for 
:»,  wc  find 
nd  on  tlic 
e  as  ever, 
all  were 
cnrlimen, 
pon  their 
re  hy  the 
'clling  on 
le  5th  or 
(>  borders 
down  to 
and   still 

afterwards, 
I'list  Country 
lis  new  pub- 
Srst  place  to 
jim  was  very 
llie  muterials 
I  Salle's  suc- 

k'e  presently 

thcr  Zenobc 
[leil  work  in 
Id  dauntless 

led   by   Mr. 

tat  wc  refer 


1GS2. 


La  Salle  at  mouth  of  Mississippi, 


17 


jToin;;  forward,  on  llir  fitii  of  Kt-bruary,  wor»'  upon  the  banks  of 
tlu'  Mississippi.  On  llic  lliirtt-rnth  they  coinnR'ncfd  their  ilown- 
ward  passa^i;r,  hut  nothini;  of  interest  ()('(;urred  until,  on  the  2()\h 
of  the  month,  at  the  Chickasaw  Hlufls,  a  Frenchman,  nameil 
Priidhomme,  wlio  had  gom-  out  with  others  to  hunt,  was  lost,  a 
circumstance  which  led  to  the  erection  of  a  tort  upon  the  spot, 
named  from  the  missing  man,  who  was  tbund,  however,  eight 
or  nine  days  afterwards.  Pursuing  their  course,  tliey  at  length, 
upon  th(!  ()th  of  March,  1G82,  discovered  the  three  passages  by 
which  the  Mississippi  dis(;harges  its  waters  into  tiie  Gulf;  and 
here  wo  shall  let  La  Salle  himself  tell  his  story,  as  it  is  given  in 
the  "  Proces-verbal"  which  Mr.  Sparks  has  translated  from  the 
original  in  the  French  archives.     It  thus  proceeds : 

"We  landed  on  the  bank  of  the  most  western  channel,  about 
three  leagues  from  its  mouth,  On  the  7th,  M.  de  la  Salle  went  to 
ri'connoitre  tlie  shores  of  the  neighboring  sea,  and  M.  de  Tonty 
likewise  examined  the  great  middle  channel.  They  found  these 
two  outlets  beautiful,  large  and  deep.  On  the  8th,  we  reascended 
the  river,  a  little  above  its  confluence  with  the  sea,  to  find  a  dry 
place,  beyond  the  reach  of  inundations.  The  elevation  of  the 
North  Pole  was  here  about  twenty-seven  degrees.  Here  we  pre- 
pared a  column  and  a  cross,  and  to  the  said  column  were  alhxed 
the  arms  of  France,  with  this  inscription  ; 

LOUIS  LE  GRAND,  ROI  DE  FRANCE  ET  DE  NAVARRE,  REGNE  ; 
LE  NVUVIEME  AVRIL,  1682. 

The  whole  party,  under  arms,  chaunted  the  Te  Deum,  the  Exau- 
dial,  the  Domine  salvum  fac  Regem;  and  then,  after  a  salute  ot 
firearms  and  cries  of  Vive  le  TJot,  the  column  was  erected  by  M. 
(le  la  Salle,  who,  standing  near  it,  said,  with  a  loud  voice  in 
French ; — 

" '  In  the  name  of  the  most  high,  mighty,  invincible,  and  victo- 
rious Prince,  Louis  the  Great,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of 
France  and  of  Navarre,  Fourteenth,  of  that  name,  this  ninth  day 
of  April,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-two,  I,  in  virtue  of 
the  commission  of  his  Majesty  which  I  hold  in  my  hand,  and 
which  may  be  seen  by  all  whom  it  may  concern,  have  taken,  and 
do  now  take,  in  the  name  of  his  Majesty  and  of  his  successors  to 
tlie  crown,  possession  of  this  country  of  Louisiana,  the  seas,  har- 
bors, ports,  bays,  adjacent  straits;  and  all  the  nations,  people, 
provinces,    cities,    towns,    villages,   mines,    minerals,    fisheries, 

2 


18 


La  Salle  at  mouth  of  Mississippi. 


168-2. 


1GS3. 


streams,  and  rivers,  comprised  in  llie  extent  of  the  said  Louisian;i,    .^^d  that  its  s 
from  the  mouth  of  the  great  river  St.  Louis,  on  the  eastern  side.    .Jone  at  ance 
otherwise  called  Ohio,  Alighin,  Sipore,  or  Chukagona,  and  thi'   '  J)omine  salvu 
with  the  (Consent  of  the  Chaounons,  Chichachaws,  and  other  pcC'    -\ya.s  conclude 
pie  dwelling  therein,  with  whom  we  have  made  alliance;  as  als        <<  Qf  all  ai 
along  the  River  Colbert  or  Mississippi,  and  rivers  which  discharg    Jiavin<r  require 
themselves  therein,  from  its  source  beyond  the  country  of  the  Kiou    ..same,  sifned 
or  Nadouessious,  and  this  with  their  consent,  and  with  the  conscr.    ^jay  of  April 
of  the  Motantees,  Illinois,  Mesigameas,  Natches,  Koroas,  which  ar 
the  most  considerable  nations  dwelling  therein,  with  whom  also  v,    j)£  l^  Salle. 
have   made   alliance  either  by  ourselves,  or  by  others  in  our  bt    p.  Zknobe  Re. 
half;*  as  far  as  its  mouth  at  the  sea,  or  Gulf  of  Mexico,  about  th    Hexry  de  To?- 
twenty-seventh  degree  of  the  elevation  of  the  North  Pole,  and  als    Francois  de  I 
to  the  mouth  of  the  River  of  Palms ;  upon  the  assurance,  which  v  Jkan  Bourdojj 
have  received  from  all  these  nations,  that  we  tre  the  first  Europe   Sieur  d'Autr 
ans  who  have  descended  or  ascended  the  said  River  Colber  Jaques  Cauch 
hereby  protesting  against  all  those,  who  may  in  future  undertak 
to  invade  any  or  all  of  these   countries,  people,  or  lands,  abovi      Thus  was  th 
described,  to  the  prejudice  of  the  right  of  his  Majesty,  acquire]  |(lie  Mississippi 
by  the  consent  of  the  nations  herein  named.     Of  which,  and  ofa)  53ut  La  Salle  a 


that  can  be  needed,  I  hereby  take  to  witness  those  wdio  hear  mt 
and  demand  an  act  of  the  Notary,  as  required  by  law.' 

"To  which  the  whole  assembly  responded  with  shouts  of  FiV 
h  Roi,  and  with  salutes  of  firearms.  Moreover,  the  said  Sieur  d 
la  Salle  caused  to  be  buried  at  the  foot  of  the  tree,  to  which  tli 
cross  was  attached,  a  leaden  plate,  on  one  side  of  which  we: 
engraved  the  arms  of  France,  and  the  following  Latin  inscription 


3and  they  had  e 

Avith  them  were 

to  start  upon  tl 

serious  trouble, 

they  reached  F. 

^lently  sick.     Fi 

person,  the  Che 

late  with  the  C( 

the  fort  at  the  i 

September,     Fr 

Zenobe,  to  repre 

native  business 

completing  his  h 

ommanding  blu 
After  which  the  Sieur  de  la  Salle  said,  that  his  Majesty,  as  eldeE^^.^  \.^.^.^     i 

son  of  the  Church,  would  annex  no  country  to  his  crown,  witho§||jjy-       ^    ^    ,,  • 

making  it  his  chief  care  to  establish  the  Christian  relijrion  therei^s,.,,-,,  r,  ,..  ^  i 

"''-i\e  a  good  un( 

There  is  an  obscurity  in  this  enumeration  of  places  and  Indian  nations,  which  mi       f:i*^0^'   trade  Wl 
be  ascribed  to  an  ignorance  of  the  geography  of  the  country;  but  it  seems  to  be  t   >ailt'd  for  his  nat 


LVDOVICVS  MAGNVS  REGNAT. 
NONO  APRILIS  CIO  IOC  LXXXII. 
ROBERTVS   CAVELIER,  CVM    DOMINO    DK    TONTY,  LEGATO,  R.    P.  ZEXi 
BIO  MEMBRE,  RECOLLECTO,  ET    VIGINTI  GALLIS    PRIMVS  HOC    FLVMEJ 
INDE  AB  ILINEORVM    PAGO,  ENAVIGAVIT,  EJVSQVE    OSTIVM  FECIT  PEI  > 
VIVVM,  NONO  APRILIS    ANNI  CIO  IOC  LXXXII. 


design  of  the  Sieur  de  la  Salle  to  take  possession  of  the  whole  territory  watered  by  t: 
Mississippi  from  its  mouth  to  its  source,  and  by  the  streams  flowing  into  it  on  both  sidf 

Spark! 


At  one  time  hi 
a  colony  on  the  J 


168-2,    1C83. 


Ln  Salle  sails  for  France. 


19 


^niiisiana,    .^nd  that  its  symbol  must  now  be  planted ;  which  was  accordingly 
item  side    .donf  at  ance  by  erecting  a  cross,  before  which  the  Vexilla  and  the 
,  and  thi     ])oiiiine  salvumfac  Regem  were  sung.     Whereupon  the  ceremony 
)ther  pco    -was  concluded  with  cries  of  Vive  le  Roi. 
c ;  as  als        "  Of  all  and  every  of  the   above,  the  said  Sieur  de  la  Salle 

discharg  Jiaving  required  of  us  an  instrument,  we  have  delivered  to  him  the 
"the  Kiou  ..same,  signed  by  us,  and  by  the  undersigned  witnesses,  this  ninth 
[le  conser.    <lay  of  April,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-two. 

which  ar  "  LA  METAIllE,  JYotary. 

3m  also  V,    J)e  la  Salle.  Pierrk  You. 

in  our  bt    p.  Zenobe,  Recollect,  JMissionar}/.      Gilles  Meucret. 
,  about  tb    Henry  de  Tontv, 
e,  and  al?    Francois  de  Boisrondet, 
,  which  ^v   Jkan  Bourdon. 
st  Europe   Sieur  d'Autrav, 
!r  Colber;  Jaques  Cauchois." 
)  undertak: 

mds,  abov  Thus  was  the  foundation  fairly  kid  for  the  claim  of  France  to 
y,  acquire!  the  Mississippi  Valley,  according  to  the  usages  of  European  powers. 
I.  and  of  a 


Jean  INIichel,  Surgeon. 
Jean  Mas. 
Jean  Dulignon. 
Nicholas  de  la  Salle, 


!But  La  Salle  and  his  companions  could  not  stay  to  examine  the 
3and  they  had  entered,  nor  the  coast  they  had  reached.  ProA  isions 
with  them  were  exceedingly  scarce,  and  they  were  forced  at  once 
to  start  upon  their  return  for  the  north.  This  they  did  without 
serious  trouble,  although  somewhat  annoyed  by  the-  savages,  until 
tliiy  reached  Fort  Prudhomme,  where  La  Salle  was  taken  vio- 
lently sick.  Finding  himself  unable  to  announce  his  success  in 
person,  the  Chevalier  sent  forward  Tonti  to  the  lakes  to  communi- 
cate with  the  Count  de  Frontenac:  he  himself  was  unable  to  reach 
the  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Joseph's,  until  toward  the  last  of 
September.  From  that  post  he  sent  with  his  despatches.  Father 
Zenobe,  to  represent  him  in  France,  while  he  pursued  the  more  lu- 
trative  business  of  attending  to  his  fur  trade  in  the  north-west,  and 
fompleting  his  long  projected  fort  of  St.  Louis,  upon  the  high  and 
commanding  blufr of  the  Illinois,  now  known  as  Rock  Fort;  a  bluflf 
Jtwo  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  and  accessible  only  on  one  side. 
•n,  withom^jjyjj^g  g^.^,,^  j^j^jj.  completed,  and  the  necessary  steps  taken  to  pre- 
|on  therer*;^,,.y^>  ^  good  understanding  with  tlie  Lulians,  and  also  to  keep  up 
which  mi  *  good  trade  with  them,  in  the  autumn  of  1683,  the  Chevalier 
feins  to  bet  sailed  for  his  native  land,  which  he  reached,  December  13th. 
Watered  by  t      ^|-  ^j.^^,  ^jj^^^,  ^^^,  jjj^j  thought  probably  of  attempting  to  establish 

Dn   both  sillf  iiif'-'i  r  ^•  1 

Sparh'  *  '^'olof'y  on  the  Mississippi,  by  means  ot  supplies  and  persons  sent 


lO  hear  mt 

ts  of  Vix 

d  Sieur  d 

which  til 

svbich  we: 

nscription 


p.  ZE>( 
)C    FLVMEJ  .' 
FECIT  PE! 


■-,  as  eldc 


20 


La  Salk  "'/i  France. 


168;    1685, 


from  Canada ;  but  farther  reflection  led  him  to  believe  his  ti  humanity, 
course  to  be  to  go  direct  from  France  to  tlie  mouth  of  the  Missi  in  those  tin 
sippi,  with  abundant  means  for  settHng  and  securing  the  countr;  still  sometin 
and  to  obtain  the  necessary  ships,  stores,  and  emigrants,  was  ti  flail(»rs  of  L; 
main  purpose  of  his  visit  to  Europe.  But  he  found  his  fair  fame  and  much  p 
danger,  in  the  court  of  his  king.  His  success,  his  wide  plans,  a:  by  those  \vh 
his  overbearing  character  were  all  calculated  to  make  him  en  "Were  stop])e 
mies;  and  among  the  foremost  was  La  Barre,  who  had  succeed-  emphatic  st; 
Frontenac  as  governor  of  Canada.  "*s  commanc 

But  La  Salle  had  a  most  able  advocate  in  France,  so  soon  "^^'^  ^^'''is  fon 
he  was  there  in  person  ;  and  the  whole  nation  being  stirred  by  t:  *''  ^^h  sue 
story  of  the  new  discoveries,  of  which  Hennepin  had  widely  p:  -Atlantic  wa? 
mulgated  his  first  account  some  months  before  La  Salle's  retur  "*"^'  ^^^^nd  of 
our  hero  found  ears  open  to  drink  in  his  words,  and'  imaginatic  JP^'its  were  t 
warmed  to  make  the  most  of  them.  The  minisler,  Seigneh  "^^rv.  away,  i 
desired  to  see  the  adventurer,  and  he  soon  won  his  way  to  wli:  *^*'  ^"^^'  ^t  ^ 
ever  heart  that  man  had  ;  for  it  could  not  have  required  much  t;;  '"^^re  crowde 
with  La  Salle  to  have  been  sati:;fied  of  his  sincerity,  enthusiav  "^^^S^  f>f  the 
energy,  and  bravery.  The  tales  of  the  new  governor  fell  da:  gri'^'^^'d  him, 
therefore,  and  the  king  listened  to  the  prayer  of  his  subject,  tha  enibark.  a  his 
fleet  might  be  sent  to  take  possession  of  the  mouth  of  the  Mis>  Wrds.  Ihe  s 
sippi,  and  so  that  great  country  of  which  he  told  them  be  seen:  *^^^'  ^"Ppbes, 
to  France.  The  king  listened ;  and  soon  the  town  of  Roclu  bestirring  the 
was  busy  with  the  stir  of  artisans,  ship-riggers,  adventurers,  !  ^'^"  death  am 
diers,  sailors,  and  all  that  varied  crowd  which  in  those  days  lool  ¥^  ''^^^-  "^'^ 
into  the  dim  West  for  a  land  where  wealth  was  to  be  had  for '  *^  "'"^^  ^^  ^^ 
seeking.  hK''  sailed 

On  the  24th  of  July,  1684,  twenty-four  vessels  sailed  fr  ^'-^  ^^^  ^istori 
Rochelle  U.  America,  four  of  which  were  for  the  discovery  s  I  ^ "'"  ^  whole 
settlement  of  the  famed  Louisiana.  These  four  carried  two  hui  Sounding,  and 
red  and  eighty  persons,  including  the  crews ;  there  were  soldit  t"^'"o  ^^  ^^^te 
artificers,  and  volunteers,  and  also  "some  young  women."  Tli  l&^"dand  was 
is  no  doubt  that  this  brave  fleet  started  full  of  light  hearts,  i  W^^^  '^^  "^'"^ 
vast,  vague  hopes;  but,  alas!  it  had  scarce  started  when  disc  ^  ^here  bein, 
began;  for  La  Salle  and  the  commander  of  the  fleet,  M.  de  Bt  f  westwar 
jeu,  were  well  fitted  to  quarrel  one  with  the  other,  but  nevtr  l^^'^^'f^'  the  Mi; 
work  together.  In  truth  Lp  Salle  seems  to  have  been  nov  F  ^"^^  "^^^  ^'^'^ 
amiable,  for  he  was  overbearing,  harsh,  and  probably  selfis!  ^^■^-  At  las 
the  full  extent  to  be  looked  for  in  a  man  of  worldly  ambiti  f""^'  "'  "'^  'i^* 
However,  in  one  of  the  causes  of  quarrel  which  arose  during  f^  'believed  ti 
passage,  he  acted,  if  not  with  policy,  certainly  with  boldness  a*VP"inted  one 


I6S.    1685, 


La  Salle  in  Gulf  of  Mexico. 


21 


eve  his  tr 
fthe  Missi 
the  countr 
mts,  was  t! 
i  fair  fame 
le  plans,  a; 
ke  him  en 
ad  succeed' 

;e,  so  soon 
stirred  by  \. 
d  widely  p: 
Jalle's  retur 
'  imaginatio 
;r,  Seignelt 

way  to  wli: 
red  much  t 
y,  euthusiav 
nor  fell  dc: 
subject,  tha 
of  the  Mis- 
em  be  seen: 
n  of  Roclu 
k^eiiturers,  ; 
se  days  loot 

je  had  for ' 

sailed  fi 
discovery  e 
ied  two  hui 
were  solclit 
■men."  Tlv 
it  hearts,  i 
when  disc 
,  M.  dc  Be 
but  never 
been  nov 
ably  selfisl 
Idly  ambiti 
se  during 
boldness : 


humanity.  It  was  when  they  came  to  the  Tropic  of  Cancer,  where, 
in  those  times,  it  was  customary  to  baptize  all  green  hands,  as  is 
still  sometimes  done  under  the  Equator.  On  this  occasion,  the 
8ail('rs  of  La  Salle's  little  squadron  promised  themselves  rare  sport 
and  much  plunder,  grog,  and  other  good  things,  the  forfeit  paid 
by  those  who  do  not  wish  a  seasoning;  but  all  these  exi>ectatiop,s 
■were  stopped,  and  hope  turned  into  hate,  by  the  express  and 
emphatic  statement  on  the  part  of  La  Salle,  that  no  man  under 
ihis  command  should  be  ducked,  whereupon  the  commander  of  the 
fleet  was  forced  to  forbid  the  ceremony. 

With  such  beginnings  of  bickering  and  dissatisfaction  the 
Atlantic  was  slowly  crossed,  and,  upon  the  20th  of  September, 
■flie  island  of  St.  Domingo  was  reached.  Here  certain  arrange- 
ipents  were  to  be  made  with  the  colonial  authorities ;  but,  as  they 
Were  away,  it  became  necessary  to  stop  there  for  a  time.  And  a 
sad  time  it  was.  The  fever  seized  the  new-comers;  the  ships 
were  crowded  with  sick;  La  Salle  himself  was  brought  to  the 
verge  of  the  grave ;  and,  when  he  recovered,  the  first  news  that 
greeted  him,  was  that  of  his  four  vessels,  the  one  wherein  he  had 
embark,  a  his  stores  and  implements,  had  been  taken  by  the  Span- 
iards. The  sick  man  had  to  bestir  himself  thereupon  to  procure 
new  supplies ;  and  while  he  was  doing  so,  his  enemies  were  also 
bestirring  themselves  to  seduce  his  men  from  him,  so  that  what 
with  death  and  desertion,  he  was  likely  to  have  a  small  crew  at 
1|ie  last.  But  energy  did  much ;  and,  on  the  25th  of  November, 
^e  first  of  the  remaining  vessels,  she  that  was  "to  carry  the 
Hght,"  sailed  for  the  coast  of  America.  In  her  w^nt  La  Salle, 
8pd  the  historian  of  the  voyage,  Joutel. 

A  For  a  whole  month  were  the  disconsolate  sailors  sailing,  and 
(|)unding,  and  stopping  to  take  in  water  and  shoot  alligators,  and 
gifting  in  utter  uncertainty,  until,  on  the  2Sth  of  December,  the 
B»ainland  was  fairly  discovered.  But  "there  being"  as  Joutel 
jiiys,  "no  man  among  them  who  had  any  knowledge  of  that  Bay," 
d  there  being  also  an  impression  that  they  must  steer  very  much 
the  westward  to  avoid  the  currents,  it  was  no  wonder  they 
issed  the  Mississippi,  and  waadtied  far  beyond  it,  not  knowing 
#here  they  went;  and  so  wore  away  the  whole  month  of  January, 
|6S5.  At  last.  La  Salle,  out  of  patience,  determined  to  land 
||)me  of  his  men,  and  go  along  tlie  shore  toward  the  point  where 
|p  believed  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  to  be,  and  Joutel  was 
Ifpointed  one  of  the  commanders  of  this  exploring  party.     They 


1 


22 


La  Salle  in  Matagorda  Bay, 


1685,     1685. 


started  on  the  4th  of  Fehnmry,  and  travelled  eastward,  (for  it  wav 
clear  that  they  had  j)as,sed  the  river)  durii.n;  three  days,  when  thov 
came  to  a  ^reat  stream  wliirh  they  eotdd  not  cross,  having  n^ 
boats.  Here  they  made  fire  sif^nals,  and,  on  the  13th,  two  of  th( 
vessels  came  in  sijrht ;  the  mouth  of  the  river,  or  entrance  of  the 
bay,  for  such  it  proved  to  be,  was  forthwith  sounded,  and  the 
barks  sent  in  to  be  under  shelter.  Btit^  sad  to  say.  La  Sailer's  old 
fortune  was  at  work  here  ar^ain ;  for  the  vessel  which  bore  hi* 
provisions  and  most  valuable  stores,  was  run  upon  a  shoal  by  the 
grossest  neglect,  or,  as  Joutel  thinks,  with  malice  prepense ;  and, 
soon  after,  the  wind  coming  in  strong  from  the  sea,  she  fell  t( 
pieces  in  the  night,  and  the  bay  was  full  of  cnsks  and  packages, 
which  could  not  be  saved,  or  were  worthless  when  drawn  ^ron. 
the  salt  water.  From  this  untimely  fate  our  poor  adventurer  res- 
cued but  a  small  half  of  his  second  stock  of  indispensables. 

And  here,  fur  a  moment,  let  us  pause  to  look  at  the  Chevalier'- 
condition  in  the  miadie  of  March,  1685.  Beaujeu,  with  his  ship, 
is  gone,  leaving  his  comrades  in  the  marshy  wilderness,  ^vith  no 
much  of  joy  to  look  forward  to.  They  had  gtms,  and  powder 
and  shot;  eight  cannon,  too,  "but  not  one  bullet,"  that  is,  can- 
non-ball, the  naval  gentlemen  having  refused  to  give  them  any 
And  here  are  our  lonely  settlers,  building  a  fcrt  upon  the  shores  c: 
the  Bay  of  St.  Louis,  as  they  called  it,  known  to  us  as  the  Bay  o: 
St.  Bernard,  or  Matagorda  Bay,  in  Texas.  They  build  from  \h 
wreck  of  their  ship,  we  cannot  think  with  light  hearts;  even 
plank  and  timber  tells  of  past  ill  luck,  and,  as  they  look  forward, 
there  is  vi,sion  of  irritated  savages  (for  there  had  been  warriri: 
already,)  of  long  search  for  the  Hidden  River  *  of  toils  and  dan- 
gers in  its  ascent  when  reached.  No  wonder,  that  "  during  tha' 
time  several  men  deserted."  So  strong  was  the  fever  for  deser- 
tion, that,  of  some  who  stole  away  and  were  retaken,  it  was  founc 
necessary  to  execute  one. 

And  now  La  Salle  prepares  to  issue  from  his  nearly  completel 
fort,  to  look  round  and  see  where  he  is.  He  has  still  a  good  forco 
so  ie  hundred  and  fifty  people;  and,  by  prompt  and  determincij 
action,  much  may  be  done  between  this  last  of  March  and  nexi 
aatumn.  In  the  first  place,  the  river  falling  into  the  Bay  of  St 
Louis  is  examined,  and  a  new  fort  commenced  in  that  neighbor- 
hood, where  seed  is  planted  also;  for  the  men  begin  to  tire  o: 
meat  and  fish,  with  spare  allowance  of  bread,  and  no  vegetables 

*  So  the  Spaniards  called  the  Mississipjii. 


But  the  old 
desert;  the 
months  and 
are  still  hew 
brin<j[  their  t 
heiiun  "wit 
to  no  purpos 
all  taken  ape 
therefore,  Jo 
hy  the  way. 
and  no  hous( 
and  not  a  ra^ 

"  Well," 
build  ourselv 
"within  a  leag 
buffaloes,  the 
done,  this  dr. 
and  weeds  o 
vast   suffering 
it  would  not  ( 
heaving  and 
sun,  might  ha 
of  the  poor  F 
lost;  and,  wc 
lost  his  tempe 
valier  turned 
what  timber 
March  he  tho 
autumn  stand; 
house  built  ye 

And  Augus 
the  timber  tha 
house  built,  ' 
them." 

And  now  o 
First,  he  thou 
which  he  left 
six  guns,"  w 
navy.  But,  ; 
board  of  her, 
his  object  by 


1683,      1685. 


La  Salle  in  Texas. 


23 


(for  it  wav 
when  thcv 
haviniif  n- 
two  of  tht 
anoo  of  tilt 
(1,  and  tilt 
Sailers  old 
'h   bore  \\\< 
loal  by  till 
)ense;  and, 
she  fell  t( 
i  packages, 
drawn  ^roii. 
entiirer  re.*- 
ables. 
Chevalier'> 
ith  his  ship, 
5S,  Avith  no' 
tid   powder, 
hat  is,  can- 
I  them  any 
le  shores  'i 
;  the  Bay  c: 
from  th^ 
arts;  even 
forward, 
en   warriir: 
s  and  d all- 
uring tha' 
for  descr- 
was  fount' 

complete' 
good  force, 
determine'^ 
and  net 
Bay  of  St 
neighbor- 
n  to  tire  c: 
t^egetablos 


But  the  old  luck  is  at  work  still.  The  seed  will  not  sprout;  men 
desert ;  the  fort  goes  forward  miserably  slow ;  and  at  last,  three 
months  and  more  gone  to  no  purpose,  Joutel  and  liis  men,  who 
are  still  hewing  timl)er  at  the  first  fort,  are  sent  for,  and  told  to 
bring  their  timber  with  them  in  a  float.  The  float  or  raft  was 
begun  "with  immense  labor,"  says  tlu;  wearied  historian,  but  all 
ito  no  purpose,  for  the  weather  was  so  adverse,  that  it  had  to  be 
all  taken  apart  again  and  buried  in  the  sand.  Empty-handed, 
therefore,  Joutel  sought  his  superior,  the  effects  being  left  at  a  post 
by  the  way.  And  he  came  to  a  scene  of  desolation ;  men  sick, 
and  no  houses  to  put  them  in ;  all  the  looked-for  crop  blasted ; 
and  not  a  ray  of  comfort  from  any  quarter. 

"Well,"  said  La  Salle,  "we  must  now  muster  all  hands,  and 
build  ourselves  'a  large  lodgment.'"  But  there  was  no  timber 
within  a  league;  and  not  a  cart  nor  a  bullock  to  be  had,  for  the 
buffaloes,  though  abundant,  were  ill  broken  to  such  labor.  If 
done,  this  dragging  must  be  done  by  men ;  so,  over  the  long  grass 
and  weeds  of  the  prairie-plain,  they  dragged  some  sticks,  with 
vast  suffering.  Afterwards  the  carriage  of  a  gun  was  tried ;  but 
it  would  not  do ;  "the  ablest  men  were  quite  spent."  Indeed, 
heaving  and  hauling  over  that  damp  plain,  and  under  that  July 
sun,  might  have  tried  the  constitution  of  the  best  of  Africans ;  and 
of  the  poor  Frenchmen  thirty  died,  worn  out.  The  carpenter  was 
lost;  and,  worse  still.  La  Salle,  wearied,  worried,  disappointed, 
lost  his  temper  and  insulted  his  men.  So  closed  July ;  the  Che- 
valier turned  carpenter,  marking  out  the  tenons  and  mortises  of 
what  timber  he  could  get,  and  growing  daily  more  cross.  In 
March  he  thought  much  might  be  done  before  autumn,  and  now 
autumn  stands  but  one  month  removed  from  liim,  and  not  even  a 
house  built  yet. 

And  August  soon  passed  too,  not  without  results,  however ;  for 
the  timber  that  had  been  buried  below  was  got  up,  and  a  second 
house  built,  "  all  covered  with  planks  and  bullock's  hides  over 
them." 

And  now  once  more  was  La  Salle  ready  to  seek  the  Mississippi. 
First,  he  thought  he  would  try  with  the  last  of  the  four  barks  with 
which  he  left  France;  the  bark  La  Belle,  "a  little  frigate  carrying 
six  guns,"  which  the  King  had  given  our  Chevalier  to  be  ais 
U'dvy.  But,  after  having  put  all  his  clothes  and  valuables  on 
board  of  her,  he  determined  to  try  with  twenty  men  to  reach 
his  object  by  land.     This  was  in  December,   1685.     From  this 


1 


24 


La  Salle  in  Texas. 


1686.       1687. 


expedition  he  did  not  return  until  March,  IfiSG,  when  he  came  to 
his  fort  again,  ragged,  liatless,  and  worn  down,  with  six  or  seven 
followers  at  his  heels,  his  travels  having  heen  all  in  vain.  It  was 
not  very  encouraging  ;  hut,  says  Joutcl,  "we  thought  only  of  mak- 
ing ourselves  as  merry  as  we  could."  The  next  day  came  the 
rest  of  the  party,  who  had  heen  sent  to  fmd  the  little  frigate,  which 
should  have  heen  in  the  bay.  They  came  mournfully,  for  the 
little  frigate  could  not  be  found,  and  she  had  all  La  Salle's  best 
effects  on  board. 

The  bark  was  gone;  but  our  hero's  heart  was  still  beating  in 
his  bosom,  a  little  cracked  and  shaken,  out  strong  and  iron-bound 
still.  So,  borrowing  some  changes  of  linen  from  Joutcl,  toward 
the  latter  end  of  April,  he  again  set  forth,  he  and  twenty  men, 
each  with  his  pack,  "  to  look  for  his  river,"  as  our  writer  aptly 
terms  it.  Some  days  after  his  departure,  the  bark  Tm  Belle  came 
to  light  again  ;  for  she  was  not  lost,  but  only  ashore.  Deserted 
by  her  forlorn  and  diminished  crew,  however,  she  seems  to  have 
been  suffered  to  break  up  and  go  to  pieces  in  her  own  way,  for 
w^e  hear  no  more  of  the  little  frigate. 

And  now,  for  a  time,  tilings  went  on  pretty  smoothly.  There 
was  even  a  marriage  at  the  fort ;  and  "  Monsieur  le  Marquis  la 
Sabloniere"  wished  to  act  as  groom  in  h  second,  but  Joutel  abso- 
lutely refused.  By  and  by,  however,  the  men,  seeing  that  La 
Salle  did  not  return,  "began  to  mutter."  There  were  even  pro- 
posals afloat  to  make  away  with  Joutel,  and  start  upon  a  new 
enterprise ;  the  leader  in  which  half-formed  plan  was  one  Sieur 
Duhaut,  an  unsafe  man,  and  inimical  to  La  Salle,  who  had,  proba- 
bly, maltreated  him  somewdiat.  Joutel,  however,  learned  the 
state  of  matters,  id  put  a  stop  to  all  such  proceedings.  Know- 
ing idleness  to  be  a  root  of  countless  evils,  he  made  his  men 
work  and  dance  as  long  as  there  was  vigor  enough  In  them  to 
keep  their  limbs  in  motion  ;  and  in  such  manner  the  summer 
passed  away,  until  in  August  La  Salle  returned.  He  had  been  as 
far  as  the  sources  of  the  Sabine,  probably,  but  had  suffered  greatly; 
of  the  twenty  men  he  had  taken  with  him,  only  eight  came  back, 
some  having  fallen  sick,  some  having  died,  and  others  deserted 
to  the  Indians.  He  had  not  found  "  his  river,"  though  he  had 
been  so  far  in  that  direction  ;  but  he  came  back  full  of  spirits, 
"which,"  says  our  writer,  "  revived  the  lowest  ebb  of  hope." 
He  was  all  ready,  too,  to  start  again  at  once,  to  seek  the  Missis- 
Dippi,  and  go  onward  to  Canada,  and  thence  to  France,  to  get  new 


recruits  and 
heats  pass  IJ 
heats  passed! 
posed  journJ 
January,  16^ 

On  that  dj 
Among  themj 
all  took  theirl 
they  had  all 
Tlu'y  went 
fort  stood,  ur 
the  coast  w^ 
12th  of  Janii 
across  that  so 
which  ran  "  s 
which,  with 
a  line,  "affoi 
Indians  too, 
and  friendshi 
ticularly  of  tu 
ferings" ;  and 
hide,  which,  c 
tracks  of  the  I 
had  come  to  a 
and  were  well 

On  the  15t 
they  then  wer 
journey,  and  i 
wheat,  orderei 
some  others,  t 
the  food  was 
While  coming 
were  killed  I: 
So  they  sent  t 
and  that,  if  he 
to  carry  it  *o  t 
the  bullocks,  i 
for  their  own 
heard  of  the  i 
chief  confidar 
footman,  givii 


F 

1 


1686.      1687. 


e  came  to 
:  or  seven 
I.  It  was 
y  of  mak- 
came  the 
ite,  which 
y,  for  the 
cille's  best 


seating  in 
ron-bound 
[}1,  toward 
enty  men, 
riter  aptly 
hlle  came 
Deserted 
IS  to  have 
n  way,  for 

y.     There 
^larquis  la 
)utel  abso- 
that  La 
even  pro- 
in  a  new 
lone  Sieur 
d,  proba- 
rned  the 
Know- 
his  men 
them  to 
summer 
d  been  as 
|1  greatly; 
|me  back, 
deserted 
11  he  had 
if  spirits, 
hope." 
Missis- 
get  new 


La  Salle  starts  for  the  Mississippi.  25 

recruits  and  supplies  ;  but,  "  it  was  determined  to  let  the  great 
heats  pass  before  that  enterprise  was  taken  in  hand."  And  the 
lieats  passed,  b\it  nith  them  our  hero's  health,  so  that  the  pro- 
posed journey  was  delayed  from  time  to  time  until  the  12th  of 
January,  1687. 

On  that  day  started  the  last  company  of  La  Salle's  adventurers. 
Among  them  went  Joutel,  and  also  the  discontented  Duhaut ;  and 
all  took  their  "  leaves  with  so  much  tenderness  and  sorrow  as  if 
they  had  all  presaged  that  they  should  never  see  each  other  more.'* 
They  went  northwest  along  the  bank  of  the  river  on  which  their 
fort  stood,  until  they  came  to  where  the  streams  running  toward 
the  coast  were  fordable,  and  then  turned  eastward.  From  the 
12th  of  January  until  the  15th  of  March  did  they  thus  joiirney 
across  that  southern  country,  crossing  "  curious  meadows,"  through 
which  ran  "  several  little  brooks,  of  very  clear  and  good  water," 
which,  with  the  tall  trees,  all  of  a  size,  and  planted  as  if  by 
aline,  "  afforded  a  most  delightful  landskip."  They  met  many 
Indians  too,  with  whom  La  Salle  established  relations  of  peace 
and  friendship.  Game  was  abundant,  "  plenty  of  fowl  and  par- 
ticularly of  turkeys,"  was  there,  which  was  "  an  ease  to  their  suf- 
ferings" ;  and  so  they  still  toiled  on  in  shoes  of  green  bullocks' 
hide,  which,  dried  by  the  sun,  pinched  cruelly,  until,  following  the 
tracks  of  the  buffaloes,  who  choose  by  instinct  the  best  ways,  they 
had  come  to  a  pleasanter  country  than  they  had  yet  passed  through, 
and  were  well  on  toward  the  long-sought  Father  of  Waters. 

On  the  15th  of  March,  La  Salle,  recognising  the  spot  where 
they  then  were  as  one  through  which  he  had  passed  in  his  former 
journey,  and  near  which  he  had  hidden  some  beans  and  Indian 
wheat,  ordered  the  Sieurs  Duhaut,  Hiens,  Liotot  the  Surgeon,  and 
some  otliers,  to  go  and  seek  them.  This  they  did,  but  found  that 
the  food  was  all  spoiled,  so  they  turned  toward  the  camp  again. 
While  coming  campward  they  chanced  upon  two  bullocks,  which 
were  killed  by  one  of  La  Salle's  hunters,  who  was  with  them. 
So  they  sent  the  commander  word  th.  .  they  had  killed  some  meat, 
and  that,  if  he  would  have  the  flesh  dried,  he  might  send  horses 
to  carry  it  ^o  the  place  where  he  lay  ;  and,  meanwhile,  they  cut  up 
the  bullocks,  and  took  out  the  marrow-bones,  and  laid  them  aside 
for  their  own  choice  eating,  as  was  usual  to  do.  When  La  Salle 
heard  of  the  meat  that  had  been  taken,  he  sent  his  nephew  and 
chief  confidant,  M.  Moranget,  with  one  De  Male  and  his  own 
footman,  giving  them  orders  to  send  all  that  was  fit  to  the  camp  at 


26 


Death  of  La  Salle. 


1G87. 


onco.  M.  M()riui<^t'l,  when  he  caino  to  where  Diiliaut  and  tlie  rest 
were,  and  loiiiid  that  they  had  hiid  by  for  themselves  the  marrow- 
bones, became  aii<^ry,  took  from  tliem  their  choice  pii'ces,  threat- 
ened ihem,  and  spoke  harsh  words.  This  treatment  touched  these 
men,  aheady  not  well  pleased,  to  the  (piick  ;  and,  when  it  was 
night,  they  took  counsel  toj^etluM-  how  they  might  best  have  their 
rcven<ijc.  The  end  of  such  counselling,  where  anger  is  foremost, 
and  the  wilderness  is  all  about  one,  needs  scarce  to  be  told  ;  "  we 
will  have  their  i)lood,  all  that  ar»!  of  that  i)arty  shall  die,"  said 
these  malcontents.  So,  when  M.  Moranget  and  the  rest  liad 
supped  and  fallen  asleep,  Liolot  the  surgeon  took  an  axe,  and 
with  few  strokes  killed  them  all  ;  all  that  were  of  La  Salle's  party, 
even  his  poor  Indian  hunter,  because  he  was  faithful ;  and,  lest 
De  Male  miglit  not  be  with  them  (for  him  they  did  not  kill,)  they 
forced  him  to  stab  M.  Moranget,  who  had  not  died  by  the  first 
blow  of  Liotot's  axe,  and  then  threw  them  out  for  the  carrion-birds 
to  feast  on. 

This  murder  was  done  upon  the  17th  of  March.  And  at  once 
the  murderers  would  have  killed  La  Salle,  but  he  and  his  men 
were  on  the  other  side  of  a  river,  and  the  water  for  two  days  was 
so  high  that  they  could  not  cross. 

La  Salle,  meantime,  was  growing  anxious  also ;  his  nephew  so 
long  absent,  what  meant  it?  and  he  went  about  asking  if  Duhaut 
had  not  been  a  malcontent ;  but  none  said.  Yes.  Doubtless  there 
was  something  in  La  Salle's  heart,  which  told  him  his  followers 
had  cause  to  be  his  foes.  It  was  now  the  20th  of  the  month,  and 
he  could  not  forbear  setting  out  to  seek  his  lost  relative.  Leaving 
Joutel  in  command,  therefore,  he  started  with  a  Franciscan  monk 
and  one  Indian.  Coming  near  the  hut  which  the  murderers  had 
put  up,  though  still  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  he  saw  car- 
rion-birds hovering  near,  and  to  call  attention  if  any  were  there, 
fired  a  shot.  There  were  keen  and  watching  ears  and  eyes  there ; 
the  gun  told  them  to  be  quick,  for  their  prey  was  in  the  net;  so, 
at  once,  Duhaut  and  another  crossed  the  river,  and,  while  the 
first  hid  himself  among  the  tall  weeds,  the  latter  showed  himself 
to  La  Salle  at  a  good  distance  ofT.  Going  instantly  to  meet  him, 
the  fated  man  passed  near  to  the  spot  w'  n-e  Duhaut  was  hid. 
The  traitor  lay  still  till  he  came  opposite ;  n,  raising  his  piece, 
shot  his  commander  through  the  head ;  after  lingering  a»i  hour, 
he  died. 

Thus  fell  La  Salle,  on  the  threshold  of  success.     No  man  had 


1G87. 

more  sIroiiL; 
through,  if 
had  a  caj):! 
friends,  "to 
rnurage,  anc 
rendered  bin 
which  made 
glorious  issu 
ties  been  coi 
times  made 
were  under 
ble  hatred,  a 

La  Salle 
Brazos.* 

And  now, 
fully,  and   in 
command, — 
them  as  to  Ih 
extremities,  ^ 
and  Duhaut 
done,  the  no 
Indians,  with 
who  had  beei 
deserted.     Tl 
shaved,  and  r 
Joutel  was  no 
wished   to  fin 
consenting,  hi 
up  his  march 
should  have  1 
May,  1G87. 

With  great 
over  the  fat 
countless  dan 
Arkansas,  wh 
who  had  been 
while,  and  th 
bcr,  reached 
Joutel   remair 

•  Sparks,  158. 


1 


1G87. 

the  rest 
niarrnw- 
;,  llircat- 
ed  these 
I  it  was 
ive  their 
oreniost, 
Id  ;  "  we 
ie,"  said 
rest  liad 
fixe,  and 
:'s  party, 
and,  lest 
ill,)  they 
'  the  first 
ion-birds 

1  at  once 

his  men 

Jays  was 

phew  so 

Duhaut 
ess  there 
followers 
nth,  and 
Leaving 
n  monk 
rers  had 
saw  car- 
Ire  there, 
s  there ; 
net;  so, 
Ihile   the 

himself 
|eet  him, 

as  hid. 
Is  piece, 

ui  hour. 


1GS7.  Dmth  of  La  Salle.  27 

more  stron<^Iy  nil  the  elements  that  would  have  borne  him  safe 
tlirou<4h,  if  we  except  that  element  which  insures  aflTection.  "lie 
hud  a  capacity  and  talent,"  says  Joiitel,  one  of  his  staunche.st 
friends,  "to  make  his  enterprise  successful;  his  constancy,  ami 
cntiraoje,  and  extraordinary  knowledf^e  in  irts  ami  sciences,  which 
rendered  him  fit  for  any  thinj^,  to(Tcth<>r  with  an  indefiitii^ablc  body, 
which  made  him  surmount  all  dilliculties,  would  have  procured  a 
glorious  issue  to  his  imrlertaking,  had  not  all  those  excellent  (piali- 
ties  been  counterbalanced  by  too  haui^hty  a  behavior,  which  some- 
times made  him  insupportable,  and  by  a  rigidness  toward  those  that 
were  under  his  command,  which  at  last  dn'W  on  him  aa  implaca- 
ble hatred,  and  was  the  occasion  of  his  dep.ih." 

La  Salle  died,  as  far  as  can  be  judged,  upon  a  branch  of  the 
Brazos.* 

And  now,  the  leader  being  killed,  his  followers  toiled  on  mourn- 
fidly,  and  in  fear,  each  of  the  others,  —  Duhaut  assunung  the 
command,  —  until  May.  Then  there  arose  a  difFerence  among 
them  as  to  their  future  course;  and,  by  and  by,  things  coming  to 
extremities,  some  of  La  Salle's  murderers  turned  upon  the  others, 
and  Duhaut  and  Liotot  w^'re  killed  by  their  comrades.  'I'his 
done,  the  now  dominant  party  determined  to  remain  among  the 
Indians,  with  whom  they  then  were,  and  where  they  found  some 
who  had  been  with  La  Salle  in  his  former  expedition,  and  had 
deserted.  These  were  living  among  the  savages,  painted,  and 
shaved,  and  naked,  with  great  store  of  squaws  and  scalps.  But 
Joutcl  was  not  of  this  way  of  thinking;  he  and  some  others  still 
wished  to  find  the  Great  River  and  get  to  Canada.  At  last,  all 
consenting,  he  did,  with  six  others,  leave  the  main  body,  and  take 
up  his  march  for  the  Illinois,  where  he  hoped  to  find  Tonti,  who 
should  have  been  all  this  while  at  Fort  St.  Louis.  This  was  in 
May,  1687. 

"With  great  labor  this  little  band  forced  their  heavy-laden  horses 
over  the  fat  soil,  in  which  they  often  stuck  fast;  and,  daring^ 
countless  dangers,  at  length,  upon  the  24th  of  July,  reached  the 
Arkansas,  where  they  found  a  post  containing  a  few  Frenclnnen 
who  had  been  placed  there  by  Tonti.  Here  they  stayed  a  little 
while,  and  then  went  forward  again,  and  on  the  14th  of  ^.^cptem- 
ber,  reached  Fort  St.  Louis,  upon  the  Illinois,  At  this  post,, 
Joutel   remained   until   the  following   March,  —  that  of  168S, — 


lan 


had 


♦  Sparks,  158. 


1 


98 


Tonfi  in  Illinois. 


1687. 


when  he  set  ofT  for  Quebec,  which  city  he  reached  mi  the  hist  of 
Jul),  just  four  years  haviri}^  passed  since  he  saiU'd  from  Rochelle. 

Thus  ended  La  SaMe's  tliird  and  last  voyage,  pro(hicing  no 
perniajient  settlement ;  for  the  Spaniards  rarne,  dismantled  the 
fort  upon  the  Hay  of  St.  Louis,  and  carried  away  its  {garrison,  and 
the  Frenchmen  who  had  been  left  elsewhere  in  the  southwest 
intermingled  witii  tlu;  Indians,  until  all  traiM;  of  them  was  lost. 

And  so  closed  his  endeavors,  in  defeat.  Yet  he  had  not  worked 
and  sufTered  in  vain.  He  had  thrown  open  to  France  and  the 
•world  an  immense  and  most  valuable  country;  had  established 
several  permanent  forts,  and  laid  tlie  foundation  of  more  than  one 
settlement  there.  Peoria,  Kaskaskia,  Cahokia,  to  this  day,  are 
monuments  of  La  Salle's  labors ;  for,  though  he  founded  neither 
of  them,  (unless  Peoria,  which  was  built  nearly  upon  the  site  of 
Fort  CrevcccDur,)  it  was  by  those  whom  he  led  into  the  West, 
that  these  places  were  peopled  and  civilized.  He  was,  if  not  the 
discoverer,  the  first  settler  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  and  as  such 
deserves  to  be  known  and  honored.* 

Tonti,  left  by  La  Salle  when  he  sailed  for  France  after  reach- 
ing the  Gulf  Mexico  in  1682,  remained  as  commander  of  that 
Rock  Fort  of  St.  Louis,  which  he  had  begun  in  1680,  Here  he 
stayed,  swaying  absolutely  the  Indian  tribes,  and  acting  as  viceroy 
over  the  unknown  and  uncounted  Frenchmen  who  were  beginning 
to  wander  through  that  beautiful  country,  making  discoveries  of 
which  we  have  no  records  left.  In  1686,  looking  to  meet  La 
Salle,  he  went  down  to  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi ;  but  discov- 
ering no  signs  of  his  old  comrade,  turned  northward  again,  and 
reaching  his  fort  on  the  Illinois,  found  work  to  do ;  for  the  Iro- 
quois, long  threatening,  were  now  in  the  battle-field,  backed  by 
the  English,  and  Tonti,  with  his  western  wild  allies,  was  forced 
to  march  and  fight.  Engaged  in  this  business,  he  appears  to  us 
at  intervals  in  the  pages  of  Charlevoix ;  in  the  fall  of  1687  we 
have  him  with  Joutel,  at  Fort  St.  Louis;  in  April,  1689,  he  sud- 
denly appears  to  us  at  Crevecoeur,  revealed  by  the  Baron  La 
Hontan ;  and  again,  early  in  1700,  D'Iberville  is  visited  by  him 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.  After  that  we  see  him  no  more, 
and  the  Biographic  Universelle  tells  us,  that,  though  he  remained 

•  The  authorities  in  relation  to  La  Salle  arc  Hennepin  ;  a  narrative  pulilished  in  the 
name  of  Tonti  in  1697,  but  disclaimed  by  him  ;  (Charlevoix  iii.  365. — Leitris  edifiantci 
letter  of  Marest,  xi.  308,  original  edition.  Introduction  to  Sparks'  Life  of  La  Salle  :)  the 
work  of  Le  Clcrcq,  already'  mentioned  ;  Joutcl's  Journal  j  and  Sparks'  Life  :  the  last  ia 
esjjcjcially  valuable. 


1687. 

many  yeai 
death,  or 

Next  in 
ron  La  Ho 
very  seem 
volumes, 
warred  aga 
so  far  west 
tribute  his 
ficient  esco 
the  Wiscoi 
sailed  thert 
River,  com 
pears  by  hi: 
Upon  this  s 
and   odd  d 
nations  of  \ 
his  eighty  a 
head  of  thi; 
thousand  m 
drew  him  a 
lake,  whenc 
the  great  p 
China  and  t 
this  was  of 
of  some  stal 
it  may  be  th 
the  back  \\ 
of  the  conne 
the  commun 
son  River,  e 
Bay  into  the 

After  La  '. 
recording  in 
Salle's  deat 
French  who 
speaks  of  T 


*  Voyages  ile 

t  See  map  in 

Also,  Nicollet's 

he  calls  "  Rivet 


1687. 

lie  lust  of 
Rocl.cllf. 
uciiif^  no 
iitled  the 
ison,  and 
;outhwest 
i  lost, 
•t  worked 

and  the 
tablished 
than  one 

day,  are 
d  neither 
le  site  of 
le  West, 
f  not  the 
d  as  such 

ter  reach- 

er  of  that 

Here  he 

s  viceroy 

)eginning 

)veries  of 

meet   La 

t  discov- 

^ain,  and 

•  the  Iro- 

icked  by 

s  forced 

lars  to  us 

ll687  we 

he  sud- 

ron   La 

by  him 

o  more, 

mained 

phcd  in  the 
edifianlet 
ftalle:)  the 
1  the  last  is 


lf)87.  Mpcnturcs  of  La  Ilontan.  20 

many  years  in   Louisiana,  he  finall'y  was  not  there;    but   of  his 
death,  or  departure  tiience,  no  one  knows. 

Next  in  se(juence,  we  have  a  gliin[)se  of  the  above-named  Ba- 
ron La  Ilontan,  discoverer  of  the  Long  River,  and,  as  that  disco- 
very seems  to  prove,  drawer  of  a  somewhat  long  bow.  By  his 
volumes,  ])ublished  a  Id  Ilayi',  in  17()G,  we  learn,  that  he  too 
warred  against  the  Iroquois  in  1687  and  1688;  and,  having  gone 
so  far  westward  as  the  Lake  of  the  Illinois,  thought  he  would  con- 
tribute his  mite  to  the  discoveries  of  those  times.  So,  with  a  suf- 
ficient escort,  he  crossed,  by  Manpiette's  old  route  Fox  River  and 
the  Wisconsin,  to  the  Mississippi;  and,  turning  np  that  stream, 
sailed  thereon  till  he  came  to  tlu'  mouth  of  a  river,  called  Lon^:; 
River,  coming  from  the  West.  This  river  emptied  itself  (as  ap- 
pears by  his  map)  nearly  where  the  St.  Peter's  does  in  our  day. 
Upon  this  stream,  one  of  immense  size,  our  Baron  sailed  for  eighty 
and  odd  d.iys,  meeting  the  most  extensive  and  civilized  Indian 
nations  of  which  we  have  any  account  in  those  regions ;  and,  after 
his  eighty  and  odd  days*  sailing,  he  got  less  than  half-way  to  the 
head  of  this  great  river,  which  was,  indeed,  not  less  than  two 
thousand  miles  long,  and,  as  he  learned  from  the  red  men,  who 
drew  him  a  map  of  its  course  above  his  stopping-point,  led  to  a 
lake,  whence  another  river  led  to  the  South  Sea ;  so  that  at  last 
the  great  problem  of  those  days  was  solved,  and  the  wealth  of 
China  and  the  East  thrown  open  by  the  Baron  de  la  Ilontan.*  All 
this  was  of  course  false ;  and,  even  in  his  own  day,  though  a  man 
of  some  station,  he  was  thought  to  be  a  mere  romancer;  and  yet 
it  may  be  that  the  isaron  entered  the  St.  Peter's  when  fdled  with 
the  back  waters  of  the  Mississippi,  and  heard  from  the  Indians 
of  the  connection  by  it  and  the  Red  River  with  Lake  Winnipeg,  and 
the  communication  between  that  lake  and  Hudson's  Bay,  by  Nel- 
son River,  and,  looking  westward  all  the  while,  turned  Hudson's 
Bay  into  the  South  Sea.f 

After  La  Hontan's  alleged  discoveries  we  have  few  events  worth 
recording  in  the  annals  of  the  north-west  previous  to  1750.  "  La 
Salle's  death,"  says  Charlevoix,  in  one  plav^e,  '' dispersed  the 
French  who  had  gathered  upon  the  Illinois ;"  but  in  another,  he 
speaks  of  Tonti  and  twenty  Canadians,  as  established  among  the 

*  Voyages  de  La  Honlan,  vol.  i.  p.  194. 

tSee  map  in  Long's  Second  Expedition  up  the  St.  Peter^s,  i^nd  La  Hontan's  maps. 
Also,  Nicollet's  Report  to  Congress,  in  1843.  Nicollet  thinks  the  Cannon  River,  which 
he  calls  "  River  La  Hontan,"  was  the  one  entered  by  the  IJaron. 


i 


30 


hiishdsK'id  Foil  n<U'(L 


WdX 


IlVmr.is  llirco  years  aflcr  tin;  Clicvalirr's  fiifo  was  kimwii  thm'.' 
This,  liowrvrr,  is  clear,  that  hefore  lO*.).'},  the  revcn  iid  Father 
(iravier  l)e«,'aii  a  mission  aiiionj;  the  Illinois,  and  beeame  the  foun- 
der of  Kaskaskia,  tii()ii<,di  in  what  year  we  know  not;  hut  for  somt' 
time  it  was  merely  a  missionary  station,  and  tlie  inhabitants  of  thu 
villat^e  consisted  entirely  of  natives,  it  bein^  one  of  three  such 
vilia^a-s,  the  (»thcr  two  beinj;  Cahokia  and  Peoria.  'I'his  we  learn 
from  a  letter  written  by  Father  Gabritd  Marest,  dated  "  Aux  Cas- 
raskias,  autrement  dit  de  rimmaculee  Conception  de  la  Sainlf 
vierj>;e,  Ic  9  Novend)re  1712."  In  this  letter  the  writer  after  tell- 
ing' us  that  (Jravier  must  be  ref>;arded  as  the  founder  of  the  Illinois 
Missions,  he  havin<r  been  the  first  to  reduce  the  principles  of  the 


an^uai^e  of  thos( 


In<lians  to  irrammatical  onler,  an<l  so  to  make 


preachin<^  tf)  them  of  avail, — f^ocs  on  near  the  close  of  his  epistle 
to  say,  "These  advanta<;i'S  (rivers,  &,c.)  favor  the  design  whicli 
some  French  have  of  eslablishin}^  themselves  in  our  village.    *     * 
If  the  French  who  may  come  among  us  will  edify  our  Neophytes 
by  their  piety  and  good  conduct,  nothing  would  please  us  better  than 
their  coming;  but  if  immoral,  and  ])erhaps  irreligious,  as  there  is 
reason  to  fear,  they  would  do  more  harm  than  we  can  do  good."j 
Soon   after  tiie    founding   of  Kaskaskia,   though  in  this   case 
also  we  are  ignonmt  of  the  year,  the  missionary  Pinet  gathered 
a  flock  at  Cahokia  ;|    wliile   Peoria  arose  near  the   remains   ot 
Fort  Crevecunir.|l      An  unsuccessful   attempt  was   also  made  to 
found  a  colony  on  the  Ohio,§  it  failed  in  consequence  of  sickness. 
In  the  north  De  la  Motte  Cadillac,  in  June,  1701,  laid  the  foun- 
•lation  of  Fort  Pontchartrain  on  the  Strait,  (le  Detroit  :)11  while  in 

•  New  France,  vol.  iii.  pp.  395,  383. 

t  Hancroft,  iii.  19").  Lcttrcs  KJifmiitcs,  (Paris  1781.)  328,  339,  37.').  Hall  and  others 
ipoak  of  the  Kaskaskia  records  as  containing  deeds  dated  1712  ;  tlicsc  may  liave  been  to 
the  French  referred  to  by  Marest,  or  perhaps  to  converted  Indians. 

\  Bancroft,  iii    198. 

II  There  was  an  Old  Peoria  on  the  northwest  shore  of  the  lake  of  that  name,  a  mile  and 
a  lialf  above  the  outlet.  From  1778  to  1796  the  inhabitants  left  this  for  New  I'eoria. 
(Fort  Clark,)  at  the  outlet.     American  State  Papers,  xviii.  476. 

§  .hidge  Law,  in  liis  Address  of  February,  1839,  before  the  Vincenncs  Historical  So- 
ciety, contends  that  this  post  was  on  the  Wabash,  and  at  Vincenncs,  ([).  II,  15,  and  notr 
B.)  Charlevoix,  (ii.  266,  edition  1744,)  says  it  was  *'  a  Veniree  de  la  Riviere  Oitaharhc, 
<{ui  sc  dicltar/^v  dans  Ic  JMicisHipi,  ^^c•'' — "At  the  entrance  (or  mouth)  of  the  River 
Ouabache  which  discharges  itself  into  the  Mississipj)!."  The  name  Ouabachc  was  ap- 
plied to  tiie  Oliio  below  the  mouth  of  what  we  now  call  the  Wabash.  See  all  the  more 
ancient  maps,  &c. 

1!  Charlevoix,  ii.  284. — Lc  Detroit  was  the  whole  Strait  from  F.rie  to  Huron,  (Charle- 
voix, ii.  269,  note:  sec  also  his  Journal.)     The  first  grants  of  land  at  Detroit,  i.  c.  Fort 


IGOO. 

flic  soulhwj 
Salle.      Till 
d'lhervillej 
giiished  liiiib 
icebergs  of 
in  the   yciiii 
minister  to  t| 
flic  (liscove 
Pnntchartrail 
led  to  take 
October,  Hi| 
e(iuipped  for 
him  in  his  aj 

Of  this  1) 
he  was  a  n 
Gabriel   Mm 
.ships  crowdt 
young,  brigl 
a  chance  .sho 
and  there  tlu 
wind  singin<i 
lives  are  seci 
stands,  "  mo 
his  orders  wi 
his  trust  on 
from  that  da^ 
ger,  and  bon 

Such  was 
his  anchor  ii 
this  spot,  he 
savages,  say; 
"  la  Palissad 
Searching  a 
and  entered 
and  unsucce: 
vessels  retui 
ville's  succei 

Pontchartrain,  w 

Iran's  History  of 

*  New  France 

t  Niw  France 

t  Lcttrcs  EdiJ 


1G9.1 

:n  tliLTc* 
1(1   Fatlicr 
\\\v  i'ouii- 
I  lor  soint' 
Ills  of  lllf 
lirei;  such 
I  \vi'  It'iirn 
Aux  Chs- 
hi  Saintr 
aftrr  toil- 
lie  lUliiois 
Ifs  of  the 
)  to  make 
his  epistle 
i^n  which 
i^c.    *     * 
Neophytes 
better  than 
IS  there  is 
o  pfood."f 
this   case 
;  pjathered 
.'Uiaiijs    oi; 
made  to 
sickness, 
the  foun- 
while  in 


II  and  otlicrs 
liiivc  been  to 


c,  a  mile  ami 
New  I'eoria, 

listorical  So- 
]"),  and  note 
r  Onahnrht) 
of  the  River 
die  was  ap- 
all  the  more 

(Charlc- 
itj  i.  c.  Fort 


1G90. 


V  Iberville  at  mouth  of  Mississippi. 


31 


the  southwest  ellorts  were  makinjj;  to  realize  tlio  dream**  of  La 
Salic.  The  leader  in  tlie  last  named  ent<'r|)rise  was  Ijcmoiiie 
(riixTville,  a  Canadian  officer,  who,  from  l(i!)1  to  HJnT,  distin- 
^Miishcd  himself  not  a  little  hy  haltles  and  con(|iiesls  amoii'^  the 
icclicrgs  of  the  "  Haye  d'l'dson"  or  Hudson's  May.*  He  having, 
in  the  year  last  named,  returned  to  France,  proposed  to  the 
iniiiisler  to  try,  what  had  heen  fj^iven  up  since  La  Salle's  sad  fate, 
the  discovery  and  settlement  of  JiOinsiana  by  sea.  'I'he  Count  of 
Pnntchartrain,  who  was  then  at  the  head  of  marine  affairs,  was 
led  to  take  an  interest  in  the  proposition;  and,  upon  the  17th  of 
October,  1008,  I)'II)er\ille  took  his  leave  of  France,  handsomely 
e(Hiii)ped  for  the  expedition,  and  with  two  good  ships  to  forward 
him  in  his  attempt.! 

Of  this  D'Iberville  we  have  no  very  clear  notion,  excej)t  that 
he  was  a  man  of  judgment,  self-possession,  and  prompt  action. 
Gabriel  Marest  presents  him  to  us  in  the  "  Baye  d'Udson,"  his 
shij)s  crowded  and  almost  crushed  by  the  ice,  and  his  brother,  a 
young,  bright  boy  of  nineteen,  his  favorite  brother,  just  killed  by 
a  chance  shot  from  tlu!  English  fort  which  they  were  besieging; — 
and  there  the  commander  stands  on  the  icy  deck,  the  cold  October 
wind  singing  in  the  shrouds,  and  his  dead  brother  waiting  till  their 
lives  are  secured  before  he  can  receive  (Uristian  burial, — there  he 
stands,  "  moved  exceedingly,"  says  the  missionary, — but  giving 
his  orders  with  a  calm  face,  full  tone,  and  clear  mind.  *'  He  put 
his  trust  on  God,"  says  Father  Gabriel,  "and  God  consoled  him 
from  that  day ;  the  same  tide  brought  both  his  vessels  out  of  dan- 
ger, and  bore  them  to  the  spot  where  they  were  wanted. "| 

Such  was  the  man  who,  upon  the  31st  of  January,  1699,  let  go 
his  anchor  in  the  Bay  of  Mobile.  Having  looked  about  him  at 
this  spot,  he  went  thence  to  seek  the  great  river  called  by  the 
savages,  says  Charlevoix,  "  Malbouchia,"  and  by  the  Spaniards, 
"  la  Palissade,"  from  the  great  number  of  trees  about  its  mouth. 
Searching  carefully,  upon  the  2d  of  March,  our  commander  founil 
and  entered  the  Hidden  River,  whose  mouth  had  been  so  long 
and  unsuccessfully  sought,  /.s  soon  as  this  was  done,  one  of  the 
vessels  returned  to  France  to  carry  thither  the  news  of  D'lber- 
ville's  success,  while  he  turned  his  prow  up  the  Father  of  Waters. 

r'ontchartrain,  wore  made  in  1707. — (Sec  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  263  to  284.     Lan- 
ir.an's  History  of  Michigan,  336.) 

•  New  France,  vol,      .pp.  215,  299.— Lettrcs  Edifiantes,  vol.  i.  p.  2*0. 

t  Nvw  France,  \o]. .  i.  p.  377. 

\  Lcttrcs  Edif  antes,  vt'.  x.  p.  300. 


11 


32 


The  English  claim  the  JMississipjn. 


1700, 


1712. 

vas  built, 
this  was  not 
the  marshes 


Slowly  ascending  the  vast  stream,  he  found  himself  puzzled  bv 

the  little  resemblance  which  it  bore  to  that  described  by  Tonti  am! 

by  Hennepin.    So  great  were  tlie  discrej[)ancies,  that  he  had  begun 

to  doidit  if  he  were  not  upon  the  wrong  stream,  when  an  Indian     ,]j^,..  }^;j,|  ^,y^ 

chief  sent  to  him  Tonti's  letter  to  La  Salle,  on  which,  througli        D'Ibervill 

thirteew  years,  those  wild  men  had  been  looking  with  wonder  am! 

awe.     Assured  by  this  that  he   had  indeed  reached  the  desired 

spot,  and  wearied  probably  by  his  tedious  sail  thus  far,  he  returned 

to  the  Bay  of  Biloxi,  between  the  Mississippi  and  the  Mobile 

waters,  built  a  fort  in   that  neighborhood,  and,  having  manned  it 

in  a  suitable  manner,  rcturne(!  to  France  himself.* 

While  he  was  gone,  in  the  month  of  September,  1699,  the  lieu- 
tenant of  his  fort,  M.  I)e  Bienville,  went  round  to  explore  tlu 
mouths  of  the  Mississippi,  and  take  soundings.  Engaged  in  this 
business,  he  had  rowed  up  *ne  main  entrance  some  twenty-five 
leagues,  when,  unexpectedly,  and  to  his  no  little  chagrin,  a  Britisli 
corvette  came  jn  sight,  a  vessel  carrying  twelve  cannon,  slowlv 
creeping  up  the  swift  current.  M.  Bienville,  nothing  daunted, 
though  he  had  but  his  leads  and  lines  to  do  battle  with,  spoke  up, 
and  said,  that,  if  this  vessel  did  not  leave  the  river  without  delay, 
he  had  force  enough  at  hand  to  make  her  repent  it.  All  which 
had  its  effect;  the  Britons  about  ship  and  stood  to  sea  again, 
growling  as  they  went,  and  sayin'^^,  that  they  had  discovered  thai 
country  fifty  years  before,  that  th'^y  had  a  better  right  to  it  than 
the  French,  and  would  soon  make  them  know  it.  The  bend  ii: 
the  river,  w-here  this  took  place,  is  still  called  "English  Turn.'' 
This  was  the  first  meeting  of  those  rival  nations  in  the  Mississippi 
Valley,  which,  from  that  day,  was  a  bone  of  contention  between 
them  till  the  conclusion  of  the  French  war  of  1756.  Nor  did  tlu 
matter  rest  long  with  this  visit  from  the  corvette.  Englishmen 
began  to  creep  over  the  mountains  from  Carolina,  and,  trading 
with  the  Chlcachas,  or  Chickasaws  of  our  day,  stirred  them  up  tc 
acts  of  enmity  against  the  *<'rench. 

When  D'Iberville  came  back  from  France,  in  January,  17O0, 
and  heard  of  these  things,  he  determined  to  take  possession  of  the 
country  anew,  and  to  build  a  fort  upon  the  banks  of  the  Missis- 
sippi itself.  So,  with  due  form,  the  vast  valley  of  the  West  Wcn 
again  sworn  in  to  Louis,  as  the  whole  continent  through  to  tlit 
South  Sea  had  been  previously  sworn  in  by  the  Engli.sh  to  tlu 
Charleses  and  Jameses;  and,  what  was  more  effectual,  a  little  for: 

"New  France   vol.  iii.  p.  HSO,  tt.  siq. 


up  the  river 
the  Natcliez,- 
Pnntchartrain 
stone  of  such 
called  Rosalk 
at  this  day. 

JIaving  thi 
designated  a 
more  soufrht  E 
go  up  the  Miss 
age  had  previc 
river;*    which 
though  at  the  c 
a-Iantern  with 
Mere  no  wiser 
^vere,  indeed, 
supposed  that 
fishery,  its  mini 
commander  car 
river  Mobile,   ( 
far  had  beei.  t 
things  went  on 
his   voyages    b- 
daughter,  and  a 
M.  D'Artagnett 
and,  being  a  m 
been  done  l)efor 
hat  a  private  n 
^nvernment  cou 
ranted  to  Crozi 
ma  for  fifteen 
Dines  he  miirht 


'  Ch.irlovnix,   vol. 
11  ii  (k'tailed  afjcoui 
f  thorn. 

■^  Clinrlcvoix,  vol.  ii 
:  The  grant  may  bo 

3 


M 


1700. 
.izzlcd  hv 


1712. 


Louisiana  granted  to  Crozat. 


33 


Tonti  and 
lad  beyun 
an  Indian 
I,  through 
ondcr  and 


\vas  built,  and  four  pieces  of  rannon  placed  Ihorenn.  But  even 
this  was  not  much  to  the  purpose  ;  for  it  soon  disappeared,  and 
the  marshes  about  the  mouth  of  the  Great  River  were  again,  as 
they  had  ever  been,  rnd  long  must  be,  uninhal^ited  by  men. 

D'Iberville,  in  the  next  place,  having  been  visited  and  guided 
iip  the  river  by  Tonti  in  1700,  proposed  to  found  a  city  among 
he  desired  ,],(.  Natchez, — a  city  to  be  named,  in  honor  o§  the  Countess  of 
e  returned  Pontchartrain,  Rosalie.  Indeed,  he  did  pretend  to  lay  the  corner- 
lie  Mobile  ,.onc  of  such  a  place,  though  it  was  not  till  1714  that  the  fort 
manneu  it    (.^H^.J  Rosalie  was  founded,  where  the  city  of  Natchez  is  standing 

at  this  day. 
),  the  lieu-        Having  thus  built  a  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  River,  and 
xplore  tht    designated  a  choice  spot  above  for  a  settlement,  D'Iberville  once 
;ed  in  thb    ^^^f^j.^,  sought  Europe,  having,  before  he  left,  ordered  M.  Le  Sueur  to 
twcnty-nvi|  gg  ^p  ^]^^,  Mississippi  in  search  of  a  copper  mine,  which  that  person- 
age had  previously  got  a  clue  to,  upon  a  branch  of  the  St.  Peter's 
river;*    which   order   was    fulfilled,  and    much    metal    obtained, 
though  at  the  cost  of  great  suffering.     Mining  was  always  a  Jack- 
a-lantern  with  the  first  settlers  of  America,  and  our  French  friends 
uere  no  wiser  than  their  neighbors.     The   products  of  the   soil 
■were,  indeed,  scarce  thought  valuable  on  a  large  scale,  it  being 
supposed  that   the   wealth    of  Louisiana    consisted   in   its    pearl- 
fishery,  its  mines,  and  the  wool  of  its  wild  cattle. f     In   1701  the 
commander  came  again,  and  began  a  new  establishment  upon  the 
river  Mobile,   one  which  superseded  that  at  Biloxi,  which  thus 
far  had  beei.  the  chief  fort  in  that  southern  colony.     After  this 
tilings  went  on  but  slowly  until  1708 ;  D'Iberville  died  on  one  of 
bis   voyages    ])etwecn    the   mother   countiy    and   and  her   sickly 
:daughter,  and  after  his  death  little  was  done.     In  170S,  however, 
nglishmenljii   D'Artagnette  came  from  France  as  commissary  of  Louisiana, 
id,  tradingljmij  being  a  man  of  spirit  and  energy,  did  more  for  it  than  had 
Ihera  up  tc||j,,^.,j  j(^,j^.  before.    But  it  still  lingered;  and,  under  the  impression 
at  a  private  man   of  property  might   manage  it  better  than  the 
ary,  1700,L(,vornment  could,  the  king,  upon  the  14th  of  September,  1712, 
sion  of  tht^ranted  to  Crozat,  a  man  of  great  wealth,  the  monopoly  of  Louisi- 

ears,  and  the  absolute    ownership  of  whatever 


1,  a  British 
ion,  slowl) 
T  daunted, 
,  spoke  up. 
hout  delay, 
All  which 
sea  again, 
)vered  tha: 
to  it  than 
le  bend  ii. 
sh  Turn.'' 
Mississippi 
)n  between 
or  did  till 


West  wa; 
igh  to  tht 

li.sh  to  thi 

little  for 


tor  hiteen  y( 
Dines  he  might  cause  to  be  opened.:}: 

'  riiarlrvoix,  vol.  iv.  pp.  162,  101.  In  L()!i;t"3  Siroml  ETjinlitt')?!,  p.  31S,  m.iy  be 
Kii  ii  (Icjttiilcd  a';count  of  Lc  Sunur's  proccoilings,  taken  from  a  manuscript  statement 
f  them. 

^  ("liprlcvoix,  vol.  iii.  p.  3S9. 

:  The  tjrant  may  be  found  Land   Laws  914. 


n 

r^ 


34 


Mississippi  Company. 


CroL  ,  with  whom  was  associated  Cadillac,  the  founder  of 
Detroit  and  governor  of  Louisiana,  relied  mainly  upon  two  thing; 
for  success  in  his  speculation ;  the  one,  the  discovery  of  mines; 
the  other,  a  lucrative  trade  with  New  Mexico.     In  regard  to  the     ^^d  all  paym 


l^n.     1718, 

made  ministc 
till  persons  t( 
in  specie,  an 


first,  after  many  years'  labor,  he  was  entirely  disappointed ;  and 
met  with  no  better  success  in  his  attempt  to  open  a  trade  with  the 
Spaniards,  aliiiough  he  sent  to  them  both  by  sea  and  land. 

Crozat,  therefore,  being  disappointed  in  his  mines  and  his  trade, 
and  having,  withal,  managed  so  badly  as  to  diminish  the  colony, 
at  last,  in  1717,  resigned  his  privileges  to  the  king  again,  leaving! 
in  Louisiana  not  more  than  seven  hundred  souls.  I 

Then  followed  the  enterprises  of  the  far-famed  Mississippi  Com- 
pany or  Company  of  the  West,  established  to  aid  the  immense 
banking  and  stock-jobl  Ing  speculations  of  John  Law,  a  gambling, 
wandering  Scotchman,  who  seems  to  have  been  possessed  with 
the  idea  that  wealth  could  be  indefinitely  increased  by  increasing 
the  circulating  medium  in  the  form  of  notes  of  credit.  The  pub- 
lic debt  of  France  was  selling  at  60  to  70  per  cent,  discount ;  Law 
was  authciized  to  establi.sh  a  bank  of  circulati-  •  ,  the  shares  in 
which  might  be  paid  for  in  public  stock  at  par,  and  to  induce  tht 
public  to  subscribe  for  the  bank  shares,  and  to  confide  in  them 
the  Company  of  the  West  was  established  in  connection  with  tlu 
Bank,  having  the  exclusive  right  of  trading  in  the  Mississippi 
country  for  twenty-five  years,  and  with  the  monopoly  of  the 
Canada  beaver  trade.  This  was  in  September,  1717;  in  1715 
the  monopoly  of  tobacco  was  also  g'-anted  to  this  favored  creature 
of  the  State;  in  1719,  the  exclusive  right  of  trading  in  Asia 
and  the  East  Indies ;  and  soon  after  the  farming  of  the  public 
revenue,  together  with  an  extension  of  all  these  privileges  to  th: 
year  1770 ;  and  as  if  all  this  had  been  insufficient,  the  excluslvi 
right  of  coining,  for  nine  years,  was  next  added  to  the  immense 
grants  already  made  to  the  Company  of  the  West.*  Under  thi: 
hotbed  system,  the  stock  of  the  Company  rose  to  500,  600,  8O0 
1000,  1500,  and  at  last  2050  per  cent.  ;  this  was  in  April,  1720 
At  that  time  the  notes  of  the  bank  in  circulation  exceeded  tw: 
hundred  millions  of  dollars,  and  this  abundance  of  money  raises 
the  price  of  every  thing  to  twice  its  true  value.  Then  the  bubbli 
burst ;  decree  after  decree  wrs  made  to  uphold  the  tottering  fabri' 
of  false  credit,  but  in  vain ;  in  January,   1720,  Law  had  bee;, 

"  After  1719,  called  the  Company  of  the  Indies. 


paper ;  auv! 
two  dollars  m 
tempt  to  exc 
could  go  no 
Company  wa: 
ten  cents  on 
to  refuse  then 
paper. 

Under  the 

ed,  and  close 

could  be  hop 

ment  to  devel 

1718,  colonist 

with  much  ce 

Charlevoix  wr 

Tind  the  five  p; 

journals,  as  ej 

without  order, 

that  would  do 

^n  old  store-ho 

hut  from  whici 

if  all  this  is  sc 

one  day  be,  ai 

look  forward  tc 

*'The  best  idei 

hundred  pcrsor 

the  river-bank, 

liouses. — They 

lis,  but  it  wnll  p 

in  words  preci; 

hopes  of  the  w 

"of  the   colony  ( 

that  with  the  c 

•  A  set  of  rcgulat 
Dillon's  Indiana,  41 
t  Charlevoix,  iii.  4 
i  Charlevoix,  iii.  4 


ni7,   ni8. 


J\'ew  Orleans  laid  crnt. 


35 


ouiidor  of 
wo  thing> 
of  mines; 
ird  to  the 
ntcd ;  and 
e  with  the 
d.  ! 

his  trade, 
he  colony, 
III,  Icavini' 

nppi  Com- 
2  immense 
gambling, 
;essed  with 
increasing 
The  puh-i 
ount;  Lau 
e  shares  iri 
induce  the 
le  in  then!. 
an  with  the 
Mississipp; 
oly  of   thf 
in  171i 
ed  creature 
jT  in  Asia 
the  public 
e^es  to  tht 
exclusive 
immense 
Jnder  thii] 
600,  8O0, 
pril,  1720 
ceded  tw 
3ney  raise 
the  bubbk 
!ring  fabrii 
had  bee;. 


tnadc  minister  of  finance,  and  as  such  he  proceeded  first,  to  forbid 
nil  persons  to  have  on  hand  more  than  about  one  hundred  dollars 
in  specie,  any  amount  beyond  that  must  be  exchanged  for  paper, 
^nd  all  payments  for  more  than  twenty  dollars  were  to  be  made  in 
paper ;  auvi  this  proving  insufficient,  in  March,  all  payments  over 
two  dollars  were  ordered  to  be  in  paper,  and  he  who  dared  at- 
tempt to  exchange  a  bill  for  specie  forfeited  both.  Human  folly 
could  go  no  farther;  in  April  the  stock  began  to  fall,  in  May  the 
Company  was  regarded  as  bankrupt,  the  notes  of  the  bank  fell  to 
ten  cents  on  the  dollar,  and  though  a  decree  made  it  an  offence 
to  refuse  them  at  par  they  were  soon  worth  little  more  than  waste 
paper. 

Under  the  direction  of  a  Company  thus  organized  and  controll- 
ed, and  closely  connected  with  a  bank  so  soon  ruined,  but  little 
could  be  hoped  for  a  colony  which  depended  on  good  manage- 
ment to  develop  its  real  resources  for  trade  and  agriculture.*  In 
1718,  colonists  w^ere  sent  from  Europe,  and  New  Orleans  laid  out 
with  much  ceremony  and  many  hopes;  but  in  January,  1722, 
Charlevoix  writing  thence,  says,  "  if  the  eight  hundred  fine  houses 
Tiiid  the  five  parishes  that  were  two  years  since  represented  by  die 
journals,  as  existing  here,  shrink  now  to  a  hundred  huts,  built 
•without  order, — a  large  wooden  magazine, — two  or  three  houses 
that  would  do  but  little  credit  to  a  French  village, — and  half  of 
^n  old  store-house,  which  was  to  have  been  occupied  as  a  chapel, 
hut  from  whicli  the  priests  soon  retreated  to  a  tent  as  preferable, — 
if  all  this  is  so,  still  how  pleasant  to  think  of  what  this  city  will 
one  day  be,  and  instead  of  weeping  over  its  decay  and  ruin  to 
look  forward  to  its  growth  to  opulence  i^nd  power."t  And  again, 
*'The  best  idea  you  can  form  of  New  Orleans,  is  to  imagine  two 
hundred  persons,  sent  to  build  a  city,  but  who  have  encamped  on 
the  river-bank,  just  sheltered  from  the  weather,  and  waiting  for 
liouses. — They  have  a  beautiful  and  regular  plan  for  this  metropo- 
Hs,  but  it  will  prove  harder  to  execute  than  to  draw."|  Such,  not 
in  words  precisely  but  in  substance,  w^ere  the  representations  and 
hopes  of  the  wise  historian  of  New  France,  respecting  the  capital 
■of  the  colony  of  Law's  great  corporation ;  and  we  may  be  sure 
that  with  the  chief  place  in  such  a  condition,  not  much  had  been 

•  A  set  of  regulations  for  gov^   ling  the  Company,  passed  in  1721,  may  be  found  in 
Dillon's  Indiana,  41  to  44. 
t  Charlevoix,  iii.  430— cd.  \1U. 
\  Charlevoix,  iii.  441— ed.  1744, 


36 


Massacre  by  JVatchez. 


done  for  the  permiuu'iil  iiiiproveincnt  of  the  country  about  it, 
The  truth  was,  the  same  prodigality  and  folly  which  prevailed  ii. 
France  during  tlie  government  of  John  Law,  over  credit  ain: 
commerce,  found  their  way  to  his  western  possessions;  and  thoui^'l, 
the  colony  then  planted,  survived,  and  the  city  then  founded  bi- 
came  in  time  what  had  been  hoped, — it  was  long  before  the  in- 
fluence of  the  gambling  mania  of  1718,  19  and  20,  j)assed  away. 
Indeed  the  returns  from  Louisiana  never  repaid  the  cost  am 
troublt!  ')f  protecting  it,  and,  in  1732,  the  Company  asked  leavi 
to  surrender  theh-  privileges  to  the  crown,  a  favor  which  wa- 
gianted  them. 

But  though  the  Company  of  the  West  did  little  for  the  enduriiii; 
welfare  of  the  Mississippi  valley,  it  did  something  ;  the  cultivatic;. 
of  tobacco,  indigo,  rice  and  silk,  was  introduced,  the  lead  miiu- 
of  Missouri  were  opened,  though  at  vast  expense  and  in  ho})e  c 
finding  silver ;  and,  in  Illinois,  the  culture  of  wheat  began  t 
assume  some  degree  of  stability,  and  of  importance.  In  tli, 
neighborhood  of  the  River  Kaskaskias,  Charlevoix  found  tluxi 
villages,  and  about  Fort  Chartres,  die  head  quarters  of  the  Coin- 
paiiy  iii  that  region,  the  French  were  rapidly  settling. 

All  the  time,  however,  during  which  the  great  monopoly  lasted, 
was,  in  Louisiana,  a  time  of  contest  and  trouble.  The  Englisl, 
who,  from  an  early  period,  had  opened  commercial  relations  wit;. 
the  Chickasaws,  through  them  constantly  interfered  with  the  trad 
of  the  Mi,ssissippi.  Along  the  coast,  from  Pensacola  to  the  Ri 
del  Norte,  Spain  disputed  the  claims  of  her  northern  neighbor: 
and  at  length  the  w^r  of  the  Natchez  strucn.  terror  into  the  heaii> 
of  both  white  and  red  men.  Amid  that  nation,  as  we  have  said, 
DTberville  had  marked  out  Fort  Rosalie,  in  1700,  and  fourteci 
years  later  its  erection  had  been  commenced.  The  French,  places 
in  the  midst  of  the  natives,  and  deeming  them  worthy  only  c: 
contempt,  increased  their  demands  and  injuries  until  they  requirti 
even  the  abandonineiil  of  the  chief  town  of  the  Natchez,  that  tin 
intruders  might  use  its  site  for  a  plantation.  The  inimical  Chicka- 
saws heard  the  murmurs  of  their  wronged  brethren,  and  breathui; 
into  their  ears  counsels  of  vengeance  ;  the  sufTerers  detcrmimi 
on  the  extermination  of  their  tyrants.  On  the  2Sth  of  November. 
1729,  every  Frenchman  in  that  colony  died  by  the  liands  of  tli' 
natives,  with  the  exception  of  two  mechanics :  the  women  ami 
children  were  spared.  It  was  a  fearful  revenge,  and  fearfully  dli' 
the  avengers  suffer  for  their  murders.     Two  months  passed  by. 


tl 


l'^9      1736. 

and  the  Fr 
srnlps  ;  in 
erattcrcd   a 
the  remnaii 
Domingo  ni 
peculiar  rnc 
yielded  its  g 
When  L( 
.of  France,  i 
the  C'liicka.< 
fered    with 
forces  of  Ne 
to  meet  in 
May,  173G,  t 
governor  of  I 
ing  a  small  1 
Indians,  on 
Bienville,   w 
fiouthcrn  lane 
commanders 
they  waited, 
from  the  sout 
red  allies,  at  ] 
second  of  th( 
in  attacking 
saw  their  com 
and  de  Vineei 
Chickasaws. 
among  whom 
arms  against  i 
Tombecbee ; 1 
had  aided  tin 
attacked  their 
fallen  ;  on  the 
j^lst,  throwing 
J)aiiions  turnei 
hour  of  barbai 
tound  the  flai 
guette,  Vinccr 
his  own  free  v 
Three  year,- 

1 


I  , 

,1 


I'^iO      1736. 


French  attack  Chickasaws. 


37 


y  about  [\. 
irc'Vtiilud  ill 
credit  arn: 
and  thoiii^rli 
bunded  bi- 
fore  tbe  in- 
issed  awiu. 
e  cost  aiu; 
xsked  leuvc 
which  wa- 

he  endurin:; 
;  cultivalio;. 
lead  niini^ 
I  in  hope  i 
it  began  h 
e.  In  tliv 
found  IhiL'i 
)f  the  Com- 

tpoly  lasted. 

he  Englisl',, 

lations  wit!. 

th  the  trad- 

to  the  Ri 

neighbor: 

the  heari- 

havc  said, 

d  fourteti. 

tich,  placfo 
ly  only  i: 
y  requirei. 
z,  that  111'. 
al  Chicka- 
d  breatliL'.; 
etcrmiiK'i 
N'ovemljor, 

(Is     of  til' 

omen  anJ 
ar fully  dii! 
mssed  bv, 


and  the  French  and  Chocktaws  in  one  day  took  sixty  of  their 
scalps;  in  three  months  they  were  driven  from  their  country  and 
pfattcrcd  among  the  neighboring  tribes;  and  within  two  years 
the  reamanls  of  the  nation,  chiefs  and  people,  were  sent  to  St. 
Domingo  and  sold  into  slavery.  So  perished  this  ancient  and 
peculiar  rnce,  in  the  sami?  year  in  which  the  Company  of  the  West 
yielded  its  grants  into  the  royal  hnnds. 

When  Louisiana  came  again  into  the  charge  of  the  government 
of  France,  it  was  determined,  as  a  first  step,  to  strike  terror  into 
the  C'liickasaws,  who,  devoted  to  the  Engli.sh,  constantly  inter- 
fered with  the  trade  of  the  Mississippi.  For  thirs  purpose  the 
forces  of  New  Fraiu'e,  from  New  Orleans  to  Detroit,  were  ordered 
to  meet  in  the  country  of  the  inimical  Indians,  upon  the  lOlh  of 
^^ay,  1736,  to  strike  a  blow  which  should  be  final.  D'Artaguette, 
governor  of  Illinois,  with  the  young  and  gallant  Vincennes,  lead- 
ing a  small  body  of  French  and  more  than  a  thousand  northern 
Indians,  on  the  day  appointed,  was  at  the  spot  appointed  ;  but 
Bienville,  who  had  returned  as  the  king's  lieutenant  to  that 
eouthern  land  which  he  had  aided  to  explore,  was  not  where  the 
commanders  from  above  expected  to  meet  him.  During  ten  days 
they  waited,  and  still  stiw  nothing,  heard  nothing  of  the  forces 
from  the  south.  Fearful  of  exhausting  the  scant  patience  of  his 
red  allies,  at  length  D'Artaguette  ordered  the  onset ;  a  first  and  a 
second  of  the  Chickasaw  stations  were  carried  successfully,  but 
in  attacking  a  third  the  French  leader  fell ;  when  the  Illinois 
saw  their  commander  wounded,  they  turned  and  fled,  leaving  him 
and  de  Vincennes,  who  would  not  desert  him,  in  the  hands  of  the 
Chickasaws.  Five  days  afterwards,  iiienville  and  his  followers, 
among  whom  w^ere  great  numbers  of  Choctaws,  bribed  to  bear 
arms  against  their  kinsmen,  came  creeping  up  the  stream  of  the 
Tombecbee  ;  but  the  savages  were  on  their  guard,  English  traders 
had  aided  them  to  fortify  their  position,  and  the  French  in  vain 
attacked  their  log  fort.  On  the  20th  of  May,  D'Artaguette  had 
fallen;  on  the  27th,  Bienville  had  failed  in  his  assault;  on  the 
i^lst,  throwing  his  cannon  into  the  river,  he  and  his  white  com- 
panions turned  their  prows  to  the  south  again.  Then  came  the 
hour  of  barbarian  triumph,  and  the  successful  Chickasaws  danced 
tound  the  flames  in  which  were  crackling  the  sinews  of  D'Arta- 
guette, Vincennes,  and  the  Jesuit  Senat,  who  stayed  and  died  of 
his  own  free  will,  because  duty  bade  him. 

Three  years  more  passed  away,  and  again  a  French  army  of 


4 


38 


West  in  175U. 


1750. 


nearly  four  thousand  wliite,  red  and  black  men  was  gathered  upoii 
the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  to  ciiastise  the  Chickasaws.  FroiL 
the  summer  of  1739  to  the  spring  of  1740,  this  body  of  men 
sickened  and  wasted  at  Fort  Assumption,  upon  the  site  of  Mem- 
phis.  In  March  of  the  last  named  year,  witiiout  a  blow  struck, 
peace  was  concluded,  and  the  province  of  Loruisiana  once  more 
sunk  into  inactivity.* 

Of  the  ten  years  which  followed,  we  know  but  little  that  is 
interesting  in  relation  to  the  West ;  and  of  its  condition  in  1750, 
we  can  give  no  better  idea  than  may  be  gathered  froui  the  follow, 
ing  extracts  of  letters  written  by  Vivier,  a  missionary  among  tht 
Illinois. 

Writing  "Aux  Illinois,"  six  leagues  from  Fort  Chartres,  Juiie 
8th,  1750,  Vivier  says:  "We  have  here  Whites,  Negroes  ami 
Indians,  to  say  nothing  of  cross-breeds.  There  are  five  Frencl. 
villages,  and  three  villages  of  the  natives,  within  a  space  o: 
twenty-one  leagues,  situated  between  the  Mississippi  and  anothe: 
river  called  the  Karkadiad  (Kaskaskias.)  In  the  five  French  vil- 
lages are,  perhaps,  eleven  hundred  whites,  three  hundred  blacks, 
and  some  sixty  red  slaves  or  savages.  The  three  Illinois  town: 
do  not  contain  more  than  eight  hundred  souls,  all  told.f  Most  o: 
the  French  till  the  soil;  they  raise  wheat,  cattle,  pigs  and  horses,! 
and  live  like  princes.  Three  times  as  much  is  produced  as  caDl 
be  consumed;  and  great  quantities  of  grain  and  flour  are  senij 
to  New  Orleans."  In  this  letter,  also,  Vivier  says  that  whici: 
shows  Father  Marest^s  fears  of  French  influence  over  the  Indiar., 
neophytes  to  have  been  well  founded.  Of  the  three  lUinoii 
towns  he  tells  us,  one  was  given  up  by  the  missionaries  a: 
beyond  hope,  and  in  a  second  but  a  poor  harvest  rewarded  thei; 
labors;  and  all  was  owing  to  the  bad  example  of  the  French,  am; 
the  introduction  by  them  of  ardent  spirits.^ 

Again,  in  an  epistle  dated  November  17,  1750,  Vivier  s^ys 

*  In  reference  to  Crozat,  Law,  and  events  in  Louisiana,  we  refer  to  Bancroft  iii. 
Penny  Cyclopedia,  articles  "  Law,"  "  Mississippi  Company  f"  Charlevoix,  vol.  ii. ;  Di 
Pratz's  Louisiana;  Niles's  Register,  ii.  161,  189;  and  the  collection  of  documenli 
(mostly  official)  relative  to  the  Company  of  the  '>Vest,  published  at  Amsterdam,  in  1720 
in  the  work  called  "  Relations  do  la  Louisiane,  ot  du  Fleuve  Mississippi,"  2  vols. 

+  There  was  a  fourth,  (Peoria  probably,)  eighty  leagues  distant,  nearly  ai  large  as  th.) 
three  referred  to ;  this  is  stated  in  another  part  of  the  same  letter. 

4  Criminals,  vagabonds  and  strumpets,  were  largely  exported  to  Louisiana,  when  tk 
first  settlements  were  made— Father  Poissoa  in  Lcttrcs  Edifiaates,  (Paris,  17S1,} 
S3^,  &c. 


I 


I 


1750. 

thertid  upon 
iws.  Fron 
ody  of  men 
te  of  Mem. 
)lo\v  struck, 
once  more 

ittle  that  h 

)n  in  1750, 

the  follow- 

among  the 

artres,  Juiie 
egroos.  and 
ive  FrencL 
a  space  o: 
md  another 
French  vil- 

red  blacks, 

'I 
mois  townj  | 

t    Most  o: 

ind  horses, 

ced  as  can 

ir  are  semi 

that  whicli: 

the  Indiar., 

•ee   Illinoiii 

tonaries  a; 

arded  thei: 

rench,  aini  i 


ivier 


s^ys: 


Bancroft  iii.; 
f,  vol.  ii. ;  D: 
of  documenti 
rdam,  in  172ll 
2  vols, 

>)  large  as  ttt 


ma,  when  ttf 
cis,  17S1,}  v;. 


1750. 

"For  fi floor 

no  (l\vcirm<]; 

to  N'cw  Or 

Orleans,  roi 

twelve  liiiru 

i  bricks,  salt-l 

I  all,  pork  ant 

commorce,  : 

Above  New 

considerable 

river.     At   I 

I  settlement,  ii 

not  less  than 

Natchez  pos 

by  their  fear 

Point    Coup( 

leagues  brini 

gharri  son,  for 

habitants  abo 

the  post,  slei 

into  the  fort. 

dred  leagues, 

be   a    good 

which  the  E 

numberless  r 

Some    indivi( 

Indians  and  ( 

adepts,  say  t\ 

we  would  di[ 

any   rate  the 

copper  mines 

found  in  the  s 


Lettrcs  Edifia 


1750. 


West  in  17  oO. 


39 


"For  fifioon  1(  agues  abovr  Iho  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  dpo  sees 
no  (Iwcllinjj^s,  the  ground  being  too  low  to  bo  lial)itabl('.  Thcnre 
to  Ni'W  Orb'aus  the  lands  are  only  partially  occupied.  New 
Orleans,  contains,  black,  white  and  red,  not  more,  I  think,  than 
twelve  hundred  persons.  To  this  point  come  all  kinds  of  bnnber, 
bricks,  salt-beef,  tallow,  tar,  skins  and  be'-.r's  f^rea.se ;  and  above 
all,  pork  and  flour  from  the  Illinois.  These  things  create  some 
cninmerce,  forty  vessels  and  more  have  come  hith.er  this  year. 
Above  New  Orleans,  plantations  arc  again  met  with;  the  most 
considerable  is  a  colony  of  Germans,  some  ten  leagues  up  the 
river.  At  Point  Coupee,  thirty-five  leagues  above  the  German 
settlement,  is  a  fort.  Along  here,  within  five  or  six  leagues,  are 
not  less  than  sixty  '  habitations.'  Fifty  leagues  farther  up  is  the 
Natchez  post,  where  we  have  a  garrison  who  are  kept  prisonei^ 
by  their  fear  of  the  Chickasaws  and  other  savages.  Here  and  at 
Point  Coupee,  they  raise  excellent  tobacco.  Another  hundred 
leagues  bring  us  to  the  Arkansas,  where  we  have  also  a  fort  and 
garrison,  for  the  benefit  of  the  river  traders.  There  were  some  in- 
habitants about  here  formerly,  but  in  1748,  the  Chickasaws  attacked 
the  post,  slew  many,  took  thirteen  prisoners,  and  drove  the  rest 
into  the  fort.  From  the  Arkansas  to  the  Illinois,  near  five  hun- 
dred leagues,  there  is  not  a  settlement.  There  should,  however, 
be  a  good  fort  on  the  Oubache,  (Ohio,)  the  only  path  by 
which  the  English  can  reach  the  Mississippi.  In  the  Illinois  are 
numberless  mines,  but  no  one  to  work  them  as  they  deserve. 
Some  individuals  dig  lead  near  the  surface,  and  supply  the 
Indians  and  Canada.  Two  Spaniards  now  here,  who  claim  to  be 
adepts,  say  that  our  mines  are  like  those  of  Mexico,  and  that  if 
we  would  dig  deeper,  we  should  find  silver  under  the  lead  ;  at 
any  rate  the  lead  is  excellent.  There  are  also  in  this  country 
copper  mines  beyond  doubt,  as  from  time  to  time  large  pieces  are 
found  in  the  streams."* 


Lettrcs  Edifiantes,  (Paris,  1781,)  vii.  79  to  106. 


ENiiLisii  i)is(:ovEiiii:s  and  claims. 


Wo  have  now  skctchi'd  tho  progress  of  French  disrovory  in  the 
valley  of  the   Mississippi.     'I'ln'   first  travt'llcrs  rcaclu'd  that  rivet 
in  lfi73,  and  when  the  new  year  of  IToO  l)roke  upon  the   i?r"at 
wilderness  of  the  West,  all  was  still  wild   ex('e])t  those  little  spots 
upon  the  ])rairies  of  Illinois,  and  amonc;  the  marshes  of  Louisiana, 
which  we  have  already  named.      Perhaps  wc  oufjjht  also  to  except 
Vincennes,  or  St.  Vincent's,  on  the  Wabash*,  as  there  is  cause  tn 
believe  that  place  was  settled  as  early  as  1735,  at  least.     But  the 
evidence  in  relation  to  this  matter  is  of  -x  kind  wliich  we  think 
worth  statint]^,  not  from  the  importance  of  the  matter  itself,  but  to 
illustrate  the  difficulty  which  besets  an  inquirer  into  certain  points 
of  our  early  western  history.     Volney,  by  conjecture,  fixes  the  set- 
tlement  of  Vincennes    about   1735  if  liishop    Brute   of  Indiana, 
speaks  of  a  missionary  station  there  in   1700,  and   adds,  *'  The 
friendly  tribes  and  traders  called  to   Canada  for  protection,  and 
then  M.  de  Vincennes  came  with  a  detachment,  I  think,  of  Caric;- 
nan,   and  was  killed   in   1735;  "|  Mr.   Bancroft  says  a  military 
establishment  was  formed  there  in  1716,  and  in  1742,  a  settlement 
of  herdsmen  took  place.  ||     Judge  Law  regards  the  post  fis  datinjr 
back  to  1710  or  1711,  supposing  it  to  be  the  same  with  the  Ohio 
settlement  noticed  on  page  30,  and  quotes  also  an  Act  of  Sale, 
existing  at  Kaskaskia,  (if  we  understand  him   aright,)  which,  in 
in  January,  1735,  speaks  of  M.   de  Vinsenne,  as  "  Commandant 
au  Poste  de  Ouabache.§"     Again,  in  a  petition  of  the  old  inhabi- 
tants at  Vincennes,  dated  in  November,  1793,  we  find  the  settle- 
ment spoken  of  as  having  been  m.iJe  before  1742  ;1I  and  such  is 
the  general  voice  of  tradition.     On  the  (.Mier  hand,  Charlevoix, 
who  records  the  death  of  Vincennes,  which  took  place  among  the 

•  Also  called  Post  St.  Vincent's  and  Au  Poste  or  O'Post. 

+  Volney's  View,  p.  330. 

I  liutler's  Kontucky,  Intinduction,  xi.x.,  note. 

[  History  I'nitcd  States,  iii.  3  16. 

§  Law's  Address,  1830,  p.  21. 

%  American  State  Pajiers,  xvi.  32. 


17J0. 

c 
? 

Chicka^aws, 
post  on  the 
lie  mark  an 
forts  upon  til 
letters   we 
mission  on  t 
missions,  am 
l)iirlic;'M)y 
liiitiiial  to   re 
volume  of  " 
ot'  M.  Dumoi 
j)ari'(l  in  17- 
Jerome,  its  ri 
not  a  word  i^ 
Vaiidreiiil,  w 
then  no  post 
post  on  the  ( 
built  afterwar 
records  of  V 
than  1749.11 
rica,"  a  painj 
inaj)  of  the   F 
1750  a  fort  \ 
hundred  famil 

•  Mcinoircs  IlisI 

^  Tliirty-five  or 
tale  goes,  from  the 
dicrs  to  the  river  s 
ill  Hall's  sketches 
(p.  79,)  says  it  wr 
lioiuinet's  Expedit 
11.  j).  01.)    This  la 

^  Quoted  by  Po\ 
It  ibrnis  an  appeiK 
There  is  also  an 
French  scttlemrnts 

C  Address,  p.  17 
^p.  G').    T'ae  V 
Ohio,  were, 

Two  on  Fr 
Du  Qiiesne, 
Sandusky. 
Miamis  on 
St.  Joseph'! 
Pont^hartra 


i7:a). 


FouiuUnft  of  Vinrcnni's. 


41 


iTV  in  the 
lliat  rivet 
tlic   gr'jat 
illlc  spots 
jouisiana, 
to  except 
cause  to 
But  tho 
we  think 
'If,  but  to 
ain  points 
's  the  set- 
Indiana. 
"  Tht' 
tion,  and 
of  CariiT- 
military 
ettU-'inent 
as  datins^ 
the  Ohio 
of  Sale, 
hich,  in 
inandant 
inhabi- 
•  settle- 
such  is 
arlevoix, 
nong  the 


Chickasaws,  (se*-  ante  p.  .'H,)  in  17.'U),  makes  no  mention  of  ;uiy 
post  on  the  Wabash,  or  any  missionary  station  there;  neitjn-r  does 
he  mark  any  upon  his  map,  allhoiii^h  lie  ^ivt's  even  the  British 
forts  upon  the  Tennessee  and  elsewhere.  Vivier,  a  part  of  whoso 
letters  we  have  already  (piot<'d,  says  in  1750  nothing  of  any 
mission  on  the  Wabash,  althouj^h  writing'  in  res})eet  to  western 
missions,  and  speaks  of  the  iwccssily  of  a  fort  upon  the  "  Oua- 
hiiclie;"  by  this,  it  is  true,  he  nu-ant  doubtless  the  Ohio,  but  how 
natinal  to  refer  to  the  post  at  Vineennes,  if  one  existed.  In  a 
voluiiie  of  "  Memoires"  on  Louisiana,  compiled  from  thi'  n\inute.s 
of  M.  Dumont  and  published  in  Paris,  in  17.">M,  but  probably  pre- 
pared in  1740,*  though  we  have  an  a<*count  of  the  Wabash  or  St. 
Jeronu',  its  rise;  and  (roinse,  and  the  use  made  of  it  by  the  traders, 
not  a  word  is  found  touching  any  fort,  settlement  or  station  on  it. 
Vaiidreuil,  when  Governor  of  Louisiana,  in  1751  nu'iitions  even 
then  no  post  on  the  Wabash,  although  he  s[)eaks  of  the  need  of  a 
j)ost  MM  the  Ohio,  near  to  where  Fort  Massacf  or  Massacre  was 
built  afterwards,  and  names  Fort  Miami,  on  the  Maiunee.|  'I'he 
records  of  Vineennes,  Judge  Law  says,  show  no  mission  earlier 
than  1749. II  Still  farther,  in  "The  Present  State  of  North  Ame- 
rica," a  })amphlet  published  in  London,  in  1755,  with  which  is  a 
map  of  the  French  posts  in  the  West,  we  have  it  stated  that  in 
1750  a  fort  was  fouiuled  at  Vineennes,  and  that  in  1754,  three 
hundred  families  were  sent  to  settle  about  it.§ 

•  Mcinoircs  Illstoriiiucs  sur  la  Louisianc,  kc, 

f  Thirty-five  or  forty  niilos  from  tlie  Mississippi.  It  rncoivrd  its  namo,  as  tlic  cdininon 
talfi  goes,  from  tlic  fflaughtcr  of  its  garrison  by  the  Indians,  wlio  decoyed  the  French  sol- 
diers to  the  river  side,  by  covering  themselves  with  bear  skins.  The  story  may  be  found 
in  Hall's  sketches  of  the  West,  i.  ISl.  Nicolet,  however,  in  his  Report  to  Con^rress, 
(p.  79,)  says  it  was  not  named  Massac  or  Massacre,  tint  Marsiao  :  wliile  the  writiv  of 
liou'piet's  Expedition  in  17()4,  calls  it  Massiac  or  Assumjition,  built  in  1757.  (Appendix 
ii.  p.  Gl.)    This  last  is  probably  the  best  authority. 

I  Quoted  by  Pownall,  in  his  Memorial  on  Service  in  North  America,  drawn  up  in  17.")C. 
It  lonns  an  appendix  to  his"  Administration  of  the  Colonies,"  -Itli  cditi  jU,  London,  17(j6. 
There  is  also  an  English  map  published  in  17-17,  l)y  Kitchen,  purposely  to  show  the 
French  settlements,  \»uich  docs  not  name  Vineennes.      See  also  Sparks'  Fruiiklin,  iii.  2bo. 

[Address,  p.  17. 

§  p.  G5.  Tiie  French  forts  mentioned  in  this  work,  (Present  State,  &.c.)  as  north  of  tho 
Ohio,  were. 

Two  on  French  Creek,  (Riviere  dcs  Ba'ufs.) 

Du  Qucsnc. 

Sandusky. 

Miamis  on  Maumee. 

St.  Joseph's  on  the  St.  Joseph's  of  Lake  Michigan. 

Pontchartrain  at  Detroit.  (over) 


42 


Spotswood  crosses  the  Allegheny. 


1710,      1664. 


Such  is  the  state  of  proof  relative  to  Vincennes :  one  thing, 
however,  seems  certain,  which  is,  that  the  Wabash  was  very  earh 
frequented.  Hennepin,  in  1663-4,  had  heard  of  the  "Hohio"; 
the  route  from  the  lakes  to  the  Mississippi,  hy  the  Wabash,  wa? 
explored  in  1676;"*  and  in  H;;nnepin's  volume  of  1698,  is  a  join. 
nal,  said  to  be  that  sent  by  La  Salle  to  Count  Frontenac,  in  1682 
or  3,  which  mentions  the  route  by  the  Maumeef  and  Wabash,  a> 
the  most  direct  to  the  great  western  river. 

In  1749,  therefore,  when  the  English  first  began  to  move  seri- 
ously about  sending  men  into  the  West,  there  were  only  the  Illi-I 
nois  and  the  lower  country  settlements,  and  perhaps  Vincenncsj 
the  present  States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Kentucky,  being  stilll 
substantially  in  the  possession  of  the  Indians.  f>om  this,  how- 
ever, it  must  not  be  inferred  that  the  English  colonists  were  ignor- 
ant of,  or  indilFerent  to,  the  capacities  of  the  West,  or  that  tk 
movements  of  the  French  were  unobserved  up  to  the  middle  oi 
the  eighteenth  century.  Governor  Spotswood  of  Virginia,  as  early 
as  1710,  had  commenced  movements,  the  object  of  which  was  tc 
secure  the  country  beyond  the  AUeghenies  to  the  English  crown. 
He  caused  the  mountain  passes  to  be  examined,  and  with  much  pomp 
and  a  great  retinue,  undertook  the  discovery  of  the  regions  on  their 
western  side.  Then  it  was  that  he  founded  "  The  Tramoatint 
Order,"  giving  to  each  of  those  who  accompanied  him  a  golden 
horse-shoe,  in  commemoration  of  their  toilsome  mountain  march, 
upon  which  they  were  forced  to  use  horse-shoes,  which  were  sel- 
dom needed  in  the  soft  soil  of  the  eastern  vallies.  In  Pennsylva- 
nia, also.  Governor  Keith  and  James  Logan,  Secretary  of  tht 
Province,  from  1719  to  1731  represented  to  the  powers  in  Eng- 


on  the  Illinois. 


Massillimacanac. 

Fox  River  of  Green  Bay. 

Crevecocur.  \ 

Rock  Fort,  or  Fort  St.  1  ouis,  J 

Vincennes. 

Mouth  of  the  Wabash. 

Ca):okia. 

Kaskaskia. 

Mouth  of  the  Ohio. 

Mouth  of  the  Missouri. 
At  tlic  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  (called  in  the  work  just  named,  the  "  Sikoder")  the  French 
had  a  post  during  the  war  of  17.)G  ;  sec  Rogers's  Journal,  London,  17C5  ;  Post's  Jourmd 
in  Proud's  Pennxijhania,  vol.  ii.  App.  p.  117.     See  also  Ilohnoa'  Annals,  ii.  71,  73. 
•  Ilistoire  General  dcs  Voyages,  xiv.  75P 

+  I'litil   this  century,  usually  called  the  Miami,  av.  \  eomctimcs  the  Tawa  or  Ottawa 
River, 


land,  llie   nel 
Nothing,  ho 
country,   extj 
claim  of  Bril| 

England, 
Pacific,  on  til 
seacoast  wasi 
is  well  known 
nies  were  thr| 
ever,  that  Gn 
other  ground! 
some  kind  fr( 

Her  claim 
however,  and 

"King  Ch; 

OTanted   unto 
o 

all  that  part 
thirty-six  deg 
afterwards,  S 
Lord  Maltrav 
Arundel.  Frc 
this  grant,  wh 
came  into  the 
of  the  attorne 
in  the  year  of 
In  support  ' 
by  Dr.  Coxe, 
"Colonel  W^( 
river,  above  a 
at  several  tin 
Meschasebe." 
scssed,  in  past 
the  Colonel's 
hands  of,"  &c 
he  had  in  his 
gone  from  the 
or   Muddy  rii 

*  Bancroft,  iii.  3 
xl.  192. 

+  A  Vmrrlptton 
London  1722.  pp. 


1710,      1664. 


Colonel  Wood''s  Travels. 


43 


me  thin" 
very  earlj 
"Ilohio": 
bash,  \va> 
is  a  jour- 
^,  in  168i 
i'^ abash,  ai 

nove  scri- 
y  the  Illi.; 
'inconncs;j 
being  stil! 
this,  how- 
'ere  ignor- 
r  that  the 
middle  oi 
a,  as  early 
ich  was  tc 
sh  crown, 
luch  pomp 
is  on  their 
jramoutine 

a  golden 
in  march, 

were  sel- 
en  nsyl  va- 
ry of  tht 

in  Eng- 


I  the  French 
pt's  Journal 

n,r2. 

or  Ottawa 


land,  the  necessity  of  taking  steps  to  secure  the  western  lands.* 
Nothing,  however,  was  done  by  the  government  of  the  mother 
country,  except  to  take  certain  dii)l()malic  steps  to  secure  the 
claim  of  Britain  to  those  distant  and  unexplored  wildernesses. 

England,  from  the  outset,  claimed  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific,  on  the  ground  that  the  discovery  and  possession  of  the 
seacoast  was  a  discovery  and  possession  of  the  country ;  and,  as 
is  well  known,  her  grants  to  Virginia,  Connecticut,  and  other  colo- 
nies were  tlirough  to  the  South  Sea.  It  was  not  upon  this,  how- 
ever, that  Great  Britain  relied  in  her  contest  with  France ;  she  had 
other  grounds,  namely,  actual  discovery,  and  purchase  or  title  of 
some  kind  from  the  Indian  owners. 

Her  claim  on  the  score  of  actual  discovery  was  poorly  supported 
however,  and  little  insisted  on. 

"King  Charles  the  First,  in  the  fifth  year  of  his  reign  (1G30,) 
granted  unto  Sir  Robert  Heath,  his  attorney-general,  a  patent  of 
all  that  part  of  America,"  which  lies  between  thirty-one  and 
thirty-six  degrees  north  latitude,  from  sea  to  sea.  Eight  years 
afterwards.  Sir  Robert  conveyed  this  very  handsome  property  to 
Lord  Maltravers,  who  was  soon,  by  his  father's  death,  Earl  of 
Arundel.  From  him,  by  we  kn.ow  not  what  course  of  conveyance, 
this  grant,  which  formed  the  Province  of  Carolana  (not  Carolina,) 
came  into  the  hands  of  Dr.  Daniel  Coxe,  who  was,  in  the  opinion 
of  the  attorney-general  of  England,  true  owner  of  that  Province 
in  the  year  of  D'Iberville's  discovery,  1699.1 

In  support  of  the  English  claim,  thus  originating,  we  are  told 
by  Dr.  Coxe,  that,  from  the  year  1G54  to  the  year  ICGl,  one 
"  Colonel  Wood  in  Virginia,  inhabiting  at  the  Falls  of  James 
river,  above  a  hundred  miles  west  of  Chesapeake  Bay,  discovered 
at  several  times,  several  branches  of  the  great  rivers,  Ohio  and 
Meschasebe."  Nay,  the  Doctor  affirms,  that  he  had  himself  pos- 
sessed, in  past  days,  the  Journal  of  a  Mr.  Needham,  who  was  in 
the  Colonel's  employ,  which  Journal,  he  adds,  "  is  now  in  the 
hands  of,"  &c.  The  Doctor  also  states,  that  about  the  year  1G76, 
he  had  in  his  keeping  a  Journal,  written  by  some  one  who  had 
gone  from  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi,  up  as  far  as  the  Yellow 
'er,    otherwise   called   Missouri;  and 


iddy 


say; 


*  Bancroft,  iii.  354;  Jones's  Present  State  of  Virginia,  (1724,)  14;  Universal  History, 
xi.  192. 

+  A  r)(nrri])lionnf  the  English  rrovince  nf  Carolana,  &c.,  by  Daniel  Coxe,  Esquire. 
London  1722,  pp.  113  et  seq. 


44 


English  Discoveries. 


1699. 


Jnurnul,  in  almost  every  partieular,  ^vas  confirmed  by  the  late 
travels.  And  still  further,  Dr.  Coxe  assures  us,  that,  in  167S, 
"  a  eonsiuerahle  number  of  persons  went  from  New  England  upor: 
discovery,  and  proceeded  so  far  as  New  Mexico,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  leagues  beyond  the  river  Meschasebe,  and,  at  their  return, 
rendered  an  account  H  the  government  at  Boston;"  for  the  truth 
of  all  which  he  call  Governor  Dudley,  who  was  still  living,  as 
witness.  Nor  had  he  been  idle  himself ;  "  app-ehending  that  V  ■ 
planting  of  this  coiintry  would  be  highly  beneficial,"  he  tried  to 
reach  it  first  from  Carolina,  then  from  "  Pensilvania,  by  the  Sus- 
quehannah  river,"  and  "many  of  his  people  travelled  to  New- 
Mexico."  He  had  also  made  discoveries  through  the  great  rive: 
Ochecjuiton,  or,  as  we  call  it,  Alabama;  and  "more  to  the  nortli- 
west,  beyond  the  river  Meschasebe,"  had  found  "  a  very  great 
sea  of  fresh  water,  several  thousand  miLs  in  circumference," 
whence  a  river  ran  into  the  South  Sea,  about  the  latitude  of  forty- 
four  degrees,  and  "through  this,"  he  adds,  "we  are  assured  the 
En'i:lish  have  since  entered  that  great  lake." 

These  various  statements  are,  it  must  be  owned,  somewhat 
startling;  but,  leaving  them  undisturbed  for  the  present,  we  can 
see  clearly  the  bearing  of  what  follows,  namely,  that  the  Doctor, 
in  1698,  fitted  out  two  vessels,  well  armed  and  manned,  one  of 
which  (when,  we  hear  not)  entered  the  Mississippi  and  ascended 
it  above  one  hundred  miles,  and  then  returned,  —  wherefore,  is 
not  specially  stated.  This  was,  doubtless,  the  corvette  which  M. 
Bienville  turned  out  of  wliat  he  considered  French  domains ;  as 
Charlevoix  tells  us,  that  the  vessel  which  Bienville  met,  was  one 
of  two  which  left  England  in  1698,  armed  with  thirty-six  guns, 
the  same  number  which  Daniel  Coxe,  the  Doctor's  son,  tells  us, 
were  borne  by  his  father's  vessels.  The  English,  having  thus 
found  their  way  to  the  Meschasebe,  wished  to  prosecute  the  mat- 
ter, and  it  was  proposed  to  make  there  a  settlement  of  the  French 
Huguenots,  who  had  fled  to  Carolina ;  but  the  death  of  Lord 
Lonsdale,  the  chief  forwarder  of  the  scheme,  put  an  end  to  that 
plan,  and  we  do  not  learn  from  Coxe,  whose  work  appeared  in 
1722,  that  any  further  attempts  were  made  by  England,  whose 
wars  and  woes  nearer  home  kept  her  fully  employed. 

And  now,  what  are  we  to  say  to  those  bold  statements  by  Coxe; 
statements  contained  in  his  memorial  to  the  King  in  1699,  and 
such  as  could  hardly,  one  would  think,  be  tales  a  la  Uontanl 
Colonel  Wood's  adventures  are  recorded  by  no  other  writer,  so 


\^ 


1742. 

far  as  we  ha 
to  the  Unite 
n  fcrs  to  AVe 
Alleghanies 
no  one  to  lot 
expedition  a\ 
various  pam 
\vaked  up  Ei 
examination!- 
as  yet  failed 
tor's  tale, 
an  early  day, 
the  Tennesse 
we  cannot, 
Coxe  as  auth 
in  1742,  Join 
ill  a  canoe  m; 
by  the  Frencl 
by  a  note,  coi 
1774,   in  wh 
given  as  bein 
Virginia,  at  tl 
Howard,  coul 
no  settlement, 
fore  been  exp 
is,  however,  > 
Englishman  t 
authenticated, 
to  flock  thith£ 
rad  Weiser,  a 
cuts  to  the  In( 
hetween  Pitts 
residence  of  1 
some  standing 

*  Kcrcheval'8  P 

t  Trees  have  be 
liy  tlic  rings,  were 

i  Hutlcr's  Ilhto 
adventures  of*  one 
[Chronicle f  of  Doi 
S:uliiig  is  iianiccl  ii 
arc  various  vague  : 


1699. 


1742. 


John  Howard  taken  by  the  French. 


45 


y  the  hte 
in  1G7S, 
and  upon 
ulrcd  and 
ir   return, 

■  the  truth 
living,  a? 

;  that  r-    ' 
e   tried  tn 

■  the  Siis- 

to  New- 
re  at  river 
he  norlli- 
■ery  great 
Terence," 
!  of  forty- 
snred  the 

somewhat 
t,  \ve  can 
e  Doctor, 
d,  one  of 
ascended 
Mvforc,  is 
hich  M. 
nains ;  as 
\va.s  one 
fix  guns, 
tells  us, 
ing   thus 
the  mat- 
French 
of   Lord 
d  to  that 
'ared  in 
,  whose 

y  Coxe; 

99,  and 

Uontanl  \ 
i 
nter,  .so  ( 


far  as  we  liave  reail ;  for,  though  Ilutchins,  who  was  geographer 
to  the  United  States  when  the  western  lands  were  first  surveyed, 
refers  to  "Wood,  and  also  to  one  Captain  Holt,  who  crossed  the 
Allighanies  in  1670,  his  remaiks  are  very  vague,  and  he  givi's  us 
no  one  to  look  to,  as  knowing  the  circumstances.  Of  the  Boston 
expedition  we  know  still  less ;  the  story  is  repeated  from  Coxe  hy 
various  pamphlet  writers  of  those  days,  when  Law's  scheme  had 
waked  up  England  to  a  very  decided  interest  in  the  West ;  but  all 
examinations  of  contemporary  writers,  and  the  town  records,  have 
as  yet  failed  to  lend  a  single  fact  in  support  of  this  part  of  the  Doc- 
tor's tale.  While,  therefore,  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  English,  at 
an  early  day,  had  visited  the  South  West,  and  even  had  stations  on 
the  Tennessee  and  among  the  Chickasaws,  (see  Charlevoix's  map,) 
\vc  cannot,  on  the  other  hand,  regard  the  statements  made  by 
Coxe  as  authenticated. — Then  we  have  it  also  from  tradition,  that 
in  1742,  John  Howard  crossed  the  mountains  from  Virginia,  sailed 
in  a  canoe  made  of  a  buffalo  skin  down  the  Ohio,  and  was  taken 
by  the  French  on  the  Mississippi;*  and  this  tradition  is  confirmed 
by  a  note,  contained  in  a  London  edition  of  Du  Pratz,  printed  in 
1774,  in  which  the  same  facts  as  to  Howard  are  substantially 
given  as  being  taken  from  the  official  report  of  the  Governor  of 
Virginia,  at  the  time  of  his  expedition.  But  this  expedition  by 
Howard,  could  give  England  no  claim  to  the  West,  for  he  made 
no  settlement,  and  the  whole  Ohio  valley  had  doubtless  long  be- 
fore been  explored  by  the  French  f  if  not  the  English  traders.  It 
is,  however,  worthy  of  remembrance,  as  the  earliest  visit  by  an 
Englishman  to  the  West,  which  can  be  considered  as  distinctly 
authenticated.  Soon  after  that  time,  traders  undoubtedly  In'gan 
to  flock  thither  from  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  In  1748,  Con- 
rad Weiser,  an  interpreter,  was  sent  from  Philadelphia  wi  h  pres- 
ents to  the  Indians  at  Logstown,  an  Indian  town  upon  the  Ohio, 
between  Pittsburgh  and  the  Big  Beaver  creek,  and  we  find  the 
residence  of  English  traders  in  that  neigldjorhood  referred  to  as  of 
some  standing,  even  then.]: 

i 

•  Kcrcheval'8  Valley  of  Virginia,  p.  67. 

+  Trees  have  been  found  in  Ohio  bc.-irinfr  marks  of  the  axr,  which,  if  we  may  jiulgc 
liy  the  rings,  were  made  as  far  back  as  IGLiO. — WhiUlcscy's  Discourse  lS-10,  p.  S. 

i  Butler's  Hlftori/  of  lunti/rky,  vol.  i.  second  edition,  (Introduction  xx.)  gives  tiic 
advpiitiircs  of  one  Sailing  in  the  West,  as  nrly  as  1730,  Ijut  his  authority  is  a  late  work, 
{^hronichu  of  Dordir  IWiifiiri',)  and  the  account  is  merely  traditional,  we  presume  ; 
Sailing  is  named  in  tlic  note  to  Du  Pratz,  as  liaving  been  with  Howard  in  1742.  There 
arc  various  vague  accounts  of  Englisli  in  the  West,  before  Howard's  voyage.     Keating, 


46 


Lord  Howard  held  a  treaty  liilh  the  Six  JVations,       16S4,        1744. 


But  the  great  ground  wlicrcnn  the  English  claimed  dominior. 
beyond  the  Alleghriuies,  \vas  that  th€  Six  Nations*  owned  thf: 
Ohio  valley,  and  had  plared  it,  with  their  other  lands,  under  tb: 
proteetion  of  England.  As  early  as  1084,  Lord  Howard,  Gov- 
ernor of  Virginia,  held  a  treaty  with  the  Six  Nations,  at  All)any, 
when,  at  the  request  of  Colonel  Dungan,  the  Governor  of  Ntv; 
York,  they  plared  themselves  under  the  protection  of  the  mothc 
country. t  This  was  again  done  in  1701 ;  and,  upon  the  14'h  o: 
Septemher,  17'2fi,  a  formal  deed  was  drawn  up,  and  signed  by  the 
chiefs,  hy  wdirh  their  lands  were  conveyed  to  England,  in  trust. 
*'  to  be  protected  and  defended  by  his  Majesty,  to  and  for  the  use 
of  the  grantors  and  their  heirs."  J  If,  then,  the  Six  Nations  had 
a  good  claim  to  the  western  country,  there  could  be  little  douk 
that  England  was  justified  in  defending  that  country  against  the 
French,  as  France,  by  the  treaty  of  Utrecht,  had  agreed  not  \( 
invade  the  lands  of  Britain's  Indian  allies.  But  this  claim  of  the 
New  York  savages  has  been  disputed.  Among  others  Genera! 
William  H.  Harrison  has  attempted  to  disprove  it,  and  show,  tha; 
the  Miami  confederacy  of  Illinois  and  Ohio  could  not  have  been 
conquered  by  the  Iroquois.  ||  We  shall  not  enter  into  the  contro- 
versy ;  but  will  only  say,  that  to  us  the  evidence  is  very  strong, 
that,  before  1680,  the  Six  Nations  had  overrun  the  western  lands, 
and  were  dreaded  from  Lakes  Erie  and  Michigan   to  the   Ohio, 

in  Long's  ExprJilion,  speaks  of  a  Colonel  Wood,  who  had  been  there,  beside  the  one 
mentioned  by  Coxc.  In  a  work  called  "  The  Contest  in  America  between  England  an] 
France.  By  an  Impartial  Hand.  Lom'.on  1767,"  we  find  it  stated,  that  the  Indians  ii 
Albany,  in  1  .'54,  acknowledged  that  the  English  had  been  on  the  Ohio  for  thirty  years. 
And  in  a  nioinorinl  by  the  British  ministry,  in  1755,  they  speak  of  the  West  as  having  bee:. 
cultivated  by  England  for  "above  twenty  years."  (Sparks'  Franhlin,  vol.iv.  p.  330.' 
Clearer  proof  still  is  found  in  the  fact  that  the  Government  of  Pennsylvania  recalled  itt 
traders  from  the  Ohio  as  "iarly  as  1732,  in  consequence  of  apprehending  trouble  willi  the 
French  and  Indians.     (Minutes  of  the  Provincial  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  iii.  476. 

•  When  we  first  hear  of  the  great  northern  confederacy,  there  were  3  tribes  in  it; 
namely,  Mohawks,  Oncidas,  Onondagas,  Cayugas,  and  Senecas.  Afterwards  the  Tusca- 
roras  were  conquered  and  taken  into  the  confederacy,  and  it  became  the  Sir  Nation}' 
Still  later,  the  Nanticokes,  and  Tutelocs,  came  into  the  union,  which  ams,  however,  ^til! 
called  the  Six  N(ili(,ni>,  though  sometimes  the  Eiixht  United  Nations.  This  confederacj 
was  by  the  French  called  the  **  Iroquois,"  by  the  Dut'-h  "  Maquas,"  by  the  other  In- 
dians "  Mcngive,"  and,  thence,  by  tiie  English,  •'  Mingoes."  These  varied  names  have 
produced  countless  errors,  and  endless  confbsion.  By  many  writers  \".  arc  told  of  the 
Troijiiois  or  Mohmvks  ;  and  the  Mingoes  of  the  Ohio  are  almost  always  spoken  of  as  a 
tribe.  We  have  used  the  terms  "Six  Nations,"  and  "Iroquois,"  and  now  and  then 
"  Mingoes,"  always  meaning  the  whole  confederacy. 

\  riiiii  Facts,  iic.     Philadelphia,  1781.     pp.  22,  23. 

\  This  may  bo  found  at  length  in  Pownall's  Adminislration  of  the  CoUmins,  fourth 
edition,  London,  1768,  p.  269. 

ij  Sco  Harrison's  Historical  Address,  1837. 


and  west  to 
tlie  Miamis  u 
and  from  tlii; 
all  writers,  g 
what  we  hav 
doubt,   there 
them,  and 
they  had  any 
nized,  to  mo? 
think,  as  for 
other  tribes, 
land  began, 
head  of  the 
of  other  trib( 

But  .some  c 
as  having  be 
have  been  n 
treaty  was  he 
to  some  alleg( 
lands  in  Penn 
of  which  we 
Witham  Mars 
for  Maryland, 
specimen  of  i 
The  Maryland 
June,  before 
commissioners 
natives  came  t 

The  next  fc 
down,  at  one 
Virginians  ga 
drawn,  even 

•  George  Crogha 
on  the  p.jrth  side  o 
river,  Crf^at  Minea 
purport  of  this  oat 
ferrcd  to  England  i 
Preface,  viii.  But 
110. 
t  Sec  Charlevoij 
\  "  In  1744,  wh. 
number  were  maki 
torical  Collections. 


1 

16S4,       1744. 


Western  Lands  claimed  by  the  British. 


47 


:lominior, 
iviied  thf. 
inder  tho 
xl,    Gov- 
t  Albany, 
■  of  New 
0  motlu: 
c  14ili  o: 
c(l  by  the 
,  in  trust, 
)r  the  use 
tions  had 
ttle  doub' 
jainst  the 
■d  not  tr 
im  of  th( 
5  Genera! 
how,  tha' 
lave  been 
tie  contro- 
ry  strong, 
em  lands, 
le  Ohio, 

klc  the  one 
n gland  an! 
Indians  a; 
thirty  years, 
liaving  beer. 
iv.  p.  330.' 
recalled  iu 
ble  willi  \k 
476. 
tribes  in  it; 
the  Tusca- 
Nations' 
owocr.  still 
confederacy 
e  other  In- 
names  have 
told  of  the 
ken  of  as  a 
w  and  then 


ifSt 


fourlh 


and  west  to  the  Mississippi.  In  1G73,  Alloucz  and  Dabloii  found 
tlic  Miamis  upon  Lake  Michigan,  footling  a  visit  from  the  Iroquois,* 
and  from  this  time  forward  we  hear  of  them  in  that  far  land  from 
all  writers,  genuine  and  spurious,  as  may  be  easily  gathered  from 
what  we  have  said  already  of  Tonti  and  his  wars.f  We  cannot 
doubt,  therefore,  that  they  did  overrun  the  lands  claimed  by 
them,  and  even  planted  colonies  in  what  is  now  Ohio;  but  that 
they  had  any  claim,  which  a  Christian  nation  should  have  recog- 
nized, to  most  of  the  territory  in  question,  we  cannot  for  a  moment 
think,  as  for  half  a  century  at  least  it  had  been  under  the  rule  of 
other  tribes,  and,  when  the  differences  between  I'rance  and  Eng- 
land began,  was,  with  the  exception  of  the  lands  just  above  the 
head  of  the  Ohio,  the  place  of  residence  and  the  hunting-ground 
of  other  tribes.| 

But  some  of  the  western  lands  were  also  claimed  by  the  British, 
as  having  been  actually  purchased.  This  purchase  was  said  to 
have  been  made  at  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  in  1744,  when  a 
treaty  was  held  between  the  colonists  and  the  Six  Nations  relative 
to  some  alleged  settlements  that  had  been  made  upon  the  Indian 
lands  in  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  and  Maryland ;  and  to  this  treaty, 
of  which  we  have  a  very  good  and  graphic  account,  written  by 
Witham  Marshe,  who  went  as  secretary  with  the  commissioners 
for  Maryland,  we  now  turn,  dwelling  upon  it  somewhat,  as  a 
specimen  of  the  mode  in  which  the  Indians  were  treated  with. 
The  Maryland,  commissioners  reached  Lancaster  upon  the  21st  of 
June,  before  either  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania,  the  Virginia 
commissioners,  or  the  Indians,  had  arrived ;  though  all  but  the 
natives  came  that  evening. 

The  next  forenoon  -wore  wearily  away,  and  all  were  glad  to  sit 
down,  at  one  o'clock,  to  a  dinner  in  the  court-house,  which  the 
Virginians  gave  their  friends,  and  from  which  not  many  were 
drawn,  even  by  the  coming  of  the  Indians,  who  came,  to  the 

•  George  Croghan,  the  Indian  agent,  took  an  oath  that  the  Iroquois  claimed  no  farther 
on  the  p.jrtli  side  of  the  Ohio  than  the  Great  Miami  or  Stony  river;  (called  also  Rocky 
river,  C-riat  Mineami ;  and  Asscreniet.  Ilutchin's  Geographical  Descriptions,  2,').  The 
purport  of  this  oath  has  been  misunderstood,  it  says  nothing  of  what  the  Ironnois  trans- 
ferred to  England  in  1768.  See  Butler's  Kentucky, —  5.  6.— Hall's  Statistics  of  the  West, 
Preface,  viii.  Butler's  Chronology,  9. — The  oath  is  given  American  State  Papers,  xvii. 
110. 

+  Sec  Charlevoix,  La  Hontan,  Hennepin,  Tonti,  &c. 

\  "  In  1744,  when  the  Lancaster  treaty  was  held  with  the  Six  Nations,  some  of  their 
number  were  making  war  upon  the  Catawbas." — ^larth's  Journal,  Massachusetts  His- 
torical Collections,  vol.  vii.  pp.  190,  191. 


48 


Treaty  of  Lancaster. 


17-U. 


17  IS. 


number  of  two  Iniiulred  aiul  fiily-lwo,  with  squaws  and  litilf' 
children  on  hftrseliack,  and  witli  their  fire-arms,  and  hows,  and 
arrows,  and  tomahawks,  and,  as  they  passed  the  coust-house,  in- 
vited tlie  whil(  men  willi  a  song  to  renew  their  former  treaties. 
On  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  vacant  k)ts  had  lieen  chosen  for  tin. 
savages  to  build  their  wigwams  upon,  and  thither  tliey  marclui! 
on  with  Conrad  AVciscr,  their  friend  and  interi)retcr,*  while  tli( 
Virginians  "  drank  lb"  !:^yal  healths,"  and  fuiished  their  enter- 
taiiunent.  After  dirnu-r  they  went  out  to  look  at  tluur  dark  allies, 
who  had  few  shirts  among  them,  and  those  black  from  wear,  am! 
who  were  very  ragged  and  shabby ;  at  all  which  tlie  well-clad 
and  high-fed  colonists  bit  their  lips,  but  feared  to  laugh.  Tha' 
afternoon  the  chiefs  an<l  commissioners  met  at  the  cou''t-houst', 
"  shaked  hands,"  smoked  a  l)ipe,  and  drank  "  a  good  quantity  of 
ivine  and  -punchy  The  next  day,  being  Saturday,  the  Englisli 
went  "  to  the  Bunkers'  nunnery,"  and  the  Indians  drank,  and 
danced,  and  shrieked.  Monday,  the  speaking  began,  to  the  sati^ 
faction  of  all  parties,  and  ended  merrily  with  dancing,  and  musir, 
and  a  great  supper.  On  Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  also,  speeches 
were  made,  varied  by  dances,  in  which  appeared  some  very  disa- 
greeable wom^-n,  who  "  danced  wilder  time  than  any  Indians.'' 
On  Thursday  the  goods  were  opened,  wherewith  the  Maryland 
people  wished  to  buy  the  Indian  claim  to  the  lands  on  which  set- 
tlements had  been  made.  These  goods  were  narr'^wly  scanned 
by  the  red  men,  but  at  last  taken  for  <£220  Pennsylvania  money, 
after  which  they  drank  punch.  Fr'day,  tlie  Six  Nations  agreed  to 
the  grant  desired  by  the  Marylanders,  and  pw/jc/i  was  drunk  again; 
and,  on  Saturday,  a  dinner  was  given  to  the  chiefs,  "at  which,'" 
says  Marshc,  "  they  fed  lustily,  drank  heartily,  and  were  verv 
greas}-  before  they  finished."  At  this  dinner,  the  Indians  bestowed 
on  the  governor  of  ^Maryland  the  name  of  Tocaryhogon,  meaning 
"  Living  in  the  honorable  place."  ^^Icr  thi^  y^ame  much  drinking, 
and  when  that  had  gone  forv»'ard  some  time,  the  Indians  wen 
called  on  to  sign  the  deed  which  had  been  drawn  up,  and  tht 
English  again  '■^  put  about  the  glass,  pretty  briskly.''''  Next,  the 
commissioners  from  Virginia,  supported  by  a  due  (piantity  of  ivint 
and  bumbo,\  held  their  conference  with  the  Indians,  and  received 

from  them   "  a  deed  releasing  their  claim  to  a  large  (piantity  of 

*  For  some  idea  of  Weiser,  see  Proud's    Tfistory  of  rcniiKi/h'anin,  ^ol,  ii.,  p.  3IC, 
where  a  long  letter  by  him  is  given.    Uuy's  Historical  Collections  of  Pennsylvania,  134. 

t  Hum  and  water. 


land  lying  ii 
oojinise  the 
appointment 
they  receive 
mise  that,  as 
mise  was  sij 
this  deed,  n 
which  produ 
treaty  of  Lar 
liam  Beverly 
On  the  5th 
1v,   the   conn 
took  their  hoi 
and  the  wate 
ons  enquiry. 

Such  was  t 
the  claim  of 
upon  this,  anc 
in  all  subsequ 
As  settlenn 
mise  of  furth^ 
across  the  Al 
keep  the  Indi; 
hably,  as  to  1 
west,  whicli  s( 
caster  commiss 
object  of  these 
soil,  but  the  i 
profits,  had  til] 
half  civilized, 
the  earliest  pe 

•  Pfnin  Fncf.1,  Jn 
Six  Vnitcd  Ndtio. 
UjihUdurcof  Vir. 
uitr'on,  vol.  ii.  p.  . 
Coldcn's  History  of 

t  Plain  Facts,  p] 
I  Sparks'  Washr, 
Company,  until  Mr 
I-'  known,  tliat  wc  c 
Mercer,  formerly  ol 
l.cation.  No  full  lii 
land  companies  arc 

4 


1 


1744. 

ul    littlo 
ws,  iind 
)USL',  in- 
trcatios, 
1  for  the 
iii;irclu(', 
liik'  tli( 
ir  enter- 
ic all  it's, 
car,  and 
veil-clad 
1.     Tha: 
'•t-housi'. 
nntliy  of 
Englisli 
ank,  and 
Ihe  satiy 
d  music, 
speeches 
ery  clisa- 
ndians.'" 
larylaiu! 
lich  st't- 
scanned 
money, 
iii;ree{l  to 
Vc  again; 
^vhlch,'" 
re    very 
cstowcd 
neanin'i 
rinklng. 
IS    \\v\\ 
and  tilt 
xt,  the 
of  wine 
eceivcd 

luitity  of 

.,  p.  31C, 
bia,  134. 


17  IS, 


Ohio  Company  proposed. 


49 


land  lying  in  that  colony  ;"  the  Indians  being  persuaded  to  '*  re- 
oo<niise  the  king's  right  to  all  lands  that  are,  or  by  Ins  mnjciily''s 
appointment  shall  hcj  within  the  colony  of  Virginia."  For  tliis 
they  received  jCiOO  in  gold,  and  a  like  sum  in  goods,  with  a  pro- 
mise thaff  as  settlements  increased^  more  should  be  paid,  which  pro- 
raise  was  signed  and  scaled.  We  need  make  no  comment  upon 
this  deed,  nor  speculate  upon  the  probable  amount  of  bumbo 
which  produced  it.  The  commissioners  from  Virginia,  at  this 
treaty  of  Lancaster,  were  Colonel  Thomas  Lee  and  Colonel  Wil- 
liam Beverly.* 

On  the  5th  of  July,  every  thing  having  been  settled  satisfactori- 
ly, the  commissioners  left  "  the  fdthy  town"  of  Lancaster,  and 
took  their  homeward  way,  having  suffered  much  from  the  vermin 
and  the  water,  though  when  they  used  the  latter  would  be  a  curi- 
ous enquiry. 

Such  was  the  treaty  of  Lancaster,  upon  which,  as  a  corner-stone, 
the  claim  of  the  colonists  to  the  west,  by  purchase,  rested ;  and 
upon  this,  and  the  grant  from  the  Six  Naiions,  Great  Britain  relied 
in  all  subsequent  steps. 

As  settlements  extended,  and  the  Indians  murmured,  the  pro- 
mise of  further  pay  was  called  to  mind,  and  W^eiser  was  sent 
across  the  Alleghanies  to  Logstown,  in  1748, f  with  presents,  to 
keep  the  Indians  in  good  humor ;  and  also  to  sound  them,  pro- 
bably, as  to  their  feeling  with  regard  to  large  settlements  in  the 
west,  whicl)  some  Virginians,  with  Colonel  Thomas  Lee,  the  Lan- 
caster commissioner,  at  their  head,  were  then  contemplating.|  The 
object  of  these  proposed  settivments  was  not  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil,  but  the  monopoly  of  the  Indian  trade  which,  with  all  its 
profits,  had  till  that  time  been  in  the  hands  of  unprincipled  men, 
half  civilized,  half  savage,  who,  through  the  Iroquois,  had  from 
the  earliest  period  penetrated  to  the  lakes  of  Canada  and  com- 

•  Fhin  Fncff,  Icinsr  an  Bxantinat'wn,  ^-c,  and  a  Vi/ulirnlion  of  the  dninl  from  Ihe 
Six  I'nitcd  N<itio7m  of  Indians  to  the  Proprittor^  of  Indiana  vs.  the  Dicisioii  of  the 
U'^inUiluTv  of  Viri^iiiia.  I'p.  2D-39.  riiiladclpliia  :  K.  Ailkcu.  \'b\.  Sparks'  Wash- 
uiis'on,  vol.  ii.  p.  480.  Marslic".-)  Jourhal.  Tlic  wliolc  iiroceciliiiga  may  be  fouiiil  in 
Ciildrn's  History  of  tho  Iroquois,  given  with  proper  formal  sok'iiinity. 

t  P/ain  Pacts,  pp.  40,  119,  120. 

I  Sparks'  Wa^hinirton,  vol.  ii.  p.  478.  Scarce  any  thing  was  known  of  the  old  Ohio 
Company,  until  Mr  Sparks'  iniiuirics  led  to  the  note  referred  to ;  and  even  now  so  little 
i.<  known,  that  wc  cannot  huthopesomc  Historical  Society  will  prevail  on  Charles  Kenton 
Mercer,  formerly  of  Virginia,  who  holils  the  paf)crs  of  that  Company,  to  allow  their  puli- 
lication.  No  full  history  of  the  West  cau  be  written,  until  tlie  facts  relative  to  the  great 
land  companies  arc  better  known. 


1 


50  Companies  for  Weatcrn  Tfuik.  1749 

pcteil  everywhere!  witli  the  French  for  skins  and  furs.*  It  \va- 
now  proposed  in  Virginia  to  turn  these  fellows  out  of  their  good 
berth  beyond  the  mountains,  by  means  of  a  great  eompany,  whiil 
should  hold  lands  and  build  trading-houses,  import  European  good? 
regularly,  anil  export  the  furs  of  the  west  in  return  to  Lomlon. 
Aeeorilingly,  after  Weiser's  conferenee  with  the  Indians  at  Logs- 
town,  which  was  favorable  to  their  views,  Thonuis  Lee,  with 
twelve  other  Virginians,  among  whom  were  Lawrenee  and  Augu.- 
tine,  brothers  of  George  Washington,  and  also  Mr.  Ilanbury  oi 
London,  formed  an  association  which  they  called  the  "  Ohio  Coin- 
pany,"  and  in  171S,  petitioned  the  king  for  a  grant  beyond  tin 
mountains.  This  peli;^'.)n  was  api)roved  by  the  monarch,  and  tlit 
government  o^  Vir-:  .  is  was  ordered  to  giant  to  the  petitioni;^ 
half  a  million  <.r  .i.    ■       'idiin  tlie  bounds  of  that  colony,  beyoiiu 


the  Alley-hanies, 


lidnird  thousand  of  which  were  to  be  loca- 


ted at  once.  This  portion  vas  to  be  held  for  ten  years  free  c 
quitrent,  provided  the  company  would  put  there  one  hundaii 
families  within  seven  years,  and  build  a  fort  sulKcient  to  prottr: 
the  settlement ;  all  which  the  company  proposed,  and  prepared  t 
do  at  once,  and  sent  to  London  for  a  cargo  suited  to  the  India:. 
trade,  which  was  to  come  out  so  as  to  arrive  in  November,  1749. 

Other  companies  were  also  formed  about  this  time  in  Virginia, 
to  colonize  the  west.  Upon  the  12th  of  June,  1749,  a  grant  e; 
800,000  acres,  from  the  line  of  Canada,  north  and  west,  wa> 
made  to  the  Loyal  Company;  and,  upon  the  29th  of  October,  '57, 
another,  of  100^000  acres  to  the  Greenbriar  Company. f 

But  the  French  were  not  blind  all  this  while.  They  saw,  tha;, 
if  the  British  once  obtained  a  strong-hold  upon  the  Ohio,  thtv 
might  not  only  prevent  their  settlements  upon  it,  but  must  at  las: 
come  upon  their  lower  posts,  and  so  the  battle  be  fought  sooner  o: 
later.  To  the  danger  of  the  English  possessions  in  the  west,  Vau- 
dreuil,  the  French  governor,  had  been  long  alive.  Upon  the  lOtl 
of  May,  1744,  he  wrote  home  representing  the  consequences  tha: 
must  come  from  allowing  the  British  to  build  a  tradinii-houx 
among  the  Creeks  ;|  and,  in  November,  1748,  he  anticipated  tliei; 

•  Soe  Charlevoix,  first  and  second  vol.  in  many  placrs  ;  especially  i.  502,  51a,  ii.  13c 
2C9j  37J.     The  English  were  at  Mackinac  as  early  as  16S(j. 

-f  Revised  Statutes  of  Virginia,  by  B.  W.  Leigl',  ii.  317. 

%  Pownall's  McviorUil  on  Srrvice  in  Amrriai,  as  before  (juotcJ.  Vaudreuil  came  o:'. 
as  Governor  of  .anada  in  lloo.—Mu.iaachuselts  Historical  Colkclion$,  vol.  vii.,  p.  IW 
Sec  also  Ilolaics'  AnnaU,  vol.ii.  p.  23, 


1749. 

seizure  of 

low  the  f) 

tJiat  the  g( 

scftlenicnts 

hogs  and  1) 

leather,  tol 

son,  poultrv 

Orleans  niai 

of  (lour,  ac 

to  another, 

down  in  De 

seeing   the 

soniere,    th 

tJie  Oliio,  e^ 

the  country ; 

Louis  Celero 

which  were 

at  the  mouth 

was  sent  out 

while  upon  tl 

a  few  years,  ^ 

has  been  four 

the  date  upon 

was  sent,  by  J 

cicty,  in  whos 

be  found  at  k 

quiet  the  title 

result.     In  thf 

by  the  Englis 

Loramie's  Stoi 

•  Pownall's  Mem 
'\  +  Ibid.  Represei 
|7sl :  also,  in  Hutc 

,  \  Sparks'  Washi. 
"^Transactions  of 
Clinton  received  the 
•t  tlic  mouth  of  the 
|bc  Venango  (Yenai 
♦1(1  Sliawanec  town 
jntrusion  of  traders 
ff  Pennsylvania,  qui 

'  II  Conte:ft  inAnicr 
tpon  the  Wabash,  b 


u 


1749. 


It   \v;i> 

ly,  NvhiiL 
'Ull  gooil- 

Loiuloii, 
at  Low- 


1719. 


Cdcron  sent  to  Ohio. 


61 


I  (30, 


Willi 
d  Augu>- 
iiibury  c 
ihio  Coil;- 
;yund  til- 
1,  and  tilt 
)etiti()iK^ 
y,  beyou; 

0  be  lociv 
irs  free  c 

1  hundruii 
to  protci'. 
repared  tj 
he  India;. 
er,  1719. 

Virginia, 
a  grant  u; 
west,  Wll; 
tober,  '5*. 

saw,  tha;. 
•hio,  tlu} 

lust  at  las: 
sooner  u: 
rest,  Vau- 
the  lOtL 
mecs  tha; 
ling-liouse 
pated  thti; 

515,  ii.  13; 


mil  came  o"- 
.  vii.,  J).  IW 


seizure  of  Fort  Prudliomme,  which  was  upon  the  Mississippi  l)c- 
low  the  Ohio.*     Nor  was  it  for  mere   siekly  inis.^ionary  stations 
Uiat  the  governor  feared  ;  for,  in  the  year  Last-named,  tlie  Illinois 
settlciiH  nts,  few  as  they  wi're,  sent   flour  and  corn,   the  hams  of 
honjs  ami  bears,  pickled  pork  and  beef,  myrtle  wax,  cotton,  tallow, 
leatlii  r,  tobacco,  lead,  iron,  copper,  some  little  bulfalo  wool,  veni- 
son, poultry,  bear's  grease,  oil,  skins,  and  coarse  furs,  to  the  New 
Orleans  market.     Evin  in  174(3,  from  five  to  six  hundred  barrels 
of  Hour,  according  to  one  authority,  and  two  thousand  according 
to  another,  went  thither  from    Illinois,    convoys  annually  going 
down  in  December  with  the  produce. f     Having  these  fears,   and 
seeing    the  danger  of  the  lalj  movements  of  the  British,  Galli- 
soiiiere,   then   governor  of  Canada,    determined  to   place,  along 
tlie  Oliio,  evidences  of  the   French   claim  to,  and  possession  of, 
tlie  country;  and  for  that  ])urpose,  in  the  summer  of  1749,  sent 
Louis  (.V'leron,  with  a  party  of  soldiers,  to  place  plates  of  lead,  on 
which  were  written  out  the  claims  of  France,  in  the  mounds,  and 
at  the  mouths  of  the  rivers.|     Of  this  act,  William  Trent,  wlio 
was  sent  out  in  1752,  by  Virginia,  to  conciliate  the  Indians,  heard 
while  upon  the  Ohio,  and  mentioned  it  in  his  Journal ;  and,  within 
a  few  years,  one  of  the  plates,  with  the  inscription  partly  defaced, 
has  been  found  near  tlie  mouth  of  tlie  Muskingum.     Of  this  plate, 
tlie  date  upon  which  is  August  16th,  1749,  a  particular  account 
was  sent,  by  De  Witt  Clinton,  to  the  American  Antiquarian  So- 
ciety, in  whose  second  volume  (p.  535-541)  the  inscription  may 
be  found  at  length.     By  this  step,  the  French,  perhaps,  hoped  to 
quiet  the  title  to  the  river,  "  Oyo"  ;  but  it  produced  not  the  least 
result.     In  that  very  year,  we  are  told,  a  trading-house  was  built 
by  the  English,  upon  the  Great  Miami,  at  the  spot  since  called 
Loramie's  Store  ;||  while,  from  another  source  we  learn,  that  two 

•  Pownall's  Memorial. 

tibiil.    Representations  to  Earl  of  Hillsborough,  1770,  quoted  in  Filson's  Kentucky, 

I7sl :  also,  in  Hutchius'  Geograjihical  Description,  p.  15. 
,s 
i  \  Sparks'  Washington,  vol.  ii.  p.  430. — Atwatcr's  History  of  Ohio,  first  cilition,  p.  109. 

•^Tnijisdctions  of  the  Amcricnn  Aiilli/unria?!  Socitli/,   vol.  ii.  jip.  535-511.     IV  Witt 

Clinton  received  the  plate  mentioned  in  the  text  from  Mr.  Atwatcr,  who  says  it  was  found 

|t  tlie  mouth  of  the  Muskingum,  though  marked  as  having  been  i)laced  at  the  mouth  of 

^c  Venango  (Ycnangue)  River,  (French  Creek,  wc  iiresmne.)    Celeron  wrote  from  an 

old  Sluwanoe  town  on  the  Ohio,  to  Governor  Hamilton  of  Pennsylvania,  resjjectiiig  the 

^trusion  of  traders  from  that  colony  into  the  French  dominions. — Minutes  of  the  Council 

pf  Pennsylvania,  quoted  in  Dillon's  History  of  Indiana,  i.  66. 

■  I  Contist  in  America,  hij  an  Imparl ial  Hand.     Once  this  writes  speaks  of  this  post  as? 
•pon  the  Wabash,  but  he  doubtless  meant  that  on  the  Miami. 

I 


52 


Gist  visits  Twigiwces. 


1751. 


traders  were,  in  1749,  seized  by  the  French  upon  the  Maumee. 
At  any  rate,  tlic  storm  was  gathering ;  the  English  company  was 
determined  to  carry  out  its  plan,  and  the  French  were  determined 
to  oppose  them. 

During  1750,  we  hear  of  no  step,  by  either  party ;  but  in  Fe- 
bruary, 1751,  we  find  Christopher  Gist,  the  agent  who  had  been 
appointed  by  the  Ohio  Company  to  examine  the  western  lands, 
upon  a  visit  to  the  Twigtwces  or  Tuigtuis,  who  lived  upon  the 
Miami  River,  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  its  mouth.*  In 
speaking  of  this  tribe,  Mr.  Gist  says  nothing  of  a  trading-houst 
among  them,  (at  least  in  the  i)assage  from  his  Journal  quoted  by 
Mr.  Sparks,)  but  he  tells  us,  they  left  the  Wal^ash  for  the  sake  of 
trading  with  tiie  English  ;  and  wi;  have  no  doult,  that  the  spot 
which  he  visited  was  at  the  mouth  of  Loraime's  Creek,  where,  as 
we  liave  said,  a  trading-house  was  built  about  or  before  this  time. 
Gist  says,  the  Twigtwees  were  a  very  numerous  people,  much 
superior  to  the  Six  Nations,  and  that  they  were  formerly  in  the 
French  interest.  Wynne  speaks  of  them  as  the  same  with  the 
Ottowas ;  but  CJist  undoubtedly  meant  the  great  Miamis  confedi- 
racy  ;  for  he  says  that  they  are  not  one  tribe,  but  "  many  difTeren; 
tribes,  under  the  same  forni  of  government,"!  Upon  this  journev 
Gist  went  as  far  down  the  Ohio  as  the  Falls,  and  was  gone  seven 
months,  though  the  particulars  of  his  tour  are  yet  unknown  to  us;' 
his  Journal,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  passages  publishul 
])y  INIr.  Sparks,  and  some  given  in  the  notes  to  Inilay  and  Pownall's 
account  of  the  West,  still  resting  in  manuscri})t.| 

Having  thus  generally  examined  the  land  upon  the  Ohio,  ir. 
November  Gist  commenced  a  thorough  survey  of  the  tract  souiL 

•  Sparks'  Waghinsfon,  vol.  ii.  p.  37. 

t  See  Harrison's  Discourse,  already  quoted. — Frnnklin,  following  a  Twigtwcc  chifi 
present  lit  Carlisle,  in  17.J3,  (Minutes  of  that  Council,  p.  7.  Sparks'  rruiikli?i,  vol.  iv 
p.  71.)  speaks  of  tlic  Piaiikcshaws,  a  trilie  of  tlic  Twigtwees;  and  again,  of  the  Mianu 
or  TwijTtwces  (ibid.  vol.  iii.  p.  72.)  The  name  is  spelt  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Provincii 
Council  of  Pennsylvania,  Twechtwesc,  and  they  are  deeerihed  as  those  Indians,  callrJ 
liy  the  French,  Mianiis,  (iii.  470  )  On  Evans'  map,  of  17.3.J,  lliey  are  called  Ta\vi.\t« . 
and  are  mentioned  among  the  confederated  nations,  of  the  west. — See  also  Gcncrii 
Harrison's  letter  of  March  22,  1814,  in  McAfee,  p.  43. 

^  Pownall's  typography  is  in  Imlay,  edition  of  1797,  London,  from  p.  82  to  129.  Frc 
Evans'  nuiji,  first  published  in  17.5.0,  and  repuhli.ihed  in  1776,  we  learn  th.at  Gist  crossw 
the  mountains  near  the  heads  of  the  Cumberland,  vent  down  the  Kentucky  Riw 
some  distance,  thence  crossed  to  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto,  which  stream  he  followed  i". 
and  afterwards  turning  east,  went  across  the  Muskingum  to  Fort  Fitt :  the  year  in  wliii:' 
he  did  this  ia  not  given,  nor  do  we  know  whether  tlic  route  is  laid  down  iu  Evans'  Ci'^ 
edition  of  1755. 


i( 


1752. 

of  the  Ohio 

the  Ohio  C 

spent  the   w 

Lewis,  com 

behalf  of  tl 

thousand  ac 

his  proceed ii 

while  no  he; 

western  Indi 

the  indepem 

thought  nece 

was  desired 

which  M-as  d 

All  this  til 

stirred  up  the 

on  the  u])per 

be  easily  attat 

lake,  prepare 

was  done  by  c 

at  the  liead  of 

fifteen  miles  fn 

we  do  not  el 

But  lest,  whil 

forest,  the  Brit 

to  be   dislod<r( 

clear;  and  thi. 

house  upon  tl 

Gist,  came  to  1 

thorized  intrud 

ever,  were  nei 

their  friends. | 

pcwas,  then  al 

•  Stuart's  Memoir 

+  Washington's  /( 
1753 ,  but  there  was 

t  Sparks'  FrankU 
^orth  America,  &c. 
rcforrcd  to  in  the  ea 
and  treaties,  post- — ! 
otiiers.  The  attack 
attack  on  the  Miami 
vol.  iii,  p,  170. 


1751. 

aiimce. 
ny  was 
■nnined 

in  Fe- 
ci been 
i  laiuls, 
pou  the 
h.*  In 
g-houso 
otod  by 

sake  01 
he  spot 
here,  as 
[lis  time, 
e,  much 
y  in  the 
with  the 
confctlt- 

cUirerent 
5  joiirni'V 
le  seven 
II  to  us; 

uMishcJ 

owiiall's 

|Ohio,  in 
,ct   SOUtli 

Ttwec  cliifi 

iill,   vol.  IV 

Itlm  Miam.! 

Provinci^ 
|i.in8,  csllrt 

Tawixtw:, 
|so  Geucrii 

29.  tVr 
Iiist  crossoi 
lucky  Rivr 
1)11  owrd  ""■ 
lar  in  wli^:- 
lEvaas'  £f' 


1752. 


French  begin  their  Forts. 


53 


of  the  Ohio  and  ca.st  of  the  Kanawlia,  which  was  that  on  wliich 
the  Ohio  Company  proposed  to  make  their  finst  setth-ment.  He 
spent  the  winter  in  tliat  labor.  In  1751  also,  Cvneral  Andrew 
Lewis,  commenced  some  surveys  in  the  Greenbnar  country,  on 
bcliiilf  of  the  company  already  mentioned,  to  which  one  hundred 
thousand  acres  of  land  had  been  granted  in  that  region;*  but 
his  proceedings,  as  well  as  Gist's,  were  soon  interrupted.  Mean- 
while no  treaty  of  a  definite  character  had  yet  been  held  with  the 
western  Indians  ;  and,  as  the  influence  both  of  the  French  and  of 
the  independent  English  traders,  was  against  the  company,  it  was 
thought  necessary  to  do  something,  and  the  Virginia  government 
was  desired  to  invite  the  chiefs  to  a  conference  at  Logstown, 
which  was  done. 

All  this  time  the  French  liad  not  been  idle.  They  not  only 
stirred  up  the  savages,  but  took  measures  to  fortify  certain  points 
on  the  upper  waters  of  the  Ohio,  from  which  all  lower  posts  might 
be  easily  attacked,  and,  beginning  at  Persqu'Ile,  or  Eric,  on  the 
lake,  prepared  a  line  of  communication  with  the  Alleghany.  This 
was  done  by  opening  a  wagon-road  from  Erie  to  a  little  lake  lying 
at  the  head  of  French  Creek,  where  a  second  fort  was  built,  about 
fifteen  miles  from  that  at  Erie.  When  this  second  fort  was  fortified 
we  do  not  clearly  learn  ;  but  some  time  in  1752,  we  believe. f 
But  lest,  while  these  little  castles  were  qiiictly  rising  amid  the 
forest,  the  British  also  might  strengthen  themselves  too  securely 
to  be  dislodged,  a  party  of  soldiers  was  sent  to  keep  the  Ohio 
clear;  and  this  party,  early  in  1752,  having  heard  of  the  trading- 
house  upon  the  Miami,  and,  very  likely,  of  the  visit  to  it  by 
Gist,  came  to  the  Twigtwees  and  demanded  the  traders,  as  unau- 
thorized intruders  upon  French  lands.  The  Twigtwees,  how- 
ever, were  neither  cowards  nor  traitors,  and  refused  to  deliver  up 
their  friends.:):  The  French,  assisted  by  the  Ottawas  and  Chip- 
pewas,  then  attacked  the   trading-house,  which  was  probably  a 

•  Stuart's  Memoir  of  Indian  War.    Border  Warfare,  48. 

t  Washington's  Journnl,  of  1753. — Mante,  in  his  Ilintory  of  the  Wot,  says,  rarly  in 
1753,  but  there  was  a  post  at  Erie  when  the  traders  were  taken,  before  June,  1752. 

I  Sparks'  Franklin,  vol.  iv.  p.  71. — vol.  iii.  p.  230.  PIainFacts,p.  42. — Contest  in 
North  America,  &c.  p.  36. —  Weiiter7i  Mnnlhli)  Majiminr,  lh33. — This  fort  was  always 
relbrrcd  to  ill  the  early  treaties  of  the  United  States  witli  the  Indians;  sec  IaukI  Imws 
and  treaties,  post- — Several  other  captures  beside  this  are  referred  to  by  Franklin  and 
others.  The  attack  on  Logstown,  spoken  of  by  Smollett  and  Russell,  was  doubtless  this 
attack  on  the  Miami  post.  Smollett;  George  II.  chap.  i.\.  Sec  also  Burk's  Virginia, 
vol.  iii.  p.  170. 


54 


Post  on  J\Ilami  destroyed. 


17j2. 


1752. 


bldck-liouso,  and  uAcr  a  severe  battle,  in  wliich  fourteen  of  the 
natives  were  killed,*  and  others  wounded,  took  and  destroyed  it, 
carrying  the  traders  away  to  Canada  as  prisoners,  or,  as  one 
account  says,  burning  some  of  them  alive.  This  fort,  or  trading- 
house,  was  called  by  the  English  writers  Pickawillany.f 

Such  was  the  Axte  of  the  first  British  settlement  in  tlie  Ohio 
valley,  of  which  we  have  any  record.  It  was  destroyed  early  in 
1752,  as  we  know  by  the  fact,  that  its  destruction  was  referred 
to  by  the  Indians  at  the  Logstown  treaty  in  June.  What  traders 
tliey  were  who  were  taken,  we  do  not  know  with  certainty.  Some 
have  thought  tliem  agents  of  the  Ohio  Company;  but  Gist's  pro- 
ceedings about  the  Kenhawa  do  not  favor  the  idea,  neither  do  the 
subsecjuent  steps  of  the  company;  and  in  the  "  History  of  Penn- 
sylvania," ascribed  to  Franklin,  we  find  a  gill  of  condolence 
madi:  by  that  Province  to  the  Twigtwees  for  tliose  slain  in  defence 
of  the  traders  among  them,  in  1752,  which  leads  us  to  believe 
that  they  were  independent  merchants  from  that  colony4 

Blood  had  now  been  shed,  and  both  parties  became  more 
deeply  interested  in  the  progress  of  events  in  the  west.  The 
English,  on  their  part,  determined  to  purchase  from  the  Indians 
a  title  to  the  lands  they  wished  to  occupy,  by  fiiir  means  or 
foul;  and,  in  the  spring  of  1752,  Messrs.  Fry,||  Lomax,  and  Pat- 
ton,  were  sent  from  Virginia  to  hold  a  conference  with  the  na- 
tives at  Logstown,  to  learn  what  they  objected  to  in  the  treat)' 
of  Lancaster,  of  which  it  was  said  they  complained,  and  to  settle 
all  difficulties. §  On  the  9th  of  June,  the  commissioners  met  the 
red  men  at  Logstown:  this  was  a  little  village,  seventeen  miles 


•  Among  thorn  a  king  of  the  Piankcshaws.  (Minutes  of  the  Council  of  Carlisle,  1753.| 
From  those  Mmutcs  wc  learn  also  that  the  Ottawaa  and  Chippewas  aided  the  French. 

t  Washington's  Journal  (London,  17.51)  has  a  map  on  which  the  name  is  printed  "  Pik- 
kawalinna." — A  memorial  of  tlic  king's  ministers,  in  175j,  refers  to  it  as  "  Pickawillanes, 
in  the  centre  of  the  territory  between  the  Ohio  and  the  Wabash."  (Sjiarks' pru^A/in, 
vol.  iv.  J).  330.)  The  name  is  probably  yome  variation  of  Pieiua  or  Pickaway  in  1773; 
written  by  Rev.  David  Jones  "  Pickawcke."     (Cist's  Cincinnati  Slisccllany,  i.  2G5.) 

^  The  Twigtwees  met  the  Pennsylvanians  at  Lancaster,  in  July,  171S,  and  made  i 
treaty  with  them.  (Dillon's  Indiana,  i.  63.)  Croghan  also  (Hutler's  Kentucky,  471,) 
speaks  of  them  as  connected  with  Pennsylvania.  The  Shawnese,  from  the  west,  went  to 
Philadelphia  to  make  treaties,  in  1732.  (Minutes  of  the  Provincial  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, iii.491.) 

H  Afterwards  Commander  in  Chief  over  Washington,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
French  war  of  1755—63;  he  died  at  Will's  Creek,  (Cumberland)  May  31, 1751.  (Sparks' 
Washington,  ii.  27.  note.) 

§  rUiiii  Fuclf,  p.  40,— Sparks'  WasU'ui^lon,  vol.  ii.  p.  4b0. 


and  a  Imlf 
had  Inng  b 
Indians  in 
the  sale  of 
"No;  they 
which  ran 
sioiiers  then 
spoke  of  tin 
all  their  pc 
of  June,  flu 
castor,  and 
that  they  h;i( 
to  tlio  EllLlTh 

any  thing  to 
savages,  *'  r 
shall  be  plea 
I  you  would  li 
this  permissii 
aside  Monte 
Catherine  .AI 
three-fourths 
ments,  (of  tlu 
use  his  inHuei 
of  June, they 
treaty  in  its  J 
Ohio,  and  gu 


•Croghan,  in  hi 
titchjh  App-)  i"h 
alw.iys  call  the  C 
the  stream. 

t  Boiupiefs  E.r 
panying  the  volun 

\  Washington  ( 
about  thirty  miles 
one  referred  to  by 
hy  the  Muskingunr 

I!  FJnin  Fnct/t,  ] 

§  For  a  sketch  < 
vol.  vii.  p.  1S9,  or 
Henry.  The  latte 
apparently.  Andi 
\vc  arc  not  told  ;  1 

'  Pin  In  FticlK, 
I'l't  treated  with  tli 


1 


17j2. 

-n  of  tlie 
royod  it, 
,  lis  one 
I'  trading- 
till'  Oliio 
I  t-arly  in 

I  referred 
at  traders 
y.  Some 
list's  pro- 
er  do  tho 
of  Prtin- 
)nd()lL'nce 

II  defence 
0  l)erievc 

me    more 

est.     The 

e  Indians 

means  or 

and  Pat- 

tlie  na- 

le  treaty 

to  settle 

met  the 

3en  miles 

i 

lisle,  1753.)  I 
French. 

iiitcd  "  Pik- 

ckawlllanes, 

FraiiliJin, 

:iy  in  1773; 

265.) 

ind  made  a 
iicky,  471.) 
Est,  went  W 
of  Pcnnsyi- 

lent  of  the 
(Sparks' 


i7r)2. 


Ti'cnfy  of  Lngstnwn. 


55 


and  n  lialf  Ixdow  PitfshiirLjh,  upon  tlie  north  side  of  the  Ohio.*  Tt 
liad  iniij;  been  a  tradinij-point,  hut  had  heen  abandoned  by  the 
Tnilians  in  1750.f  Here  the  Laneaster  treaty  ^vas  produced,  and 
flic  sale  of  the  western  lands  insistt'd  upon  ;  but  the  chiefs  said, 
<'N();  tlicy  had  not  heard  of  any  sale  west  of  the  warrior's  road,]: 
which  ran  at  the  foot  of  the  AllcLrhanv  ri(lL]jc."  Tlie  conunis- 
sinners  then  ofTered  goods  for  a  ratification  of  the  Lancaster  treaty; 
sjioke  of  the  proposed  settlement  by  the  Ohio  Company  ;  and  used 
all  their  persuasions  to  secure  the  land  wanted.  Upon  the  I  lib 
of  June,  the  Indians  replied.  They  recognised  the  treaty  of  Lan- 
caster, and  the  authority  of  the  Six  Nations  to  inalce  it,  but  denied 
that  they  had  any  knowledge  of  the  western  lands  being  conveyed 
to  the  English  by  said  deed  ;  and  declined,  upon  the  whole,  having 
any  thing  to  do  with  the  treaty  of  1744.  "  However,"  said  the 
savages,  "  as  the  Fr(>nch  have;  already  struck  the  Twigtwees,  wc 
shall  be  pleased  to  have  your  assistance  and  protection,  and  wish 
you  would  build  a  fort  at  once  at  the  Fork  of  the  Ohio."||  P>ut 
this  permission  was  not  what  the  Virginians  wanted  ;  so  they  took 
aside  Montour,  the  interpreter,  who  was  a  son  of  the  famous 
Catherine  IMontour,§  and  a  chief  among  the  Six  Nations,  being 
three-fourths  of  Indian  blood,  and  persuaded  Iiim,  by  valid  argu- 
ments, (of  the  kind  which  an  Indian  most  appreciates  doubtless,)  to 
use  his  influence  witli  his  fellows.  This  he  did  ;  and,  upon  the  1 3th 
of  June,  they  all  united  in  signing  a  deed,  confirming  the  Lancaster 
treaty  in  its  full  extent,  consenting  to  a  settlement  southeast  of  the 
Ohio,  and  guarant)ing  that  it  should  not  be  disturbed  by  thcm.ll 

•  Croghan,  in  his  Journal  says,  that  Lon;8trwn  was  south  of  the  Ohio.  {  Rutlcr's  A',  n- 
tuckti,  App.)  The  river  -s  itself  nearly  north  and  south  at  the  snot  in  question  j  liut  we 
always  call  the  Canada  side  the  north  side,  hiving  rclercucc  to  the  general  direction  of 
the  stream. 

t  noiiqiicfs  E.Tprilitlon>  London,  17CG.  p.  lb  — Logstown  is  given  on  the  map  accom- 
panying the  volume. 

I  Washington  (Sparks'  ii.  526,)  speaks  of  a  warrior's  path  coming  out  upon  the  Ohio 
about  thirty  miles  above  the  Great  Kciihawa; — Filsoii  and  Ilutchins  (sec  map)  make  the 
one  referred  to  by  them  terminate  In  av  the  Scioto. — One  may  liave  been  a  l)raiich  used 
by  the  Muskingum  and  Hocking  tribcuj  the  other  by  those  of  the  Scioto  Valley. 

II  Plain  Factf,  p.  42. 

§  For  a  sketch  of  this  woman,  see  J^lnt^.iachnsetts  Ilhtorical  Collations,  Firnt  Series, 
vol.  vii.  p.  189,  or  Stone's  Life  of  Brant,  vol.  i.  p.  339,  She  had  two  sons,  Andrew  and 
Henry.  The  latter  was  a  captain  among  the  Iroquois,  f;hc  former  a  common  interpreter, 
apparently.  Andrev.'  was  taken  by  the  Frencl^  in  1749.  Which  of  them  was  at  Logstown 
we  arc  not  told  ;  but,  from  his  iniluence  with  the  Indians,  it  was  probably  Henry. 

'  riiiin  Facts,  pp  3S— l-J.  The  Virginia  commissioners  were  men  of  high  character, 
I'Ut  treated  with  the  Indians  according  to  the  ideas  of  their  day. 


56 


Seltlers  cross  (he  Jilouf^lains. 


1752. 


By  siirh  moans  was  obtained  (he  first  treaty  \vith  the  Indians  i;, 
tlie  Ohio  valh'y. 

All  this  lime  the  two  powers  l)eyon(l  tlie  Athuitic  were  in  a 
professed  state  "of  profound  peace;"  and  commissioners  were  k. 
Paris  trying  to  oiit-manonivre  one  anotlier  wilh  regard  to  the  (li^. 
puted  lands  in  America,*  though  in  the  West  all  looked  liki 
war.  We  have  seen  how  the  English  outwitted  the  Indians,  ami 
secured  themselves,  as  they  thought,  by  their  politic  condiic;, 
But  the  French,  in  this  as  in  all  cases,  proved  that  they  knew  bes' 
how  to  manage  the  natives;  and,  though  they  had  to  contend  wi;!. 
the  old  hatred  felt  toward  them  by  the  Six  Nations,  and  thougl 
they  by  no  means  refrained  from  strong  acts,  marching  tlirougl, 
the  midst  of  the  Iroquois  country,  attacking  the  Twigtwees,  anl 
seizing  the  English  traders,  nevertheless  they  did  succeed,  as  ihi 
British  never  did,  in  attaching  the  Indians  to  their  cause.  As  ar: 
old  chief  of  the  Six  Nations  said  at  Easton,  in  1758;  "The  Indi- 
ans on  the  Ohio  left  you  because  of  your  own  fault.  When  \V( 
heard  tlie  French  were  coming,  we  asked  you  for  help  and  arms. 
but  we  did  not  get  them.  The  French  came,  they  treated  u.< 
kindly,  and  gained  our  affections.  The  Governor  of  Virginia  so'- 1 
tied  on  our  lands  for  his  own  benefit,  and,  when  we  wanted  help, 
forsook  us.f" 

So  stood  matters  at  the  close  of  1752.  TIic  English  ha! 
secured  (as  they  thought)  a  title  to  the  Indian  lands  south-east  c; 
the  Ohio,  and  Gist  was  at  work  laying  out  a  town  and  fort  then 
on  Shurtees  (Chartier's)  Creek,  about  two  miles  below  the  Fork.: 
Eleven  families  also  were  crossin'jr  the  mountains  to  settle  at  tin 
point  where  Gist  had  fixed  his  own  residence,  west  of  Laurel  Hill, 
and  not  far  from  the  Youghiogany.  Goods  too  had  come  from 
England  for  the  Ohio  Company,  which,  however,  they  could  no- 
wed,  and  dared  not,  carry  beyond  Will's  Creek,  the  point  wlicn 
Cumberland  now  stands,  whence  they  were  taken  by  the  trador-^ 
and  Indians ;  and  there  was  even  '^ome  prospect  of  a  road  across 
the  mountains  to  the  Monongaliela. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  French  were  gathering  cannon  ami 
stores  upon  Lake  Erie,  and,  without  treaties  or  deeds  for  land, 
were  gaining  the  good  will  ofe^'en  inimical  tribes,  and  preparing, 
when  all  was  ready,  to  strike  the  blow.     Some  of  the  savages,  i' 

•  Sec  Smollett ;  George  II.,  chapters  viii.  and  ix. 

+  riain  Fuels,  p.  55. — rownall's  Memoir  on  Service  in  ?>'orth  America. 

^  Sparks'  Washingi^-,  voh  ii.  pp.  433,  482,  aiiJ  map,  p.  3S. 


1753. 

is  true,  reir 
di.sj)ute  bet^ 
lands  belon 
French  bull 
.•served  theii 
lions,  whiel 
In  JMay  ot 
Assembly  of 
derived,  in 
a  conference 
sion  of  the 
pounds  for 
the  ])resent 
This  money  \ 
Augu.st  to  lea 
giiiia  Avas  mo 
sent  westwarc 
iiis  Majesty '.s 
was   afraid  U 
also  s(!nt  ofTv 
Indians;  and 
as  to  the  clain 
of  it.     While 
wild  men  oft 
September,  1' 
ter,  Virginia, 
which  we  art 
indorsement,  ; 
(lured  to   men 
treaty  ;^  a  mc 
those  grants. 
tory  interview 
the  Iroquois,  ] 
and   the  comi 
Nciris,  and  Bi 

•  Sec  in  Washing 
and  his  answer.— J 

+  Sparks'  Franh 

1  Sparks'  Wafhi 

\  Sparks'  Wa»1u 

§  riuin  Facts,  [ 


175-2. 
.'.lians  i:, 

ere  in  i; 

were  fi: 
>  the  dis- 
ked Ilk, 
icins,  aiitl 
conduc:. 
new  1)cs' 
end  will; 
.1  thougl: 

tlirnugh 
.'ces,  atiii 
d,  as  tin. 
.  As  an 
riie  Indi- 
^^hen  Wt 
nd  arms,  I 
[•eated  us  | 
[^•'mia  set- 
ted  help, 

■llsli  lia.l 
li-east  c' 
ort  then 
e  Fork.: 
e  at  till 
irel  Hill, 
me  froir. 
lould  no' 
it  wliLii 
:  trader-' 
id  across 

hon  an(' 
lor  land, 
[eparini;, 
Vages,  i' 


1753. 


Treaties  of  WincJiestcr  and  Carlisle 


67 


is  true,  remonstrated.  They  said  they  did  not  understand  this 
disi)ufe  between  the  Europeans,  as  to  which  of  them  tlie  western 
lands  belonged  to,  for  they  did  not  belong  to  either.  But  the 
French  bullied  when  it  served  their  turn,  arid  flattered  when  it 
served  their  turn,  and  all  the  while  went  on  with  their  prepara- 
tions, which  were  in  an  advanced  state  early  in  1753.* 

In  IMay  of  that  year,  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania  informed  the 
Assembly  of  the  French  movements,  a  knowledge  of  which  was 
derived,  in  part  at  least,  from  IMontour,  who  had  been  present  at 
a  conference  between  the  French  and  Indians  relative  to  the  inva- 
sion of  the  We.st.f  The  assembly  thereupon  voted  six  hundred 
pounds  for  distribution  among  the  tribes,  besides  two  hundred  for 
the  j)resent  of  condolence  to  the  Twigtwees,  already  mentioned. 
This  money  was  not  sent,  but  Conrad  Weiser  was  despalidied  in 
August  to  learn  how  things  stood  among  the  Ohio  savages. ij:  Vir- 
ginia was  moving  also.  In  June,  or  earlier,  a  commissioner  was 
sent  westward  to  meet  the  French,  and  ask  how  they  dared  invade 
his  Majesty's  province.  The  messengej  went  to  Logstown,  but 
was  afraid  to  go  up  the  Alleghany,  as  in.structed.||  Trent  was 
also  sent  ofT  with  guns,  powder,  shot  and  clothing  for  the  friendly 
Indians;  and  then  it  was,  that  he  learned  the  fact  already  stated, 
as  to  the  claim  of  the  French,  and  their  burial  of  medals  in  proof 
of  it.  While  these  measures  were  taken,  another  treaty  with  the 
wild  men  of  the  debatable  land  was  also  in  contemplation;  and  in 
Seplendjer,  1753,  William  Fairfax  met  their  deputies  at  Winche.s- 
ter,  Virginia,  where  he  concluded  a  treaty,  with  the  particulars  of 
which  we  are  unacquainted,  but  on  which,  we  are  told,  was  an 
indorsement,  stating  that  such  was  their  leeiing,  that  he  hud  not 
dared  to  mention  to  them  either  the  Lancaster  or  the  Logstown 
tredlij  ;^  a  most  sad  comment  upon  the  modes  taken  to  obtain 
those  grants.  In  the  month  following,  however,  a  more  satisfac- 
tory interview  took  place  at  Carlisle,  between  the  representatives  of 
the  Iroquois,  Delawares,  Shawanese,  Twigtwees  and  Owendeats, 
and  the  commissioners  of  Pennsylvania,  Richard  Peters,  Isaac 
Nciris,  and  Benjamin  Franklin.     At  this  meeting  the  attack  on  the 

•  Sec  in  Wasliington's  Journal,  llic  Speech  of  Ilalf-king  to  tho  French  commander 
and  his  answer. — SparUs'd  Wushington,  vol.  ii,  p.  4S-i. 

t  Sparks'  Franklin,  vol.  iii.  p.  219. 

I  Sparks'  Wafhineton,  vol.  ii.  p.  230. 

\  Sparks'  Wanhim^lon,  vol.  ii.  p.  430. 

§  ritiin  Facts,  [>■  44. 


58 


Wa.iJiwrrfon  sent  West. 


Hoi,        1753. 


Twigtwccs  was  talked  over,  tlie  plans  of  tlie  French  discussed,  anii 
a  treaty  concluded.  The  Indians  had  sent  Ihree  messages  to  tb; 
French,  warning  them  away;  the  reply  was,  that  they  were  coming 
to  build  forts  at  "  Weneiigo,"  (Venango,)  Mohonglalo  fnrb, 
(Pittsburgh,)]  Logtown,  and  Beaver  Creek.  The  red  men  corr,- 
plained  of  the  traders  as  too  scattered,  and  as  killing  them  wit[. 
rum ;  they  wished  only  three  trading  stations,  viz.  mouth  ': 
*' Mohongely,"  (Pittsburgh,)  Logtown,  and  mouth  of  "  Canawa.'"' 
Soon  after  this,  no  satisfaction  being  obtained  from  the  Oliio, 
either  as  to  the  force,  position,  or  purposes  of  the  French,  Rohcr 
Dinwiddle,  then  Governor  of  Virginia,  determined  to  send  to  ther. 
another  messenger,  and  selected  a  young  surveyor,  who,  at  tlie 
age  of  nineteen,  had  received  the  rank  of  major,  aiul  whose  previ- 
o\is  lif(j  had  inured  him  to  hardship  and  woodland  ways,  while  hi- 
courage,  cool  judgment,  and  firm  will,  all  fitted  him  for  such 
mission.  This  young  man,  as  all  know,  was  George  Washington, 
who  was  twenty-one  years  and  eight  months  old,  at  the  timer; 
the  appointment.!  With  Gist  as  his  guide,  Washington  l(f- 
Will's  Creek,  where  Cumberland  now  is,  on  the  15th  of  Novem- 
ber, and,  on  the  22d,  reached  the  Monongahela  about  ten  mill- 
above  the  Fork.  Thence  he  went  to  Loi^stown,  where  he  had  Inn.- 
'Conferences  with  the  chiefs  of  the  Six  Nations  living  in  that  nei::!.- 
bourhood.l     Here  he  learned  the  position  of  the  French  upon  tl' 

•  Minutes  of  Treaty  at  Carliplc  in  Oct.  1753,  pp.  5  to  8. 
+  S]);irkK'  Waxhin^ton,  vol.  ii.  pp  32S-447. 

\  A  jiassago  of  WaKhington's  Diary  is  worth  extra'jting  as  showing  the  condition  of  li« 
Frriich,  in  the  Far  West  althat  time. 

'•^.")tli. — Came  to  town  four  of  ten  Fronchmen,  who  hnd  deserted  from  a  coinii.inya: 
tJio  Kuskiiskus,  which  lies  at  the  mouth  of  this  river.  I  got  the  foUowing  account  fror. 
tlii'iu  : — Tliey  were  iciit  from  New  Orleans  with  a  liundred  men  and  eight  canoe-loads u; 
provisKjiis  to  thi.s  place,  whore  they  expcctfd  to  have  met  the  same  number  of  men,  fruc 
tlie  f  irts  on  this  si'te  of  Lake  Erie,  to  convoy  them  and  the  stores  up,  who  were  :k! 
arrived  wlien  they  ran  off. 

"  I  inquired  into  t'  -  situation  of  the  French  on  the  Mississi|)pi,  their  numhers  anJ 
what  forts  they  lind  luiilt.  They  infiirmed  me,  tliat  there  were  four  Fiiiall  forts  lietwrr. 
New  Orleans  and  the  Ulack  Islands,  garrisoned  with  ahout  thirty  or  forty  men,  and  a  ft'« 
small  pieces  in  each.  That  at  New  Orleans,  which  is  near  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi, 
there  arc;  thirty-five  companies  of  forty  men  each,  with  a  pretty  stronir  fort  mounting  cii,'h; 
carriage-guns;  and  at  the  lllack  Isi.iiiils  there  are  several  companies  uiid  a  fort  witli  s;i 
guns.  The  Black  Islands  arc  about  a  hundred  and  thirty  leagues  above  the  nouth  oft';e 
Ohio,  which  is  about  tiiree  liundred  and  fitly  above  New  Orleans.  They  also  accpiaiatcii 
me,  that  tliere  was  a  small  palisailoed  fort  on  the  Ohio,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Obaish,  alim;; 
sixty  leagues  from  the  Mississippi.  The  Obaish  heads  near  the  western!  of  Lake  I'.ri'i 
and  allorii.s  the  eniiimiinicalioii  bi'twecn  the  Frcncli  on  the  Mississijipi  and  tliose  on  t.' 
lakes.  These  deserters  came  up  from  the  lower  Shaniioalitown  with  one  IJrowii,  "■ 
Indian  traJijr,  and  wore  going  to  Pliiladclfhia." 


Riviere  mix 
that  tliey  ha 
lowing  sprin 
not  keep  still 
and  that,  if  t 
divide  the  la 
tl.Teats,  and 
produced  tlu 
feared  to  me( 
would  not  CO 

The  truth 
Tluy  could  n 
with;  so  tha 
tliiy  were  wi; 
should)  the  \v 
been  equivale 

Findinuf  th; 
ington  left  T. 
amid  cold  nn( 
mouth  of  Frci 
loiind  the  Fn 
and  the  persii 
Indians,  even 
faith  concpierc 
and  creeks,  sii 
fort  at  the  he; 
Dinwiddle's  1 
aud  upon  the 
combat  every 
siitrgcst,"  in  c 
and  liipior,  ani 
king  and  his  c 
.iiid  smirks,  a 
comforts  also. 

From  Venai 
tht'ir  Indian  fri 
liardsliij)s  and 

•  Piiiii^'iss,  or  Shi 
Miidi  mischief. — S( 

t  A  c()rnipticiii  o 
'.Tt  lliire  was  c.illi. 


1753.        1753. 


Washins^ton  on  French  Creek 


'^ 


69 


isscd,  an: 
jes  to  th. 
*e  coming 
ilo  fnrk^-, 
men  coir.. 
hcin  \\\'\. 
mouth  i': 
anawa.''' 
the  Oil  in, 
h,  Ro1)t.' 
(1  to  their. 
10,  at  the 
nsc  previ- 

while  li': 
nr  such  ■. 
isliiiigtnn, 
le  time  c; 
igton  Ic' 
f  Novom- 
ten  milt- 
}  had  Ion: 
hat  neigh- 

upon  th- 


adition  of  th? 

company  a; 
iccount  frocj 

loo-loaiis '-; 
it'iiu!!!,  frur.  I 
lo  were  ;ic! 

itnl)t!rs  anJ 
>rt-i  liotncf; 
nnd  a  fi» 
IMississippi, 
)\inting  ci|;h! 
fort  with  s.i 
loulh  (M't'.e 
acijuaintoii 
mish,  al)ii!;'> 
Lake  I'.ru', 
.liosc  on  i.« 
Brown,  !■• 


Biricrcdux  Bcei/fs,  and  the  condition  of  their  forts.  IL^  lieard  also 
th;it  they  had  determined  not  to  come  down  the  river  till  thi'  fol- 
lowinf  s])ring,  hut  liad  warned  all  the  Indians,  that,  if  tin  y  dul 
not  keep  still,  the  whole  French  force  would  be  turned  upon  them; 
and  that,  if  Ihey  and  the  English  were  equally  strong,  they  would 
divide  the  land  between  them,  and  cut  olF  all  Uie  natives.  These 
tl.'reats,  and  the  mingled  kindness  and  severity  of  the  French,  had 
produced  the  desired  efTect.  Shingiss,  king  of  the  Delawares, 
fiared  to  meet  Washington,  and  the  Shannoah  (Shawanee)  chiefs 
would  not  come  either.* 

The  tiuth  was,  these  Indians  were  in  a  very  awkward  po'^ition. 
Tiny  could  not  resist  the  Europ(>ans,  and  knew  not  which  to  side 
with;  so  that  a  non-committal  policy  was  mucli  the  safest,  and 
tlicy  were  wise  not  to  return  by  Washington  (as  he  desired  they 
sliould)  the  wampum  received  from  the  French,  as  that  would  have 
been  (([uivalent  to  breaking  with  them. 

Finding  that  nothing  could  be  done  with  these  people,  Wash- 
ington left  Logstown  on  the  30th  of  November,  and,  travelling 
amid  cold  and  rain,  reached  Venango, :j:  an  old  Indian  town  at  the 
mouth  of  French  Creek,  on  the  4th  of  the  next  month.  Here  he 
found  the  French  ;  and  here,  through  the  rum,  and  the  Hattery, 
and  the  persuasions  of  his  enemies,  he  A'ery  n<'arly  lost  all  his 
Indians,  even  his  old  friend,  the  Half-king.  Pa<it'nce  and  good 
faith  conquered,  however,  and,  after  another  pull  through  mires 
and  creeks,  snow,  rain,  and  cold,  upon  the  Hth  he  reached  the 
fort  at  the  head  of  French  Creek.  Here  he  delivered  Governor 
Dinwiddle's  letter,  took  his  oliservations,  received  his  answer, 
aud  upon  the  16th  se<  out  upon  his  return  journey,  having  had  to 
fonibat  every  art  and  trick,  "which  the  most  fruitful  brain  could 
suggest,"  in  order  to  get  his  Indians  away  with  him.  Flattery, 
and  li(pior,  and  guns,  and  provision  were  showered  upr>n  the  Half- 
king  and  his  comrades,  while  Washington  himself  received  bows, 
find  smirks,  and  compliments,  and  a  plentiful  store  ofcreaturc- 
eoiiiforts  also. 

From  Venango,  Washington  and  Gist  went  on  foot,  leaving 
their  Intlian  friends  to  the  tender  Uicrcies  of  the  French.  Of  their 
liaidshijjs  and  tlangers  on  this  journey  out  and  back  we  need  only 

•  Siiin^iiss,  or  Shingask,  v,as  the  great  nclawarc  warrior  ofthut  day,  and  did  tlio  Dritisb 
riiicli  niiacliicf. — Sec  Ilcckowcldcr's  Narmlivi ,  p.  'II. 

t  A  corruption  of  Inimiiguli ;  (Day's  Hist.  Collections  of  Pa.  G3G,  note.)  The  French 
f.rt  ihtre  was  cilli'd  Vvtl  Macl.ault.     (MLiaoi'cs  sur  lu  Dtriuere  Guerre,  iii.  ISI.) 


60 


Preparations  against  the  French. 


1751 


to  say  that,  three  out  of  five  men  who  went  with  them  A\ere  to 
badly  frost  bitten  to  continue  the  journey.*     In  spile  of  all,  how- 
ever, they  reached  Will's  Creek,  on  the  Gth  of  January,  well  an. 
sfund.f     ])uring  the   absence  of  the  young  messenger,  steps  La; 
been  taken  to  fortify  and  settle   the   point  formed  by  the  juncllo: 
of  the  Monongahela  and  Alleghany;  vnd,  while  upon  his   reliiin, 
he  met  "seventeen  horses,  loaded  with  materials  and  stores  fori 
fort  at  the  Fork  of  the  Ohio,"  and,    soon    after,  "some    familie. 
gc'ng  out  to  settle."     These  steps  were  taken  by  the  Ohio   CV^. 
pany ;  but,  as  soo!i  as  Washington  returned  with  the  letter  of  .S' 
Pierre,  the   commander  on    French    Creek,   and  it  was  perfet  i. 
clear  that  neither  he  nor  his  superiors  meant  to  yield  the  Wt;- 
without  a  struggle.    Governor   Dinwiddle   wrote  to  the  Board  o 
Trade,   stating    that    the   French  were  building  another  fort  s 
Venango,  and  that  in  March  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  men  woul. 
be  ready  to  descend  the   river  with  their  Imlian   allies,  for  wh: 
pvu'posi,'  three  hundred  canoes  had  been  collected ;  and  that  Lop- 
town  was  then  to  be  made  head-ijuarters,  v/hile  forts  were  buill  i: 
various  other  positions,  and  the  whole  country  occupied.     IK  al- 
sent  expresses  to  the  Governors  of  Pennsylvania  and   New  Y,  ,^ 
calling    upon   them  for  assistance;  and,   with  the    advice  of  !i, 
council,  proceeded  to  enlist  two  companies,  one  of  vi.ich  m'^.;  ;  • 
be  raised  l)y  Washington,  the  other  by  Trent,  who  was  a  i).  itii:! 
man.     This  last  was  to  be  raised  upon  the   fron'icrs,  and   U      ro- 
ceed  at  once  to  the   Fork  of  tlie   Ohio,  there   to    co:  y',.!.;'   lii  '• 
best  manner,  and  as  soon  as  possible,  the  fort  bej.,un  by  the  Oiii 
Company;  and  in  case  of  attn-  ':,  nr  cny  attempt  to  resist  the  set- 
tlements, or  obstruct  the  works,  tiic"-;..  Myi-fing  were  to  be  taken, 
or  if  need  were,  killed. | 

While  Virginia  was  taking  these  suong  measures,  which  wert 
fully  authorizcil  by  the  letter  of  the  Earl  of  Iloldernesse,  Secretar) 
of  wState,||  written  in  the  previous  August,  and  which  directed  thtj 
Governors  of  the  various  provinces,  after  representing  to  thon 
who  were  invading  his  Majesty's  dominions  the  injustice  of  the 
act,  to  call  out  the  armed  force  of  the  province,  and   repel  fora 

•  Sparks'  Washington,  ii.  55. 

t  '"list's  Joiiruiil  of  this  Kxprdiiion  may  bo  found  iu  llio  Massacliusclts  Historical  Cu- 
!.r.-.,;jn<,  UwrJ  icnes,  vol.  v.  (1^3(5,)  101  to  108. 

;  Sparks'  IVunhinalon,  vol.  li.  pp.  1,  431, 41f).— Sparks'  FranhUn,yo\.  lii.  p.  "51. 

5  .'.j.iVi';.' '  Frunklin,  vol.  iii.  p.  '.'51,  where  the  letter  is  given. 


1754. 

by  force ;  wlj 
cussing  the  ql 
Majesty's  do] 
Assembly  on 
a  conference 
Board  of  Trail 
been  sent  outl 
natives  would 
occupancy  of 
were  sent  to 
recommend  tlj 
attend  this   gr 
York,  howevd 
than  her  neigl 
tlie  resisting  c 
It  was  now 
and  all  along 
the  wilderncs? 
the  watchwori 
of  soldiers,  th^ 
the  shrieks  of 
by  rum  and  so 
formed  about 
incuts  of  the  I: 
n-iinfully  haulc 
among  the   old 
young  wild  flo' 
(klphia,  mcair 
summoned  the 
Mu'  King  in  thi 
al)ovc  all  thine 
Assembly  debf 
money,  and  th( 
money  at  all, 
pounds,    and 
pounds;  and 
the  10th  of  Ai 

•  Sparks'  Fratik 

*  I'laiii  Facts,  p 
}  ^f'l^sdrhuniits 
[  Sj larks'  Fraiikl 


i 


1754. 

iNore  to'. 
all,  how. 
well  an. 
steps  li;i; 

jimctioL 
s  return, 
ores  for< 
fiinilie. 
lio  Coifr 
ter  of  S'. 

perfi'Ci/ 
the  ^Vli 

Board  o: 
.•r  fort  s 
en  woul, 
for  wli,  .. 
11  at  Loi^j- 
•e  built  ir. 
He  ixk 

ev;    Yi::\ 

ice  of  1  i 

k'h  was  a 

iv'  itii; 

{(  'm-i 
ii)  '-■ 

ic  Olii; 

the  set- 
|je  taken. 

eh  wen 
Secrctan 
•eted  the 

to  thost 
of  tht 


\ 


)e 


I   forot 


torical  Cu. 


1754.  J>'t'iy  York  conferring  with  the  Six  J\)itions.  61 

by  forfc ;  "vvhile  Virginia  was  thus  acting,  Pennsylvania  was  dis- 
cussiiif;  the  question,  whether  the  French  were  really  invading  his 
Majesty's  dominions,  —  the  Governor  being  on  one  side,  and  the 
Assembly  on  the  other,*  —  and  New  York  was  preparing  to  hold 
a  conference  with  the  Six  Nations,  in  obedience  to  orders  from  the 
Board  of  Trade,  written  in  September,  1753.  f  These  orders  had 
been  sent  out  in  consecjuence  of  the  report  in  England,  that  the 
natives  would  side  with  the  Fren'^'h,  because  dissatisfied  with  the 
occupancy  of  their  lands  by  the  English ;  and  simultaneous  orders 
were  sent  to  the  other  provinces,  directing  the  Governors  to 
recommend  their  Assemblies  to  send  Commissioners  to  Albany  to 
attend  this  grand  treaty,  which  was  to  heal  all  wounds.  New 
York,  however,  was  more  generous  when  called  on  by  Virginia, 
than  her  neighbor  on  the  south,  and  voted,  for  the  assistance  of 
tlie  resisting  colony,  five  thousand  pounds  currency.}: 

It  was  now  April,  1754.     The  fort  at  Venango  was  finished, 
and  all  along  the  line  of  French  Creek  troops  were  gathering;  and 
the  wilderness  echoed  the  strange  sounds  of  a  European  camp, — 
the  watchword,  the  command,   the  clang  of  muskets,  the   uproar 
of  soldiers,  the  cry  of  the   sutler;  and   with  these   were   mingled 
the  shrieks  of  drunken  Indians,  won  over  from  their  old  friendship 
by  rum  and  soft  words.     Scouts   were   abroad,   and  little   groups 
formed  about  the  tents  or  huts  of  the  officers,  to  learn  the  move- 
ments of  the  British.     Canoes  were   gathering,  and  cannon  were 
p'linfully  hauled  here  and  there.     All  was  movement  and  activity 
among  the   old   forests,  and   on  liill-sides,  covered    already  with 
young  wild  flowers,  from  Lake  Erie  to  the  Alleghany.     In  Phila- 
(1(  Ipliia,  meanwhile.  Governor  Hamilton,  in  no  amiable  mood,  had 
summoned  the  Assembly,  and  asked   them  if  they  meant  to  help 
♦lie  King  in  the  defence  of  his  dominions;  and  had  desired  them, 
above  all  things,  to  do  whatever  they  meant  to  do,  quickly.     The 
Assembly  debated,  and  resolved  to  aid  the    King  with  a   little 
money,  and  then  debated  again  and  voted  not  to  aid  him  with  any 
money  at  all,  for  some  would  not  give  less   than    ten  thousand 
pounds,    and    others    would    not   give   more  than   five  thousand 
pounds;  and   so,  nothing  being  practicable,  they  adjourned  upon 
the  10th  of  April  until  the  13th  of  IVIay.|| 

•  Sparks'  Fninkiin,  vol,  iii.  pp.  2.')4,  2G,1. 
+  77<7(/t  Facts,  pp.  -15,  40. — Sjiark!)'  Fnmlilin,  vol.  iii.  p.  2.03. 
\  Miinsdrhiinttts  Hisforiral  Colhctionn,  lirst  series,  vol.  vii.  j).  "3. 
[  Sj.arks'  Franklin,  vol.  iii.  pp.  «(i-l,  265. 


62 


WasJtinghn  appointed  Lieutenant  Colonel. 


1751 


In  New  York,  a  little,  ua6  on)}  <i  little  bette'"  spirit,  was  a' 
work ;  nor  was  this  strange,  as  lier  direct  interest  was  much  les« 
than  that  of  Pennsylvania.  Five  thousand  pounds  indeed  wa«. 
as  we  have  said,  voted  to  Virginia;  hut  the  AssemMy  (juestionti! 
the  invasion  of  his  ^hijesty's  dominions  by  the  Frencli,  and  it  wa> 
not  till  June  that  the  money  voted  Avas  sent  forward.* 

The  Old  Dominion,  how(\  er,  was  all  alive.  As,  under  tL 
provincial  law,  the  militia  could  not  be  called  forth  to  march  morp 
than  five  miles  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  colony,  and  as  it  wa* 
doubtful  if  the  Frencli  were  within  Virginia,  it  was  determined  \n 
rely  upon  volunteers.  Ten  thousand  pounds  had  been  voted  h 
Uie  Assembly;  so  the  two  comi)anies  were  now  increased  to  six, 
and  Washington  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel,  anl 
made  second  in  command  under  Joshua  Fry.  Ten  cannon,  latdv 
from  England,  were  forwarded  from  Alexandria ;  wagons  were  gn- 
ready  to  carry  westward  provisions  and  stores  through  the  hear, 
spring  roads ;  and  eveiy where  along  the  Potomac  men  were  cnlis'- 
ing  under  the  Governor's  proclamation,  which  promised  to  thost 
tliat  should  serve  in  that  war,  two  hundred  thousand  acres  of  lam! 
on  the  Ohio,  —  or,  already  enlisted,  were  gathering  into  grave 
knots,  or  marching  forward  to  the  field  of  action,  or  helping  on 
the  thirty  cannon  and  eighty  barrels  of  ^anpowder,  which  tin 
King  had  seal  out  for  the  western  forts.  Along  the  Potomac  tluv 
were  galhering,  as  far  as  to  Will's  crec^-';  and  far  beyond  Wiir> 
creek,  whither  Trent  had  come  for  assistance,  his  little  band  <'i 
forty-one  men  was  working  away,  in  hunger  and  want,  to  fortifv 
that  point  at  the  Fork  of  the  Ohio,  to  which  both  parties  wen 
looking  with  deep  interest.  The  first  birds  of  spring  filled  flu 
forests  with  their  soMg;  the  redbud  and  dogwood  were  here  and 
there  putting  forth  their  flowers  on  the  steep  Alleghany  hill-sides 
and  the  swift  river  below  swept  by,  swollen  by  the  melting  snowv 
and  April  showers;  a  few  Indian  scouts  were  seen,  but  no  cnemv 
seemed  near  at  hand ;  and  all  was  so  quiet,  that  Frazier,  an  old 
Indian  trader,  who  had  been  left  by  Trent  in  command  of  tli- 
new  fort,  ventured  to  his  home  at  the  mouth  of  Turtle  creek,  tin 
miles  up  the  Monongahela.  But,  though  all  was  so  quiet  in  that 
wilderness,  keen  eyes  had  seen  the  low  entrenchment  that  was 
rising  at  the  Fork,  and  swift  feet  had  borne  the  news  of  it  up  tin 
valley;  and,  upon  the  17th  of  Aj)ril,  Ensign  Ward,  who  then  luu; 
charge  of  it,  saw  u})on  the  Alleghan}  a  sighl    that  made  his  hear" 


1754.      ro 

.sink,  — slvt} 
and  laden  d 
to  surrender 
Die  act,  but 
a'lout  him,  s 
That  evenin 
bowed  ofl' 
marched  uj) 

•  Sparks'  Wa 
stated,  but  to  tl 
Virginia,  Hjicaks 
post  of  tlio  Oliio 
anil  nccoiuit!) 
Frciitli  droppid 
tliciii,  iliil  (Iroj)  iJo 
anil  tho  othnr  fir 
17,j-l,  at  Ibrt  Du  (, 
ol'  llrcut  Aleailow! 
tJnt  iiino. — (AiiK 
article  ia  Pioneer ; 


lii 


•  Muasachuaetla  Historical  Colkclioni,  first  scries,  vol.  vii,  pp,  7.',  73,  aud  uotc. 


4 

1751         1754.       Port  at  the  Fork  of  the  Ohio  taken  hj  the  French.  G3 


,  was  a: 

UK'h  IcS'i 

}P(1  \vn<, 

K'Stioilfil 

1(1  it  wa< 

indcr  ll.t 
rch  more 
as  it  was 
■mined  t^ 
voted  liy 
.'d  to  six. 
onel,  and 
on,  lati'K 
were  go' 
he  hcav;. 
;rc  ciilis'- 
.    to  tllOSc 

!S  of  lant! 
ito   grave 
.'Iping  on 
s-hich  the 
mac  tlu'v 
Will's 
band  of 
to  fortify 
ies  were 
illed  the 
it're  am! 
ill-sido'!, 
I'l"  snow^ 
o  enemy 
',  an  nil! 
V\  of  W 
reek,  ten  j 
t  in  tlial 
that  was 

t  up  till 

lien  hat! 


j^;,,]^^  —  sixty  batteaux  and  three  hundred  canoes,  fdled  with  men, 
and  laden  deep  with  cannon  and  stores.  The  fort  was  ealleil  on 
to  surrender;  by  the  advice  of  the  Half-king,  Ward  tried  (o  evade 
the  act,  but  it  would  not  do;  Contrecceur,  with  a  thousand  men 
about  him,  said  "Evacuate,"  and  the  ensign  dared  not  refuse. 
'fliat  evening  he  supped  with  his  captor,  and  the  next  day  was 
bowed  off  by  liu."  Frenchman,  and,  with  his  men  ami  tools, 
inarched  up  the  IMonongahela.     Froui  that  day  began  the  war.* 

•  Sparks'  Washington,  vol.  ii.  Thn  niimhor  of  French  troops  was  prolialily  ovcr- 
Btatcil,  but  to  tlic  captives  tluirc  bc;  met  u  round  thoimainl.  llurk,  in  hi.s  history  of 
Vir^Mni;i,  speaks  of  tlie  taking  i.f  Logstow.i  hy  tlic  Trench;  hut  Logstowii  was  nuver  u 
post  of  the  Ohio  roiTi[)any  na  he  represents  it,  as  is  plain  from  all  contenipurary  letters 
and  accounts.  Durk's  ignorance  of  Western  mutters  is  clear  in  this,  that  ho  says  the 
Frtnth  droppid  down  from  Fort  I>ii  liuesno  \>i  rrt'Ki|u'ile  and  Venango;  they,  or  part  of 
tlicni,  iliil  droj)  down  the  Ohio,  hut  surely  not  t(»  po!-t.<,  one  of  whieh  was  on  Lake  Kric, 
and  the  other  far  up  the  Alleghany  '  In  a  letter  from  Captain  Stoho,  written  in  July, 
17.>1,  at  fort  Du  Qucsne,  where  he  was  then  confined  as  hostage  under  the  capitul.tion 
of  tireat  Meadows,  he  8:>vs  tliero  were  hut  two  hundred  men  in  and  ahout  the  furt  at 
tint  lime. — (American  ^'loneer,  i.  23C. — For  plan  of  Forts  Du  Quesne  and  Pitt,  bco 
article  iu  Pioneer;  also,  Day's  Historical  Collections  of  Peunsylvunia,  77.) 


lis 


<  heart 


luotc. 


17.-)  1. 


WAR  OF  m  TO  176:]. 


Wfisliington  was  at  Will's  Creek,  (Cumberland,)  when  Ihc  newi 
of  the  .surrender  of  the  Fork  reached  him.  He  was  on  his  way 
across  the  mountains,  j)reparing  roads  for  the  King's  cannon,  aiii 
aiming  for  tlie  mouth  of  Red  Stone  Cieek,  (Brownsville,)  where  a 
store-house  had  been  already  built  Ijy  the  Ohio  Company;  by  tlit 
9th  of  May,  he  had  reached  Little  Meadows,  on  the  head  waUn 

f  a  branch  of  the  Youghiogany,  toiling  slowly,  painfully  forward, 
four,  three,  sometimes  only  two  miles  a  day!  —  All  the  while  frorj 
traders  and  others  he  heard  of  forces  coming  up  the  Ohio  to  re- 
infonM"  the  French  at  the  Fork,  and  of  spies  out  examining  tl.. 
valley  of  the  Monongahela,  flattering  and  bribing  the  Indiaii>, 
On  the  27th  of  May  he  was  at  Great  Meadows,  west  of  tliv 
Youghiogany,  near  the  Fort  of  Laurel  Hill,  close  by  the  spot  no'v 
known  as  IJraddock's  Grave.  He  had  heard  of  a  body  of  FreuiL 
somewhere  in  the  neighborhood,  and  on  the  27th,  his  fonm: 
guide,  Gist,  came  from  b.is  residence  beyond  Laurel  Hill,  near  \U 
head  (if  Ixed  Stone  Creelc,  and  gave  information  of  a  body  r. 
French  who  had  been  at  his  plantation  the  day  before.  Tlia: 
evening  from  his  old  friend  the  Half-king,  he  heard  again  of  ent- 
mies  in  In  •  vicinity.  Fearing  a  surprise  Washington  at  ouct 
started,  and  early  the  next  morning  attacked  the  party  referred!. 
by  the  Chief  of  the  L'ocpiois.  In  the  contest  tvn  of  the  Fri'iicl. 
were  killed,  including  M.  do  Jumonville  their  Commander;  of  tl;.. 
Americans  but  one  was  lost.  This  skirmish  France  saw  fit  t. 
regard  as  the  connnencement  of  the  war,  and  in  consequence  of .; 
report  madi;  by  M.  de  Contrec(nur,  to  the  Manpiis  Du  (iuesii', 
founded  upon  the  tales  told  by  certain  of  Jumonville's  men  wlij 
iiad  run  away  at  the  first  onset,  it  has  been  usual  with  French  wii- 
tt>rs  to  rei)resent  the  attack  by  Washington  as  imauthorized,  ;in.: 
the  party  assailed  by  him  as  a  party  sent  with  peaceable  inten- 
tions; and  this  impression  was  confirmed  b)  the  term  "assassina- 
tion   of  i\L   de  Jumonville,"  used   in  the  cajiitulation   of   Gn;;' 

Meadows  in  the  folhnving  July;  —  this  having  been  accepted  by 


Wasliiiigtoii 

natiu'ally  reu 

diaracltr  of 

(iiv  to  Was 

.  tills   matter 

f  European  w 

i-      ("rom   the 

*  made  to  mw 

their  forces 

at  Gist's  hou 

approachin'j: 

thought  best, 

retreat  to   d'l 

however,  the 

was   deemed 

the  troops,  w 

were  therefoi'( 

cujnslances,  w 

Americans  r<  a 

ol'  an  approac 

red    Im    numix 

hard  rain  ;  am 

ants  ccjised  u( 

ci'j'lit  the    Frer 

thetn  ;    Captaii 

muh'rstand  the 

ram])  of  the  at 

of  capitulation 

quarters  of  his 

it  proved,   froi 

capitulation  tht 

retire  with  ovei 

2Slh  were  to  b( 

no  works  wes 

aiicc  of  these  ( 

Captain  Stobo, 

'Ijii'  above  proi 

ntii,  liiird  jires: 

was  at  Will's  C 

*  This  liict  would 
j:iur.iiite  or  accidci 


1 


the  new; 

his  way 

mon,  ail! 

)  Nvheio  i 

ad  waters 
•  Ibrwurii, 
I'liilc  fron 
•hio  to  ic- 
lining  lL. 
;  Indians. 
?st    of  tilt 
spot  now 
bf  Frt'iul 
is  foniu: 
,  near  tLi 
body  ('. 
u.     TIk; 
m  of  (.'111- 
at   0111.1. 
li'fcrrcd  to 
Fi'i-iicl. 
r;  ofll.: 
iw    fit  tj 
•nee  ol' .; 
(iucsii'', 
[men  wh 
noli  wii- 
zed,  an.! 
le  intcii- 
ssassina- 
)f   r.na* 
ptcd  by 


17')l. 


Citpitiihition  of  Fori  AWcsslfj/. 


fin 


.) 


\Va>>liiiiu;ton  (to  in/ioin   flir   fmn    iras  J'u/sili/  translatcil^)    it    was 
natiiially  icgardi'd  as  an  arknoulcdgintn*  iiy  liini  of  tlio  improper 
rliaractcr  of  the  attack  of  May  "iSth.     Mr.  Sparlvs,  in  his  appen- 
dix til  Wa.shinglon's   papers,  vol.  ii.  pp.   1 17,  If)*),  has   discu.ssed 
tills  matttT  at    U-ngth,  and    fidl)    answered  the   aspersions  of  the 
European  writers;  to  his  work  wo   refer  our   readers. 
i      Croni  the  last  of  May  until  the   1st  of  July,  preparations  were 
made  to  meet  the   French  who  were   understood  to  he  gathering 
their  forces  in  the  West.     On  tho  2Sth  (if  June,  Washington  was 
at  Gist's  house,  and  new  reports  coming  in  that   the  enemy  wa.s 
approaching   in    force,  a  council  of  war  was    held,   and    it    was 
tliouglit  hest,    in    consecpience    of  the   scarcity    of  provisions,   to 
retreat  to   Great  Meadows,  and  even  farther  if  possihle.     When, 
Imwever,  the   retiring    body  of  T'rovincials   reached  that  ])ost,    it 
was   deemed    impossible  to   go  fartlu  r  in  the  exhausted  state  of 
tlir  troops,  who  bad  been  (.'ight   days  without   bread.     Measures 
were  therefore   taken  to   strengthen  the   fort,  which,  from  the  cir- 
cumstances, was  named  Fort  Necessity.     On  the  1st  of  Jidy,  the 
Amerii  ans  reached  their  position;  on  the  3d  the  alarm  was  given 
of  an  ajiproaching  enemy;  at    eleven   o'cloidc,  A.  M.,  nine  hund- 
red   ip    iiund)er,   they   commenced   the    attack  in  the   midst  of  a 
hard  rain  ;  and  from  that  time  till  eight  in  the  evening,  the  assail- 
ants ceased  not    to   pour  their  fire  upon  the  little  Ibrtress.      About 
oiLdit  the    French   recpiested    some  officer  to  be   sent   to  treat  with 
tlirin ;    Captain    Vanbraam,    the    only   person   who   pretended   to 
iiiulcrstand  the  language  of  the   enemy,  was   ordered  to  go  to  the 
rninp  of  the  attacking  party,  whence   he   returned  bringing  terms 
of  I  ajiitulation,    whicli,   l)y  a   flickering  candle,  in   the    dripj)ing 
quarters  of  his  commander,  he   translated  to   Washington,  and  as 
it  proved,  from   intention   or   ignorance,   mistranslated.     By  this 
capitulation  the  garrison  of  Fort   Necessity  were   to  have  leave  to 
retire  with  everything  but  thi'ir  artillery;  the  piisoiu'rs  taken  May 
2Slli  were  to  be  returned  ;  and  the  party  yielding  were  to  labor  on 
IK)  works   west   of  the  Mountains   fi)r   otic  year:   fi)r  the   observ- 
niice  of  these  conditions  Ca})t'iin  Van!)raam,  the  n<'gotiator,  and 
Captain  Stobo,  were  to  be  retained   by  the    French   as   sureties.* 
Till'  a1)ove  provisions  having  been  agreed  to,  Washington  and  his 
run,  hani  ]iressed  by  famine,  hastened  to  the  nearest  depot  which 
va.s  at  Will's  Creek.      \X  this  point,  immediately  afterwards,  Fort 

'  Tliis  (act  w  ouiil  seem  to  sliow  i!ui  Vaiibraum's  iiiistransiation  must  fiave  been  from 
s-'icururicc  or  accident. 


GCi 


Wiis/ilnislnii  ri'tirt's  lo  Mnitnl    Vcrnnn. 


it:  I 


riiiii1)(ilaii(]  was  creeled  under  tlic  <'liiu-!j:<'  of  (^>1'IM(•1  Tniie*>,  r 
North  ('iiinlijia,  \vli<»,  since  the  death  o\'  f'olonel  I'rv,  had  hct- 
CoMinianihT-in-Ch'u'f.  At  that  lime  there  were  in  service,  lst,tli, 
Virginia  militia;  2d,  the  Tndr])en(h'nt  CoiniJanies  of  Vir^Ini, 
South  Carolina,  and  New  York,  all  of  whom  were  paid  h)  \\,, 
Kin^';  'hi,  troops  raised  in  North  Carolina  and  jiaid  hy  the  Colonv 
and,  till,  recruits  from  Mar}land  ;  of  these  the  Niri^iniu  and  Snii'; 
Carolina  troops  alone  had  Ix  en  heyond  tiie  mountains. 

From  An<4iist   to  Octoher   little  apjx'ars  to  have  heen  clone,  In. 
in    the    latter   month   the    (lovernor    of  Viri^inia,  (Dinwiddie,)  - 
chanj^ed  the  military  or^^ani/ation  of  the  ('olony,  as  to  leave  ri' 
one  in  the  army  with  a  rank  ahove  that  of  Captain;  this  was  do: 
in  order  to  avoid  all  contests  as  to  jirecedence  anionijj  the   Ainc 
can   olhcers,    it   heinj^  clear    that   troops   from   various  I'rovim 
would  havi'  to  he  called  into  the  field,  and  that  tlie  dillerent  ('(u 
missions   irom    the   Crown,  and   the    Colonies,  would    <iive    lai; 
ojienings  for  rivalry  and    conllict  ;  hut   amon;^  the   results   of  li 
measiu'c   was   the   resi<j^nation   of    \Vashin<^ton,   who    for  a    tin. 
retired  to  Mount   Vernon.* 

ft   was  now  the   fall    of  IT.")-!.      In    Pennsylvania,   Aforris,  wl. 
had     succeeded     Ilamilfon,    was     husily    occupied    with    maki;. 
speeches  to  th(>  Assend)ly  and  listenins^  to  tlieir  stuhhorn  repliiv 
while  in  the  nortli  the  Kenneliec  was  fortified,  and    a    plan    talk 
oviv  for    attackin<i;    Crown    I'oint    on    Lake  Cliamplain   the   im 
spring;!  and  in  the    south    thinij;s   went  on  much  as  if  there  \\r 
no  war  coniinu;.      All  the   coloiiie-^   united    in  one   thin*,',  howcv'- 
in    callin<;   loudly  on   the   mother   country  for   help.      Dnrin;.^'  '! 
same  autumn  the   pleasant    Fi-enrhmen    wei'c   securini;  tlie    W' - 
step  hy  stc});  setllini;'  the  valley  of  the   Wahash,    <j;allantini^   wr 
the   Delawares,  and   ccxpietting   with  tiu-    Tro(piois,  who  still  li;!' 
anced    l)etween   them   and  tlie    E!i;j;1ish.      The    forests  of  the  OL; 
shed  thi'ir  leaves,  and  the  praiiies  lilled  the  sky  with  the  smoKr 
their  hnrnin<j;;  and  alon;^   tlie   t:;rea1    rivers,  and   on  the  lakes,  ;i:: 
amid  the   pathh  ss  woods  of  the    West,  no    Kurojiean    was   sti:. 
whose  tongue  spoke    other    hingiiage    than    that  of  France.    > 
closed   17r)4. 

The  next  year  open«'d  with   professions,  on    hoth    sides,  ol  '' 
most  peac(>ful    intentions,  and    ]ireparations  on  hoth   sides  to  |mi< 

*  Sparks'  Wiisliin'jtoii,  ii.  (M.  (17.  :iii(l  u'imk  r  illy,  llir  wlinic  vuliiiiic,  as  t'l  this  vm" 

t  Spark?'  Franklin,  vol.  iii.  p.  '282. 

I  Mafsarhuffit!'  Jlhtvrioil  >'"Viri'on^)  vol.  vii.  p.  sv, 


17.". 

the  W.U'  vIgO 

tiling  t"  llif  > 
f(i  (•Miiinii'«sio 
tliai,  llie  wes 
of  Clrecht. 
tlir  <.|d   Fiigli 
liiew  ground  < 
'  e;i-l  of  the 
olPi  r  was  loni 
on  the  7th  of 
forts  on  the    ( 
li;id  passed, 
going  on,  iiilii 
(lock,  willi  hi' 
tlir  -JOth  of  I' 
<'f  all  the  liiiK 
tlirre  was  will 
C  own   I'oint ; 
t:d\en,  in  ease 
l)een  done  tjia 
fitting  out,  aiK 
old  Kiigland  In 
heen  husy  \\\   J' 
<Ting  the  nnrea 
Were  smiling   ;' 
tliry  still  smile( 
til''    Atlantic ;  ; 
frjlnw  o(hcers  \ 
III  America  I 
<^nwn  I'oint,  P* 
Hi.'  -^Oih  of  Api 

Q'li'-^lie,  whillie 
America  looked 
Nrw  York  shoi 
<\i)fdition  for  ! 
<lnisetts  jnen,  j 
^vlli(■||    (ieiierid 


I'liiii    I'lirt.i.  p]p, 

■"  J^liiirks"    ll'as/iiiif, 
I   ^''.-s„i,j|ltU.     <;, 


1 


17: 1 

Tillies,  (• 

had  Im'i' 
,  Ist,tl, 
Vir^Iiii:- 
1(1  1.)  il. 
r  Coloii; 
11(1  Sou'': 

(lolic,  ll. 

(Idif,)  V 

ll'ilVC    I: 

was  (ji'i 
w  Aim: 
PiovilKv 
rent  ('(u:. 
^ivr  liii: 
Its  ot  1' 
r  a    till. 

orris,  wl. 
ll    inaki!. 
|»  replica 
an    talk 

tin"     III' 

here  \vi- 
howtV' 
irin;4  '1 
hv    \V(^i 
itiiitj;  wi" 

Nlill  Iv 
■  the  01.: 

sinolvc ' 

aki's,  ;i:'. 

vas  si'C. 
hiu'o.     ^ 

(■s,  ot  '' 

[s  to   p".' 

liis  w;" 


1 :.').'). 


Propnsrd  mmprnniisr  by  fhr  Frnirh. 


07 


till'  war vi^^oroiisly,     Kraiirc,  iti  January,  i)rnpos((l  to  restore  overy 

tliiii"- 1(>  tin-  state  it  was  in  licfort'  the  Ii-.^t  war,  and  to  nfcr  all  rliiiins 

to  cMiiiiiiissioncrs  at  Paris;  to  \vlii<  h  Hrilain,  upon  the  i2"2d,  replied 

tliiii,  llie  west  of  North  .\ineri<'a  must  he  hl't  as  il  was  at  the  treaty 

,it'  I  ireeht.     On  tlie   Gih  of  Kehniary,   France   made  ans\v«'r,  that 

tlir  eld  Kii^lisli  elaiiiis  in  Aiiieriea  were  uiitenahle;  and  oH'cud  a 

]\r\\  1,'ioiiiid  of  eoniproinisr.  nanu'l} ,  that  tlie  i'n^lish  shfnild  rdiro 

«a»t  (>r  the   Alle^haiiies,  and  the    Kreneh  west  of  tin*  Ojiio.     This 

(ilIl  r  was  |on<;  eonsidcred,  and  at  Ini'^rth  was  airrcrd  to  hi/  iCiiiifnnd 

on  the  7lh  of  Mandi,  proridvd  the   French  \V(»uId  destroy  all  their 

fiiiN  on  the    Ohio   and    iis   hranehes;  to  wiiich,  after   twenty  days 

li;id  passed,  FraiK'e  .-aid,  "No.'"*     While  all  this  nci^oliation  was 

".goin;,^  on,  other  t|iin<^s  also  jiad  hecn  in   motion.     (leneral   Prad- 

'<]nck,  with  his  ifallant  troops,  had  crossed  the   Atlantic,  and,  upon 

till'  OOth  of  Feltrnary,  had  landed  in  Virginia,  cftmmander-in-chief 

of  all  the  land  forces  in  America;  and  in  the   north  all    this  while 

till  re  was  whispering  of,  and  enlisting  for,  the  p!()|)osed  attack  on 

('  own   Point ;  and  even   Niai;ara,  far  oil'  h^  the    I''alK,  was  to  he 

t;iKeii,  in  case  nothinj^'  prevented.    In  I'rance,  too,  other  work  liad 

hiTii  done  than  ne'^otiation  ;   for  at  Iht-sl  and    Kochelle  ships  were 

fittin<(  out,  and  troops  i^alherint;,  and   store-   croudini,'  in.      Kven 

old  Fni^land  Ik  iMlf  had   not    hecn  all   asleep,  and    |}oscawen  had 

heen  hiisy  at  Plymouth,  liurryinLC  on  the  sl(»w  workmen,  and   <rath- 

<iitiL;  the  unready  sailors.  |     In  March  the  two  Kiiropean  nei;..;hl»ors 

urir  .>ii)ilinn   and    doini^  their  hesi  to  (piiet  all    trouhles;  in    .\pril 

til'}  still  smiled,  hut  the  lleets  of  hoth  were   crowdini^  sail   ai-ross 

(lie    Atlantic;  and,  in    Alexandria,    Praddock,   S|iiile\,  and    their 

fcll'iw  olllcers  were  takiiiLj  counsel  as  to  the  summer's  c;!inpaiu;n. 

Ill  .\merica  four  jioints  were  to  he  attacked;   Fort   l)ii   (^ucsiie, 

CriiWM  Point,  NiaLjara,  and  the  French  jiosts  in  Nova  Scotia.      On 

llic  -Odi  el'  April,    P.'addock  left    .Mcvandria   to   march    upon    |)ii 

Qil(-<Iie,  whither  he  was    evpressly  or(l(  re(l,  thou;;!!    the  dflicers    in 

America  hudvcd  iijion  it  as  a   mistaken  movemenl,  as  they  tJioiMj-ht 

Nrw  York    sh(»uld  he  tlie  main  jioiiit    tor  re'.ndar  operations.      The 

< Ajiidition  for  Nova  Scotia,  consistini;   of  three   tli(ni,sand   IMassa- 

cliiist'tts    men,  left    Boston  on  the   wOth   of  .May;   while   the  troops 

\v|ii('li    (Jeiieral    Shirley    was    to    lead    a'j;ains!    Nia'j;ara,  and   the 

ririn  I'dils,  i>|i.  'll,  '>2. — ,S, (■/•./  Jitiiniiilsy  Mil.    v.  j).  71. 

'  S|iurk-"    Wiis/iiiiffltiii,  \i>\.  il.  [1.  I'l^. — MtisMuliuiiit'f  Jlisluncul  t'oZ/n  0'o«.-;  \ul.  \ii. 
1    "'(-^muMtU.     Cor-,    II.  i:li;.j      i  .\. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


33  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4503 


68 


Braddodc' s  Defeat. 


17; 


1755. 


provincials  wliicli  Williaui  Johnson  \vas  to  head   in  the   attar;, 
u])on  Crown  Point,  slowly  collected  at  Alban). 

May  and  June  passed  away,  and  mid-suniiner  drew  nigh.     Tl, 
i'earfid  and  desponding  colonists  waited  anxiously  lor  news;  ana 
when  the  news  came  that  Nova  Scotia  had  been   conquered,  aii. 
that  Boscawen  had  taken  two  of  the  French  men  ol"  war,  and  la, 
before  Lewisburg,  hope  and  joy  spread  everywhere.     July  passu. 
away,  too,  and  men  heard  how  slowly   and   painfully    Braddoa 
made  progress  through  the   wilderness,  how  his   contractors  cl 
ceived  him,  and  the  colonies   gave  little  help,  and  neither  hoisi 
nor  wagons  could  be  had,  and   oidy  one   Benjamin   Franklin  st;. 
any  aid ;  *  and  then  reports  came  that  he  had  been  forced  to  leav, 
many  of  his  troops,  and  much  of  his  baggage  and  artillery,  behiii. 
him ;  and  then,  about  the  middle   of  the  month,  through  Virgiiii 
there  went  a  whisper,  that  the   great  general  had   beeii  defeati 
and  wholly  cut  off;  and,  as  man  after  man  rode  down  the  Po;  • 
mac  conhrming  it,  the   planters   hastily  mounted,  and  were  off: 
consult  with  their  neighbors ;  the   country  i:urned  out ;  companii 
were  formed  to  march  to  the  frontiers;  sermons  were  preachiL. 
and  every  heart  and  every  mouth  was  full.     In  Pennsylvania  il. 
Assembly  were    called  together  to  hear  the    "shocking  news; 
and  in  New  York  it  struck  terror  into  those  who  were  there  gati 
ered  to  attack  the  northern  posts.     Soldiers  deserted ;  the  bateauv 
men   dispersed ;  and  when  at  length    Shirley,  since    Braddock 
death  the    commander-in-chief,   managed   with    infinite   labor  ' 
reach  Oswego  on   Lake  Ontario,  it  was  too  late  and  stormy,  a:. 
his  force  too  feeble,  to  allow  him  to  more  than  garrison  that  puli; 
and  march  back  to  Albany  again. f     Johnson  did   better;  for  1. 
met  and  defeated  Baron  Dieskau  upon  the  banks  of  Lake  Geor;:' 
tliough  Crown  Point  was  not  taken,  nor  even  attacked. 

But  we  must  turn  back  for  a  moment  to  describe   particula: 
the  events  of  Braddock's  famous  defeat,  coimected  as   it  is  wl 
the  history  of  the  West ;  and  we  cannot  do  it  more  perfectly  tL. 
in  the  words  of  AL\   Sparks   in   his  appendix  to  the  writings 
Washington. 

The  defeat  of  General  Braddock,  on  the  banks  of  the  Monongalic!- 
is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  events  in  American  history,  (ire- 
preparations  had  been  made  for  die  expedition,  under  that  experienc. 

*  Sparks'  Washintxton,  vol.  ii.p.77,  &c. — Sparks'  FranMin,\n\.  vii.  p.  94,  &c. 

t  For  a  full  account  of  Sliirlej's  Expciiition,  see  the  paper  in  Mussadiugetts  i/iJ" 
cal  Collections,  vol.  vii. 


officer,  and  t 
antl   Amcricp 
prowess  of  T\ 
was  on  Ins  rr 
about    in   Pli 
bonfires  and  i 
fioneral  Bi 
with  two  rcgi 
and    fortv-oirr 
commanded  1 
To  those  wen 
and  provision 
and  the  troop 
marched  for  ' 
May,     It  took 
Will's  Crock, 
plained  of  the 
of  the  people, 
and  the  faithh 
together  at  Wi; 
two  thousand 
the  royal  refrin 
In  this  number 
panics  from   ? 
Oates,  afterwai 
sailors  had   als 
who  commandf 
At  this  post 
have   moved,  } 
Franklin,  amo 
wagons  t")  trans 
The  details  o 
letters.     The  f 
division,  under 
besides  officers 
rear,  to  proceed 
arrived  with   hi 
junction  of  the 
Colonel  Washii 
recovered  from  r 
111!'  remaining  bf 
P^f  f'pirits,  and 
Hours  victorious 
The  steep  an 


a 


11  c 


^ 


I  IkJ.I 

ic   attar :. 

gh.     TL. 
:\V5>;  anu 
leied,  air. 
r,  and  hr, 
ily  passt. 
Bradduir, 
actors  cl- 
icr  horsi. 
nklin  si: 
;d  to  leav 
ry,  belihi. 
;h  Virgin: 
[\  defeati 

the  Po'  ■ 

were  off " 

compaiu- 

preaelii . 
ylvania  ;1. 
ig  news: 
there  gati' 
le  bateaux 
Braddoik 
e  labor  ' 
lormy,  ai. 

that  polii' 

ter;  lor  1. 

ce  Geori;' 

particula; 
it  is  wr. 
rfectly  tl.. 
\Yritiugs 

onongalicl 

Lory.     Cire. 

experienc. 

.  91,  &c. 

USttlS    llti'' 


1755. 


Brad  (Jock'' s  March. 


69 


oiTioor,  and  there  was  thn  most  saniriiine  anticipation,  both  in  Ensrland 
and  America,  of  its  rntiro  success.  Such  was  the  cf)nfidcr:cc  in  the 
Tirowcss  of  Braddock's  army,  according  to  Dr.  Franklin,  that,  while  he 
was  on  his  march  to  Fort  Dnqnesnc,  a  subscription  pappr  was  handed 
about  in  Philadelphia,  to  raise  money  to  celebrate  his  victory  by 
bonfires  and  illuminations,  as  soon  as  the  intellitrence  should  arrive. 

General  T3raddock  landed  in  Virginia  on  the  20th  of  February,  175.5, 
with  two  regiments  of  the  British  army  from  Ireland,  the  forty-fourth 
and  forty-eighth,  each  consisting  of  five  hundred  men,  one  of  them 
commanded  by  Sir  Peter  Halket,  and  the  other  by  Colonel  Dunbar. 
To  these  were  joined  a  suitable  train  of  artillery,  with  military  supplies 
and  provisions.  The  General's  first  head-quarters  were  at  Alexandria, 
and  the  troops  were  stationed  in  that  place  and  its  vicinity,  till  they 
marched  for  Will's  Creek,  where  they  arrived  about  the  middle  of 
Mav.  It  took  four  weeks  to  effect  that  march.  In  letters  written  at 
Will's  Crock,  General  Praddock,  with  much  severity  of  censure,  com- 
plained of  the  lukewarmness  of  the  colonial  governments  and  tardiness 
of  the  people,  in  facilitating  his  enterprise,  the  dishonesty  of  agents 
and  the  faithlessness  of  contractors.  The  forces  which  he  brought 
together  at  Will's  Creek,  however,  amounted  to  somewhat  more  Uian 
two  thousand  effective  men,  of  whom  about  one  thousand  belonged  to 
the  royal  regiments,  and  the  remainder  were  furnished  by  the  colonies. 
In  this  number  were  embraced  the  fragments  of  two  independent  com- 
panies from  New  York,  one  of  which  was  commanded  by  Captain 
Gates,  afterwards  a  Major-General  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Thirty 
sailors  had  also  been  granted  for  the  expedition  by  Admiral  Keppel, 
who  commanded  the  squadron  that  brought  over  the  two  regiments. 

At  this  post  the  army  was  detained  three  weeks,  nor  could  it  then 
have  moved,  had  it  not  been  for  the  energetic  personal  services  of 
Franklin,  among  the  Pennsylvania  farmers,  in  procuring  horses  and 
wagons  t")  transport  the  artillery,  provisions  and  baggage. 

The  details  of  the  march  are  well  described  in  Colonel  Washington's 
letters.  The  army  was  separated  into  two  divisions.  The  advanced 
division,  under  General  Braddock,  consisted  of  twelve  hundred  men 
besides  officers.  The  other,  under  Colonel  Dunbar,  was  left  in  the 
rear,  to  proceed  by  slower  marches.  On  the  8lh  of  July,  the  General 
arrived  with  his  division,  all  in  excellent  health  and  spirits,  at  the 
junction  of  the  Youghiogany  and  Monongahela  rivers.  At  this  place 
Colonel  Washington  joined  the  advanced  division,  being  but  partially 
recovered  frotn  a  severe  attack  of  fever,  which  had  been  the  cause  of 
lii;  remaining  behind.  The  oflicers  and  soldiers  were  now  in  the  high- 
€!=t  spirits,  and  firm  in  the  conviction,  that  they  should  within  a  few 
hours  victoriously  enter  the  walls  of  Fort  Du  Quesne. 

The  steep  and  rugged  grounds,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Monongahela 


70 


Braddock  attacked. 


n 


(DO 


prevented  the  urniy  from  niarclung  in  thai  direction,  and  it  was  uuct.v 
sary  in  approaching  the  fort,  uow  about  filU'(;n  miles  distant,  to  ford  tli- 
river  twice,  and  marcli  part  uf  tliu  way  on  the  south  side.  Early  o;. 
the  morning  of  the  9lh,  all  things  were  in  readiness,  and  the  whu'. 
train  passed  through  the  river  a  little  below  the  moutli  of  the  Yougliio. 
gany,  and  proceeded  in  perfect  order  along  the  southern  margin  of  iL; 
JMunongahcla. 

Washington  was  often  licard  to  say  during  his  lifetime,  that  the  mo- 
beautiful  spectacle  he  had  ever  beheld  was  the  display  of  the  IJrili-.. 
troops  on  this  eventful  morning.  Every  man  was  neatly  dressed  in  fi„: 
uniform,  the  soldiers  were  arranged  in  columns  and  marched  in  cxnr 
order,  the  sun  gleamed  from  their  burnished  arms,  tlie  river  flowu 
tranquilly  on  their  right,  and  the  deep  forest  overshadowed  them  wi:'. 
solemn  grandeur  on  their  left.  Oflicers  and  men  were  etpially  inspln. 
witii  cheering  hopes  and  confident  anticipations. 

In  this  manner  they  marched  furward  till  about  noon,  wlien  tlu; 
arrived  at  the  second  crossing-place,  ten  miles  from  Fort  Du  Quesiie 
They  halted  but  a  little  time,  and  then  began  to  ford  the  river  an! 
regain  its  northern  bank.  As  soon  as  they  had  crossed,  they  can\i. 
upon  a  level  plain,  elevated  but  a  few  feet  above  tlic  surface  of  iL 
river,  and  extending  northward  nearly  half  a  mile  from  its  margii,, 
Then  commenced  a  gradual  ascent  at  an  angle  of  about  three  degVLC-, 
which  terminated  in  hills  of  a  considerable  height  at  no  great  distaiie 
beyond.  The  road  from  the  fordhig  place  to  Fort  [Du  Qucsne,  k. 
across  the  plain  and  up  this  ascent,  and  thence  proceeded  through  a., 
uneven  country,  at  that  time  covered  with  woods. 

By  the  order  of  march,  a  body  of  three  hundred  men,  under  Colom. 
Gage,  afterward  General  Gage  of  Boston  memory,  made  the  advance! 
party,  which  was  immediately  followed  by  another  of  two   hundrcil. 
Next  came  the  General  with  the  columns  of  artillery,  the  main  bodyd 
the  army,  and  the  baggage.     At  one  o'clock  the  whole  had  p[.ssed  lliii 
river,  and  almost  at  this  moment  a  sharp  tiring  was  heard  upon  tbl 
advanced  parties,  who  were  now  ascending  the  hill,  and  had  got  for 
ward  about  a   hundred  yards   from  tlic  termination    of  the  plain.    .1 
heavy  discharge  of  musketry  was  poured  in  upon  their  front,  which  wn-; 
the  first  intelligence   they  had  of  the  proximity  of  an  enemy,  and  thi;; 
was  suddenly  followed  by  another  on  their  right  flank.     They  wer: 
filled  with  great  consternation,  as  no  enemy  was  in  sight,  and  the  firiii: 
seemed  to  proceed  from  an  invisible  foe.     They  tired  in   their  tin:.. 
however,  but  quite  at  random,  and  obviously   without  effect,   as  lb 
enemy  kept  up  a  discharge  in  quick,  continued  succession. 

The  General  advanced  speedily  to  the  relief  of  these  delachmciii; 
but  before  he  could  reacli  the  spot  which  they  occupied,  th'jy  gave  wj; 
and  fell  back  upon  the  artillery  and  the  other  columns  cf  the  arur 


175;'). 

cau'  iiiL,^  exirc 
pani.-,  that  n 
tlie  ()IIiL'cr.s  b 
rail}-  /he  men 
tiu'v    coiilinu' 
bodies,  firing 
and  doing  no 
cials  were  the 
behaved  witii 
adopted  tlie  Ii 
tree.     This  w 
men  into  ])latc 
plains  of  Flan 
the  ravines  an 
of  musketry,  i 
duciiig  a  earn: 
3Iore  than  hal 
proud  an  arraj 
General  hiins( 
oflicers  had  fa 
In  describing 
to  the  (JoveriK 
to  the  cxhortt'i 
in  the  most  in 
leaving  to  tlie  ( 
nor  could  the} 
plantation,  nor 
Colonel  Dunb 
were  absolute 
limes   in    bodi 
engage  the  so 
had  five  horse 
his  right  arm  i 
tary  Shirley   w 
Colonel  Wash 
shot  throuidi 
greatest  coura^ 
spot.     Colonel 
addition  to    tlu 
Colonel   Gaije, 
Britisli  forces  i 
Onnc,  M^jor  j; 
killeJ,  and  twe 
'-ngagenient  wa 


Iff  -  ■ 


0 


1755. 


BniiJdock  nilled. 


71 


as  nui'fc;- 
>  ford  ilu 
Early  o;. 
h(3  wliu'. 
Yoiiyliic- 
;"m  of  iL: 

,  tlie  1110- 
ic  Bril'h'.. 
sed  in  fii" 
in  exjf: 
or  flowu 
ill  cm  M'i'.:, 
y  inspiiL 

vlien  l!u; 
u  Quet-iie 
river  ii:;l 
llicy  eaiii. 
'ai;c  of  iL. 
ts   niurgli,. 
;;e  dcgi'ii;,, 
lal  dislaii. 
ucsne,  li. 
.lirougli  a.. 

er  Coloiit. 
e  advaiicJ. 

hundrtl 

liii  body 

p£,ssed  ill 

d  upon  l':.: 

ad  got  fo!- 

plain.  A 
which  wi: 
y,  and  th.; 
They  wcr: 
id  the  llriiuj 

their  lur...i 
eel,   as  u- 

tachmcnu 

y  gave  Wi; 

the  anii: 


caU'iiiLj  cxlrc  me  confiisiion,  and  slriUiiig  the  wliole  mass  with  such  u 
paiiif,  that  no  order  could  afterwards  be  restored.  The  General  and 
the  tillicer.s  behaved  witl.  t!ic  utmost  courage,  and  used  every  edbrt  to 
rall'v  'lit:  inca,  and  bring  them  to  order,  but  all  in  vain.  In  ibis  stale 
iIk'\  continued  nearly  lliice  hours,  luuldling  togtiher  in  confused 
bodies,  firing  irregularly,  shooting  down  their  own  olhcers  and  men, 
and  doing  no  perceptible  harm  to  the  eiiciuy.  The  Virginia  proviu- 
cials  were  the  only  troops  who  seemed  to  retain  their  senses,  and  tliey 
behaved  with  a  bravery  and  resolution  worthy  of  a  better  fate.  'J'liey 
adopted  the  Indian  mode,  and  fought  eacli  man  for  himself  behind  a 
tree.  Tliis  was  prohibited  by  the  General,  who  cndci-ivorcd  to  form  his 
men  into  platoons  and  columns,  as  if  they  had  been  manoeuvring  on  the 
plains  of  Flanders.  Meantime  the  Fiench  and  Indians,  concealed  in 
the  ravines  and  behind  trees,  kept  up  a  deadly  and  uiueasing  discharge 
of  musketry,  singling  out  their  objects,  taking  deliberate  aim,  and  pro- 
ducing a  carnage  almost  unparalleled  in  the  annals  of  modern  warfare. 
3Iore  tiian  half  of  the  whole  army,  which  liad  crossed  the  river  in  so 
proud  an  array,  only  three  hours  before,  were  killed  or  wounded  ;  the 
General  himself  had  received  a  mortal  wound,  and  many  of  his  best 
ofliiters  had  fallen  by  his  side. 

In  describing  the  action  a  few  days  afterwards,  Colonel  Ornie  wrote 
to  the  (Joveriior  of  Pennsylvania  : — "  The  men  were  so  extremely  deaf 
to  the  exhorttitions  of  the  General  and  the  oflicers,  that  they  fired  away 
in  the  most  irregular   manne>'  all  their  ammunition,  and   then   ran   off, 
leaving  to  the  enemy  the  artillery,  ammunition,  provision  and  baggage ; 
nor  could  they  be  persuaded  to  stop  till  they  had  got  us   far  a?   (Jist's 
plantation,  nor  there  only  in  part,  many  of  them  proceeding  as  far  as 
Colonel  Dunbar's  party,  who  lay  six  miles  on   this  side.     The  oflicers 
were  absolutely    sacrificed   by  their   good  behavior,   advancing   some- 
times  in    bodies,   sometimes   separately,    hoping   by   such  example  to 
engage  tlic  soldiers  to  follow   them,  but  to  no   purpose.     The  General 
had  five  horses  shot   under  him,  and  at  last  received  a  wound  through 
his  right  arm  into  his  lungs,  of  which  he  died  the  13ih  instant.     Secre- 
tary Shirley  was  shot  through  the   head  ;   Captain  Morris,  wounded, 
Colonel  Washington  had   two  horses  shot  under  him,  and  his   clothes 
shot  through    in   several   places,   behaving   the  whole   time   with   the 
greatest  courage  and  resolution.     Sir  Pcier  Ilalket  was  killed  upon  the 
spot.     Colonel   Burton   and  Sir  John    St.   Clair  were  wounded."     In 
addition  to    these   the  other   field   ofTicers  wounded   were  Lieutenant- 
Colonel   Gage,  (afterwards  so  well  known   as   the  commander  of  tlie 
British  forces  in  Boston,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution,)  Colonel 
Orinc,  Mcijor  Gparks,  and  Brigade  Major  Ilalket.     Ten  captains  were 
killed,  and  twenty-two  wounded;    the  whole  number  of  olTicers  in   the 
ongiigenieut  was  eighty-six,  of  whom  twenty-six  were  killed,  and  thirty- 


1 


72 


.Account  nf  Braddnck^s  D(fe(i(. 


1 


/oj, 


seven  woundet].  The  killed  uiul  wounded  of  the  privates  amounted  to 
seven  liiHidrcd  and  fourteen.  Of  tlirse  at  ivast  one  Iialf  were  supposed 
t(  be  killed.  Their  bodies  left  on  the  field  of  action,  were  stripped  and 
scalped  by  the  Indians.  All  tic  artillery,  amnuinition,  provisions,  and 
baggage,  every  thing  in  the  train  of  the  army,  fell  into  the  enemy's 
liands,  and  were  given  up  to  be  pillaged  by  the  savages.  Genera! 
Braddock's  papers  were  also  taken,  among  which  were  his  instruction? 
and  correspondence  with  the  ministry  after  his  arrival  in  Virginia. 
The  same  fate  befell  the  papers  of  Colonel  Washington,  including  a 
private  journal  and  his  ofhcial  correspondence,  during  his  campaign  oi 
the  preceding  year. 

No  circumstantial  account  of  this  a(Tair  has  ever  been  published  by 
the  French,  nor  has  it  hitherto  been  known  from  any  authentic  source, 
what  numbers  were  engaged  on  their  side.  Washington  conjectured, 
as  slated  in  his  letters,  that  tVierc  were  no  more  than  tlirec  hundred,  and 
Dr.  Franklin,  in  an  account  of  tlie  battle,  con.siders  them  at  most  as  no; 
exceeding  four  hundred.  The  truth  is,  there  was  no  accurate  informa- 
tion on  the  subject,  and  WTilers  have  been  obliged  to  rely  on  conjecture, 
In  the  archives  of  the  Jfar  Department,  at  Paris,  I  found  three  sepa- 
rate narratives  of  this  event  written  at  the  time,  all  brief  and  imperfect, 
but  one  of  them  apparently  drawn  up  by  a  person  on  the  spot.  FroiE 
these  I  have  collected  the  following  particulars : 

M.  de  Contrcc(eur,  the  commandant  of  Fort  Du  Quosne,  received 
early  intelligence  of  the  arrival  of  General  Braddock  and  the  British 
regiments  in  Virginia.  After  his  removal  from  W^ill's  Creek,  Frencii 
and  Indian  scouts  were  constantly  abroad,  who  watched  his  motions, 
reported  the  progress  of  his  march,  and  the  route  he  was  pursuing. 
His  army  was  represented  to  consist  of  three  thousand  men.  M.  de 
Contrecfcur  was  hesitating  what  measures  to  take,  believing  his  small 
force  wholly  inadequate  to  encounter  so  formidable  an  enemy,  when 
M.  de  Beuujeu,  a  Captain  in  the  French  service,  proposed  to  head  a 
detachment  of  French  and  Indians,  and  meet  the  enemy  in  their  marcli. 
The  consent  of  the  Indians  was  first  obtained.  A  large  body  of  them 
was  then  encamped  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Fort,  and  M.  de  Beaujeu 
opened  to  them  his  plan,  and  requested  their  aid.  This  they  at  liist 
declined,  giving  as  a  reason  the  superior  force  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
impossibility  of  success.  But  at  the  pressing  solicitation  of  M.  de 
Beaujeu,  they  agreed  to  hold  a  council  on  the  subject,  and  talk  with 
him  again  the  next  morning.  They  still  adhered  to  their  first  decision, 
and  when  M.  de  Beaujeu  went  out  among  tliem  to  inquire  the  result  o! 
their  deliberation,  they  told  him  a  second  time  they  could  not  go.  This 
was  a  severe  disappointment  to  M.  de  Beaujeu,  who  had  set  his  heart 
upon  the  enterprise,  and  was  resolved  to  prosecute  it.  Being  a  man  of 
great  good  nature,  affability,  and   ardor,   and   much  beloved   by  the 


1  100. 

savnges,   he  s: 
enemy.     Wlia 
we  shall  coriji! 
that  pifased  lii 
their  unwilling 
It  was  now 
within  six  leag 
making  prepar; 
other  Captains 
and  also  four  I 
ing  of  the  9th 
early  hour.     It 
at  the  ford,  anc 
retreat  to  the  ai 
ally  commence! 
opportunity  to  < 
the  artillery  cot 
was  protected 
exposed    to  a  j 
happened,  howi 
10  execute  this 
The  English 
Indians  rcache( 
themselves,  and 
This  was  the  s 
and  repelled  by 
believed  it  proci 
and  retreat.     A 
raand  devolving 
rallying  the  Ind 
and  attack    the 
would  maintain 
and  the  attack 
contested  for  a 
method,  firing  a 
the  Indians  fire( 
shot  brought  do 
fusion;    the  yel 
struck  terror  int 
flight,   and  resis 
degree  of  order 
of  battle  was  lef 
•cry,  animunitioi 


17 


00, 


1755. 


Attack  on  Brtiddock 


73 


untcd  to 

)pcd  unJ 
3ns,  and 
enemy's 
Genera! 
truction? 
V'irginia, 
111  (ling  a 
ipaign  01 

lishcd  by 
c  source, 
ijccturcd, 
dred,  and 
Dst  as  no; 
I  infonin- 
jnjeclure. 
ree  sepa- 
imperfect, 
t.     Froii 

received 
.e  British 

Frencii 
motions, 
nirsuing. 
M.  de 
lis  small 


ly. 


when 


D 


lo  head  a 
ir  march. 
f  of  them 

Beaiijeu 
ey  at  first 
r,  and  the 

f  M.  de 
talk   with 

decision, 

result  ol 
£To.    This 

his  hear! 

;i  man  ol 

d   by  the 


savntrps,  lie  said  to  them,  "  I  am  determined  to  go  out  and  meet  tlic 
encinv.  What!  will  you  suffer  your  father  to  go  out  alone?  I  am  sure 
wc  sliall  corquor."  With  this  spirited  harangue,  delivered  in  a  manner 
that  pleased  the  Indians,  and  won  upon  their  confidence,  he  subdued 
tlieir  unwillingness,  and  they  agreed  to  accompany  him. 

It  was  now  the  7th  of  July,  and  news  came  that  the  English  were 
within  six  leagues  of  the  Fort.  Tliis  day  and  the  next  were  spent  "n 
making  preparations,  and  reconnoitering  the  ground  for  utiack.  Two 
oilier  Captains,  Dumas  and  Liquery  were  joined  with  M.  de  Ilcaujeu, 
and  also  four  Lieutenants,  six  Ensigns  and  two  Cadets.  On  the  morn- 
ing of  the  9th  they  were  all  in  readiness,  and  began  their  march  at  an 
early  hour.  It  seems  to  have  been  their  first  intention  to  make  a  stand 
at  the  ford,  and  annoy  the  English  while  crossing  the  river,  and  liien 
retreat  to  the  ambuscade  on  the  side  of  the  hill  where  the  contest  actu- 
ally commenced.  The  trees  on  the  bank  of  the  river  afforded  a  good 
opportunity  to  effect  this  measure,  in  the  Indian  mode  of  warfare,  since 
the  artillery  could  be  of  little  avail  against  an  enemy,  where  every  man 
was  pi-olected  by  a  tree,  and  at  the  same  time  the  English  would  be 
exposed  to  a  point  blank  musket  shot  in  fording  the  river.  As  it 
happened,  however,  M.  de  Beaujeu  and  his  party  did  not  arrive  in  time 
to  execute  this  part  of  the  plan. 

The  English  were  preparing  to  cross  the  river,  when  the  French  and 
Indians  reached  the  defiles  on  the  rising  ground,  where  they  posted 
themselves,  and  waited  until  Braddock's  advanced  columns  came  up. 
This  was  the  signal  for  the  attack,  which  was  made  at  first  in  front, 
and  repelled  by  so  heavy  a  discharge  from  the  British,  that  the  Indians 
believed  it  proceeded  from  artillery,  and  showed  symptoms  of  wavering 
and  retreat.  At  this  moment  M.  de  Bea\ijeu  was  killed,  and  the  com- 
mand devolving  on  M.  Dumas,  he  showed  great  presence  of  mind  in 
rallying  the  Indians,  and  ordered  his  officers  to  lead  them  to  the  wings 
and  attack  the  enemy  in  the  flank,  while  he  with  the  French  troops 
would  maintain  the  position  in  front.  This  order  was  promptly  obeyed, 
and  the  attack  became  general.  The  action  was  warm  and  severely 
contested  for  a  short  time  ;  but  the  English  fought  in  the  European 
method,  firing  at  random,  which  had  little  effect  in  the  woods,  while 
the  Indians  fired  from  concealed  places,  took  aim,  and  almost  every 
shot  brought  down  a  man.  The  English  columns  soon  got  into  con- 
fusion; the  yell  of  the  savages,  with  which  the  woods  resounded, 
struck  terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  soldiers,  till  at  length  they  took  to 
flight,  and  resisted  all  the  endeavors  of  their  officers  to  restore  any 
ilcaree  of  order  in  their  escape.  The  rout  was  complete,  and  the  field 
of  battle  was  left  covered  with  the  dead  and  wounded,  and  all  the  artil- 
lery, ammunition,  provisions,  and  baggage  of  the  English  army.     The 


n 


74 


Defeat  of  liraddock. 


1755. 


Indians  {i;ivo  llicins(;lvcs  up  to  pilljgf,  wliich  prcvcnleJ  thciu  from  j)ur- 
.suing  lliu  Hnglisli  in  tliuir  lliglit. 

Such  is  the  subsUnictt  of  the  accounts  written  at  the  time  by  il,( 
French  oiriccrs  and  sent  home  to  their  Government.  In  regard  to  '.Ik 
numbers  engaged,  tlierc  are  some  slight  variations  in  the  three  stale- 
meats.  'I'he  hirgcst  lumibcr  reported  is  two  liundrcd  and  fifty  French 
and  Canadians,  and  six  hundred  Indians.  If  we  lake  a  medium,  it  will 
make  the  whoh;  number,  led  out  by  M.  de  IJeaujeu,  at  least  eiglit  huiiil- 
red  and  fifty.  In  an  imperfect  return,  three  olfieers  were  stated  to  be 
killed,  and  four  wounded ;  about  thirty  soldiers  and  Indians  killed,  aiiil 
as  many  wounded.  When  these  facts  arc  taken  into  view,  the  result  o; 
the  action  will  appear  much  less  wonderful,  than  has  generally  beer, 
supposed.  And  this  wonder  will  still  be  diminished,  when  auothtr 
circumstance  is  recurred  to,  worthy  of  particular  consideration,  and  tli;.; 
is,  the  shape  of  the  ground  upon  which  the  battle  was  fought.  Tlij; 
part  of  the  description,  so  essential  to  the  understanding  of  mililarj 
operations,  ami  above  all  in  the  present  instance,  has  never  been  toucluc 
upon  it  is  believed,  by  any  writer.  We  have  seen  that  Braddock'? 
advanced  columns,  after  crossing  the  valley  extending  nearly  half  a  niilv 
from  the  margin  of  the  river,  began  to  move  up  a  hill,  so  uniform  in  i;- 
ascent,  that  it  was  little  else  than  an  inclined  plane  of  a  somewhat  crown- 
ing form.  Down  this  inclined  surface  extended  two  ravines,  beginnii;. 
near  together,  at  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  bottom  c; 
the  hill,  and  proceeding  in  different  directions  till  they  terminated  if, 
the  valley  below.  In  these  ravines  the  French  and  Indians  were  con- 
cealed and  protected.  At  this  day  they  are  from  eight  to  ten  feet  deep. 
and  sufTicient  in  extent  to  contain  at  least  ten  thousand  men.  At  tlie 
time  of  the  battle,  the  ground  was  covered  with  trees  and  long  gras;, 
so  that  the  ravines  were  entirely  hidden  from  view,  till  they  were 
approached  within  a  few  feet.  Indeed,  at  the  present  day,  although  the 
place  is  cleared  from  trees,  and  converted  into  pasture,  they  are  percep- 
tible only  at  a  very  short  distance.  By  this  knowledge  of  the  Iocs; 
peculiarities  of  the  battle  ground,  the  mystery,  that  the  British  con- 
ceived themselves  to  be  contending  with  an  invisible  foe,  is  solvcil. 
Such  was  literally  the  fact.  They  were  so  paraded  between  the 
ravines,  that  their  whole  front  and  right  flank  were  exposed  to  the 
incessant  fire  of  the  enemy,  who  discharged  their  muskets  over  the 
edge  of  the  ravines,  concealed  during  that  operation  by  the  grass  niul 
bushes,  and  protected  by  an  invisible  barrier  below  the  surface  of  the 
earth.  William  Butler,  a  veteran  soldier  still  living  (1832,)  who  wa- 
in this  action,  and  afterwards  at  the  plains  of  Abraham,  said  to  nif. 
"We  could  only  tell  where  the  enemy  were  'y  the  smoke  of  tlicir 
muskets."     A  few  scattering  Indians  were  behind  trees,  and  some  were 


1755. 

killed  icnliirii 

wholly  in  the 

It  is  not   f 

ofliecrs  suspc 

bloody  contesi 

can  be  oflered 

on  ilic  wings  ( 

before  the   wi 

tlie    j)riinary 

Ifail  he  charg 

inst.iiitly  ;  or 

vines  terminal 

SLMjie  consequf 

Ihil  the  tota 

these  movenu 

ill  the  early  i 

fate  of  the  coi 

to  1)0  ascribed 

fidenee  in  the 

his  disregard  o 

exposed  to  a 

A\'asliiiigton, 

youth,  claiine( 

gave  little  hee 

the  Indian  inti 

who  offered  th 

and   tlie  Indiai 

deserted  him  o 

ancc   of  these 

them,  but  witln 

A  report  hat 

shot  by  one  of 

soldier,  who  w; 

of  notice,  whic 

of  AVashington 

at  the  battle  of 

Iravelled  togell 

party  of  woods 

near  the  junct 

pany  of   Indiai 

whom  was  an  i 

to  them  by  tin 

thui  region,  he 

the  battle  of  i\n 


1 


IT' 

oin  ^mr- 

!  by  iLc 
ril  lo  '.lie 
:co  slaU- 
y  French 
II,  it  will 
;lil  liiiinl- 
ilcd  to  l)t 
illt'il,  aiil 
!  rcsiill  o; 
ally  beer, 
II  aiiollu: 
,  aiul  ill. 
lit.     Thi. 
f  inilikuy 
n  toiit'ln . 
nuliloL'k'- 
lalf  a  mil': 
Drill  ill  i.- 
lat  crow  T.- 
bcffiimir.. 
boltoin  I 
uinaleJ  ;:. 
were  co!V 
feel  (It'tp. 
I.     At  tl;e 
,iig  grass, 
llicy  were 

hough  ill': 

re  perccp' 

the   local 

itisli  coil' 

IS  solvcil 

ween   the 

ed  to  the 

over  til' 

rrass  aiU' 

Uco  of  the 

who    \V3-- 

id  to  mc. 
c  of  tlici: 
loiiie  wet' 


1755. 


Bmihlock  /clllcl  hy  onv  of  his  own  imn. 


75 


killed  venturing  out  lo  take  scal^is,  but  iiuich  the  larger  portion  fought 
wlidlly  ill  ibe  raviiiCH. 

It  U  not  probable,  that  eitlier  General  Uradduik  or  any  one  of  his 
ofTiL'trs  suspected  the  actual  .situation  of  the  euciiiy,  during  the  whole 
bluinly  coiilest.  It  was  a  fault  wiiii  the  General,  for  which  no  apology 
can  be  olfered,  thai  he  did  not  keep  scouts  and  guards  in  advance  and 
oa  the  wings  of  the  army,  who  would  have  made  all  proper  discoveries 
before  the  whole  had  been  brought  into  a  srare.  This  neglicl  was 
the  primary  cause  of  his  defeat;  which  nii-;ht  have  been  avoiiled. 
Had  he  charged  witii  the  bayonet,  the  laviiie  would  have  been  cleared 
instanily  ;  or  had  he  brought  his  artillery  to  the  points  wlicre  the  ra- 
vines terminated  in  the  valley,  and  scoured  them  with  grape-shot,  the 
SLMiie  consequence  would  have  followed. 

15ut  tlie  total  insubordinalU)n  of  his  troops  would  have  prevented  both 
these  movements,  even  if  he  had  become  acciuaintcd  with  the  L;rouiul 
in  the  early  J'art  o)'  the  action.  The  disasters  of  this  day,  and  the 
fate  of  the  commander,  I)rave  and  resolute  as  he  undoubtedly  was,  arc 
to  be  ascribed  to  his  contempt  of  Indian  warfare,  his  overweening  con- 
fidence in  the  prowess  of  veteran  troops,  his  obstinate  self-complacency, 
his  disregard  of  prudent  council,  and  his  negligence  in  leaving  his  army 
exposed  to  a  surprise  on  their  march.  He  freely  consulted  Colonel 
Washington,  whose  experience  and  judgment,  notwithstanding  his 
youth,  claimed  the  highest  resj)ect  for  his  opinions  ;  but  the  General 
gave  little  heed  to  his  advice.  While  on  his  march,  George  Croghan, 
the  Indian  interpreter,  joined  him  with  one  hundred  friendly  Indians, 
who  offered  their  services.  These  were  accepted  in  so  cold  a  manner, 
and  the  Indians  tliemselvcs  treated  with  so  much  neglect,  that  they 
descried  him  one  after  another.  ^^  ashinglon  pressed  upon  the  import- 
ance of  these  men,  and  the  necessity  of  conciliating  and  retaining 
diein,  but  without  efTcct. 

A  report  had  long  been  current  in  Pennsylvania,  that  Braddock  was 
shot  by  one  of  his  own  men,  founded  on  the  declaration  of  a  provincial 
soldier,  who  was  in  the  action.  There  is  another  tradition  also,  worthy 
of  notice,  which  rests  on  the  authority  of  Dr.  Craik,  the  intimate  friend 
of  Washington  from  his  boyhood  to  his  death,  and  wlio  was  with  him 
at  the  batdc  of  the  Monongahela.  Fifteen  years  after  that  event,  they 
travelled  together  on  an  expedition  to  the  Western  country,  with  a 
party  of  woodsmen,  for  the  purpose  of  exploring  wild  lands.  While 
near  the  junction  of  the  Great  Kenhawa  and  Ohio  Rivers,  a  com- 
pany of  Indians  came  to  them  with  an  interpreter,  at  the  head  of 
whom  was  an  aged  and  venerable  chief.  This  personage  made  known 
to  diem  by  the  interpreter,  that,  hearing  Colonel  Washington  was  in 
that  region,  he  had  come  a  long  way  to  visit  him,  adding,  that  during 
the  battle  of  the  Monongahela,  he  had  singled  him  out  as  a  conspicuous 


1 


re 


SriiWi^H  account  of  the  aclion. 


1755. 


ohjpct,  firrd  his  ridfi  at  liim  many  times,  and  dirrctcd  liis  yomig  wnr- 
riors  to  do  tlio  s:\mc,  but  to  his  iittor  aslonisluncnt  none  of  their  \n\U 
took  clTcrt.  llo  was  then  persuaded,  iliat  the  youthful  hero  was  iinilrr 
the  pprcial  guai(h!inship  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  erased  to  fire  at  him 
any  longer.  Tie  was  now  come  to  pay  homage  to  the  man,  who  was 
a  pnrtieular  favorite  of  Heaven,  and  who  ronld  never  die  in  bailie. 
Mr.  Custis,  of  Arlington,  to  whom  these  ineidents  were  related  by  Dr, 
Craik,  has  dramatized  them  in  a  piece  railed  The  Indian  Prnplicc\j. 

When  tiie  battle  was  over,  and  the  remnan*  of  Braddork's  army  had 
gained,  in  their  flight,  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river.  Colonel  Wash- 
ington was  dispatched  by  the  General  to  meet  Colonel  Dunbar,  and 
order  forward  wagons  for  the  wounded  with  all  possible  speed.  IJut  it 
was  not  till  the  11th,  after  they  had  reached  Gist's  plantation  with  great 
difllculty  and  much  suffering  from  hunger,  that  any  arrived.  The 
General  was  at  first  brought  off  in  a  tumbril ;  he  was  next  put  on 
horse-back,  but  being  unable  to  ride,  was  obliged  to  be  carried  by  the 
soldiers.  They  all  reached  Dunbar's  camp,  to  which  the  panic  had 
already  extended,  and  a  day  was  passed  there  in  great  confusion.  The 
artillery  was  destroyed,  and  the  public  stores  and  heavy  baggage  were 
burnt,  by  whose  order  was  never  known.  They  moved  forward  on  the 
13th,  and  that  night  General  Draddock  died,  and  was  buried  in  the 
road,  for  the  purpose  of  concealing  his  body  from  the  Indians.  The 
spot  is  still  pointed  out,  within  a  few  yards  of  the  present  national  road, 
and  about  a  mile  west  of  the  site  of  Fort  Necessity  at  the  Great  Mea- 
dows. Captain  Stewart,  of  the  Virginia  Forces,  had  taken  particular 
charge  of  him  from  the  time  he  was  wounded  till  his  death.  On  the 
17th,  the  sick  and  wounded  arrived  at  Fort  Cumberland,  and  were  soon 
after  joined  by  Colonel  Dunbar  with  the  remaining  fragments  of  the 
army. 

The  French  sent  out  a  party  as  far  as  Dunbar's  camp,  and  destroyed 
every  thing  that  was  left.  Colonel  Washington  being  in  very  feeble 
licallh,  proceeded  in  a  few  days  to  Mount  Vernon. 

To  this  we  add  a  few  paragraphs  from  the  memoirs  of  James 
Smitli  who  was  a  prisoner  at  Fort  Du  Quesne,  at  the  time  of  this 
celebrated  action.* 

I  asked  him  what  news  from  Braddock's  army.  He  said  the  Indians 
spied  them  every  day,  and  he  showed  me,  by  maing  marks  on  the 
ground  with  a  stick,  that  Braddock's  army  was  advancing  in  very  close 

*  Sec  also  as  to  Braddock's  defeat,  Sherman  Day's  Historical  Collections  of  Ponnsysl- 
vania,  published  at  I'hiladclphia  and  New  Haven,  p.  72  to  75;  and  for  proof  of  the  liii-i 
iliat  liraddock  was  intentionally  shot  by  one  of  his  own  men,  p.  335,  Also  paniplilc:; 
named  in  the  Preface  to  this  volume. 


1755. 

order,  and  ihr 
CXjircs.-icd  ii) 
Sliortly  afl( 
heard  a  great 
hand,   I  went 
and  stood  upt 
gate,  wlicro  v 
taking  what  si 
likewise  the  I' 
liuliaiis  and  F 
four  hundred, 
dock  with  so 
soon  sec  them 
would  take  ih 
I  remained 
noon,  I  again 
though  at  that 
was  the  voice 
what  I  called  I: 
I  had  obser 
spoke  Dutch,  1 
He  told  me  t 
would  certainl' 
ed  him,  and  w 
slant  fire  upoi 
heaps,  and  if  t 
make  their  es( 
down.     Some 
saw  a  compan 
had  a  great  m 
hayonets,  (fee. 
defeated.     Aftc 
about  one  hund 
every  one  of  tl 
company  with 
Those  that  wer 
firing  of  small 
accompanied  w 
so  that  it  appea 
About  sundo 
prisoners,  strip 
their  faces  and 
ed  to  death  oi 
stood  on  the  fo 


1 


1755. 


i7r>5. 


English  prisoners  burned. 


77 


:.hlc;:- 


onlor,  ;iiiil  tliat  the  Iiuli:iiiH  would  .surround  tluMU,  tukc  trees,  ami  (as  he 
cxi)rcsst'(l  it)  s/ioot  um  doi/'n  all  one  pi'^vun. 

Sliorily  after  tiiis,  on  the  Uth  day  ^f  July,  1753,  in  the  morniritf,  I 
heard  a  ffreat  stir  in  tlie  fort.  As  I  could  tlicn  walk  with  a  sta(T  in  my 
hand,  I  went  out  of  the  door,  which  was  just  by  the  wall  of  the  fort, 
and  stood  upon  the  wall,  and  viewed  the  Indians  in  a  huddle  before  the 
gate,  where  were  barrels  of  powder,  bullets,  flints,  &:c.,  luul  every  one 
takinir  what  suited.  I  saw  the  Indians  also  march  ofl'  in  rank  entire  ; 
likewise  the  French  Canadians,  and  some  regulars.  Afier  viewing  tiic 
Indians  and  French  in  dillorent  positions,  I  computed  them  to  be  about 
four  hundred,  and  wondered  that  they  attempted  to  go  out  against  Drad- 
dock  with  so  small  a  party.  I  was  then  in  high  hopes  that  I  would 
soon  see  them  fly  before  the  Ilrilish  troops,  and  that  CJencral  IJraddock 
would  lake  the  fort  and  rescue  me. 

I  remained  anxious  to  know  the  event  of  this  day  ;  and,  in  the  aftei- 
noon,  I  again  observed  a  great  noise  and  commotion  in  the  fort,  and 
tliough  at  that  time  I  could  not  understand  French,  yet  T  found  that  it 
was  the  voice  of  joy  and  triumph,  and  feared  that  they  had  received 
what  I  called  bad  news. 

I  had  observed  some  of  the  old  country  soldiers  speak  Dutch  ;  as  I 
spoke  Dutch,  I  went  to  one  of  them,  and  asked  him  .  "(lat  was  the  news. 
He  told  me  that  a  runner  had  just  arrived,  who  said  that  Hraddock 
would  certainly  be  defeated ;  that  the  Indians  and  French  had  surround- 
ed him,  and  were  concealed  behind  trees  and  in  gullies,  and  kept  a  con- 
stant lire  upon  the  English,  and  that  they  saw  the  English  falling  in 
heaps,  and  if  they  did  not  take  the  river,  which  was  the  only  gap,  and 
make  their  escape,  there  would  not  be  one  man  left  alive  before  sun- 
down. Some  time  after  this  I  haard  a  number  of  scalp  halloos,  and 
saw  a  company  of  Indians  and  French  coming  in.  I  observed  they 
had  a  great  many  bloody  scalps,  grenadiers'  caps,  British  canteens, 
bayonets,  &c.  with  them.  They  brought  the  news  that  Braddock  was 
defeated.  After  that  another  company  came  in,  which  appeared  to  be 
about  one  hundred,  and  chiefly  Indians,  and  it  Fcemed  to  me  that  almost 
every  one  of  this  company  was  carrying  scalps  ;  after  this  came  another 
company  with  a  number  of  wagon  horses,  and  also  a  great  many  scalps. 
Those  that  were  coming  in,  and  those  that  had  arrived,  kept  a  constant 
firing  of  small  arms,  and  also  the  great  guns  in  the  fort,  which  were 
accompanied  with  the  most  hideous  shouts  and  yells  from  all  quarters  ; 
so  that  it  appeared  to  me  as  if  the  infernal  regions  had  broke  loose. 

About  sundown  I  beheld  a  small  party  coming  in  with  about  a  dozen 
prisoners,  stripped  naked,  with  their  hands  tied  behind  their  backs,  and 
their  faces  and  part  of  their  bodies  blacked  ;  these  prisoners  they  burn- 
ed to  death  on  the  bank  of  Alleghany  river,  opposite  to  the  fort.  I 
stood  on  the  foit  wall  until  I  beheld  them  begin  to  burn  one  of  these 


1 


78 


(^oinmcnrvinrnf  (>f  tJio  Scrrn    Yifirs^    W'nr, 


n.'o 


i7,T..    /:./ 


'i>< 


men  ;  llicy  lnul  iiiiii  lieil  to  a  sliikc,  nnd  Ivcpt  loucliiii^f  Iiiin  wiili  firr. 
bniiuls  rcd-lidl  irons,  (fcc,  and  lie  scK^anicd  in  a  ino"!  ddlcful  niaiinrr, 
the  Indians,  in  tlu!  moan  tinio,  yrlliny  liko  infernal  spirits. 

As  ihi.iFPono  apprarrd  too  sliorkinjj  for  mo  to  bcliold,  1  rntirrd  to  mv 
lodfrinirs  1)oth  sorr»  and  sorry. 

Wlif'ii  I  raino  into  my  lodpinps  I  snw  Tlnsfol's  Srvcn  Srrtnnn* 
vliicli  ilipy  had  brought  from  tho  firhl  of  l)attlo,  which  a  Frrnchmsn 
made  a  prnsmt  to  mc.  From  the  best  information  I  could  roccivo,  ilirre 
Avorn  only  seven  Indians  and  four  I'rench  killed  in  liiis  battle,  and  livf 
iiundred  Mriiisli  liiy  d(3ad  in  the  Held,  besides  what  were  killed  in  tlic 
river  on  their  retreat. 

The  morning  after  the  battle  I  saw  Uraddock's  artillery  brouj>ht  into 
the  fort ;  the  same  day  I  also  saw  several  Indians  in  IJritish  ollleers' 
dress,  with  sash,  liall-moon,  laced  hats,  «fcc.,  v/hich  the  IJriti.sh  the:. 
wore.* 

Altiioiinh  the  (l()int>;s  of  1755,  recorded  above,  could  not  wii. 
I)c  looked  on  as  of  a  very  aniicabli!  charaeter,  war  was  not  deehnu 
by  either  France  or  Eiiiijland,  until  May  of  the  Ibllowin^  year: 
and  even  then  France  was  the  last  to  proclahn  the  contest  whiei, 
she  had  been  so  lonjj;  carryinij;  on,  thoui;ii  more  than  tiiree  hundnc 
of  her  merchant  vessels  iiad  been  taken  by  liritish  privateers.  Tlu 
causes  of  this  proceedinj^  are  not  very  clear  to  us.  France  thouffhi, 
beyond  doubt,  that  (Jeorge  would  fear  to  declare  war,  becaiin 
Hanover  was  so  (exposed  to  attack;  but  why  the  liritish  niovt- 
rnents,  upon  the  sea  particularly,  did  not  lead  to  tlu;  declaratioi, 
on  the  i)art  of  France  is  not  easily  to  be  guessed.  Farly  in  ITfjIi, 
however,  both  kingdoms  formed  i.lliances  in  Europe ;  France  will. 
Austria,  Russia,  and  Sweden;  Eni^land  witli  the  (ireat  Frederic, 
And  then  commenced  forthwith  the  Seven  Years'  War,  whereii. 
most  of  Europe,  Nortli  America,  and  tlie  East  and  West  lutlii^ 
j)artook;  and  suH'ered. 

Into  the  tletails  of  that  war  we  cannot  enter;  not  even  ink 
those  of  the  contest  in  North  America.  In  Virginia  many  things 
worthy  ol"  notice  took  place,  but  most  of  them  took  [)lace  east  oi 
the  mountains — among  western  events  we  find  only  the  following; 
— Immediately  after  Braddock's  defeat,  the  Indians  began  to  pu>ii 
their  excursions  across  the  mountains,  so  that  in  April  IT")*'. 
Washington  writes  from  Winchester;  "The  Blue  Ridge  is  now 
our  tiontier,  no  men  being  left  in  this  county  (Frederick)  except  a 
few  wlio  keep  close  wllli  a  number   of  women  and  children  in 

'  Coluac'l  Siuitli'si  C';i]itivit)',  iu  Drake's!  ladiuii  Cajfliviuc.-,  il  IbJ. 


forts."     FikN 
iidvisiiMc  to  N 
Ohio;  .Major 
the  Iroops  to 
aiiiird  ill  was 
the  Ohio  threi 
'I'lic  a(temj)t 
swdJIen  state  ( 
.Miijnr  Lewis  r 
however,  W(  I 
with   tlie     "S 
Horder  warfar 
in'^lon's    Iclter 
Withers    m<;re 
orders   f;om    ( 
until  .January, 
the    Morder    V 
^'irginians  did 
f'>vo  e\j)editioii 
suffering;  in  b 
iioth  were  misii 
I'pon  a  larg 
Crown   Point, 
af tacked;    for 
destroyed    to  q 
territory  they  w 
arms.     One  bo 
the  Alleghany 
^or  a  time  were 
out  with  little  ri 
During  the  n- 
"f  Fort  Willi;,, 

•  Tim  lower  Sliawi 

'ouriial  — liiitlnr's  K 

+  Sparks'  Wasliiii!: 

t  .Sjiarks'  VV.ishingl 

I  Sparks'  Wasliiiifri 

>^uui(i  Lieutenant   M' 

^'TotiirniM;.',  to  the  v 

§  Holmes'  Annnh 
l-"lli'ctions  ol'Pennsyl 
i'-  J^n.)  says  the  01ii( 
Armstrong  did  not,  lit 


^ 


to  pibl. 


IT.'fi.       Frpcdidii)!  niTdinst  thv  Ind'ntn  towns  upon  Ihr  Olilo.  70 

f,,iN."  I'lidcr  llicsc,  or  slnilliir  riiriiinsfancrs,  it  was  (Itcinrd 
ailvi"«iil»l«'  to  send  an  tvptMlitidii  a;;;aiiisf  tlic  IndiaFi  towns  n|)(iii  llic 
()lii(i;  Major  Lt'wis,  in  Jai""'fy  ITriO,  was  a|)|Hiinl»(!  to  (•(muiiand 
the  troops  to  I)*'  usrd  in  ..  J  roposcd  irruption,  and  llir  point 
;iiiiitd  at  was  apparently  tlic  upper  Shawani'se  town,*  situated  on 
the  Oliio  tiiree  iniles  above  llie  iiioutli  ol'  the  (Jreat  Kenliawa.f 
'I'hf  attenil)t  [)ro\ed  a  lailure,  in  conseipu'iice,  it  is  said,  n|'  tiie 
swdllen  state  of  the  streams,  atui  the  treachery  of  the  ^ui(h's,  and 
Miijor  Lewis  and  iiis  party  suH'ered  ejreatly.:}:  Of  this  expedition, 
liouever,  W(  ha\e  no  details  unless  it  he,  as  we  sus|ieet,  the  same 
with  the  "Sandy  Creek  voya<;e"  deserilx'd  l)y  Withers,  in  liis 
I5(tr(h'r  warfare,  as  oeeurrini;  iti  1757,  duriiijj;  wliieh  }car  Wash- 
iiiLiton's  h'tters  make  no  reference  to  any  Ihiiiu;  of  tiie  kind. 
Withers  moreover  says,  the  return  of  the  party  was  o\vini(  to 
or(h'rs  f.-om  (lovernor  Fau(piier;  hut  Dinwiddie  did  not  h^ave 
until  January,  17r)S;  ||  and  tiie  French  town  of  (lallioj)olis,  wiiii'h, 
the  liorder  Warfare  says,  was  to  liave  been  destroyed  l)y  th(> 
\'irifinians  did  not  exist  till  nearly  forty  years  later.  If  there  were 
two  exix'ditions,  in  both  the  troo))s  underwent  the  same  kind  of 
sufferinf^;  in  both  were  forced  to  l<ill  and  eat  their  horses;  and  in 
botli  were  unsuccessful. 

Upon  a  larger  scale  it  was  proposed  during  1750,  to  attack 
Crown  Point,  Niagara,  and  Fort  I)u  Quesne,  but  neither  was 
a'tacked;  for  Montcalm  took  the  forts  at  Oswefjo,  which  lie 
destroyed  to  (piiet  the  jealousy  of  the  Trotpiois,  within  whose 
territory  they  were  built,  and  this  stroke  seemed  to  paralyze  all 
arms.  One  bold  blow  was  made  by  Armstrong  at  Kittaning,  on 
the  Alleghany,  in  September,§  and  the  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania 
for  a  time  were  made  safe;  but  otherwise  the  year  in  America  wore 
out  with  little  result. 

During  the  next  year,  1757,  nothing  took  plac(>,  but  the  capture 
of  Fort  William   Henry,   by  Montcalm,  and   the   massacre   of  its 

*  The  lower  Sliawiincse  town  was  just  Ix'low  tli(!  moiitli  of  the  S  ioto.  Sec  C'roglian's 
I'lumal  —  Ihitler's  Iventucky,  second  edition,  lUi. 

+  S|)arks'  Wasliington,  ii.  .'327. 

+  Sparks'  VV.ishington,  ii.  12'),  13,5,  136. 

!  Sparks'  Washington,  ii.  270.  Had  the  return  liorn  owing  to  the  Hovernor's  orders, 
v. iiuki  Lieutenant  M'Xutt,  as  Withers  states,  have  presented  iiis  journal  ijjaniing  Lewis 
ir  returning,  to  the  very  novcrnor  whose  coniniands  he  olicycd  ?     IJorder  Warl'ire,  C.""). 

§  Holmes'  Annnh,  vol.  ii.  p.  73. — Rurk's  Viminia,  vol.  iii.  p.  221. — Day's  Historical 
l-i)ik't:lions  of  I'eiinsylvania,  9t>.  iloliues,  (referriny  to  New  York  Historical  Collections, 
ill.  o!)n,)  says  the  Ohio  Indians  had  already  killed  one  thousand  persons  on  the  frontier  ; 
Armstrong  did  not,  however,  destroy  more  than  forty  savages. 


80 


Fort  FronkiKtr.  Utkcn  by  Brnds(red. 


175S, 


^\m 


''^'V: 


I'd' 
I' 


giirrisoii  by  liis  fiMlians;  a  srciic  of  wliicli  Ww  readers  of  C()0|)cr', 
Last,  of  the  Mohicans  need  scarce  he  reiniinU'd.  This,  and  iLi 
near  (h'slniclion  <>{'  Ihe  British  Heel  hy  a  fi,ah,'  oH'  Loiushiir^f,  wcf 
the  h'adinuj  events  of  this  (hirk  season  ;  and  no  \von(h'r  that 
and  (h:spair  saidv  (h-ep  into  tlic  hearts  of  the  colonists.  Nor  w; 
it  in  America  alone,  that  Britain  sidrered  (hirint^  that  summer.  ()r 
the  continent  l''rederic  was  home  (h)\vn  ;  in  tlie  MediterratK-an  th. 
navy  of  lOn^dand  had  been  defeated,  and  all  was  dark  in  tli(!  east 
and,  to  add  to  the  weitijht  of  these  misfortunes,  many  of  their. 
canx'  u])on  i'itt,  the  popular  miidster.* 

IJut  the  year  1758  opened  under  a  new  star.  On  soa  and  lanil, 
in  Asia,  Eurojx-,  and  America,  Tkitain  regained  what  had  lice 
lost.  The  Ausfrians,  Russians,  and  Swc^des,  all  gave;  way  befor 
the  great  Captain  of  Prussia,  and  Pitt  s(;nt  his  own  strong,  an 
lioix'fid,  and  energetic"  spirit  into  his  suLalterns.  In  North  Anu'iif 
Louisburg  yielded  to  IJoscawen ;  Fort  Frontimac  was  takm  hi 
l^radstreet  ;  and  l)u  Quesnt;  was  abandoned  upon  the  approach  i: 
Foi'bes  through  Pennsylvania.  From  that  time,  the  post  at  tL' 
Fork  of  the  Ohio  wa'--  Fort  Pitt. 

In  this  last  capture,  as  uiore  particidarly  connected  with  tli^ 
West,  we  are  now  chiefly  interested.  The  details  of  the  gather- 
ing and  the  rrrarch  may  be  secjn  in  the  letters  of  Washington 
who,  in  opposition  to  Colonel  Bou(piet,  was  in  favor  of  crossin: 
the  mountains  by  Braddock's  road,  wliereas.  Bouquet  wished' 
cut  a  lU'W  one  through  Pentisylvania.  In  this  division,  Bf)U(jiii' 
was  listened  to  by  the  Geiu'ral ;  and  late;  in  the  season  a  ncv 
rout(,'  was  undcrriaken,  by  whic.},  such  delays  and  troubles  wcfi 
produced,  that  the  whole  exjx'dilion  came  near  proving  a  failiin 
Braddock's  road  had,  in  early  tines,  been  selected  Ly  the  ninv' 
experienced  Indians  and  frontier  men  as  the  most  favoralv 
whereby  to  cross  tlur  mountains,  being  neaily  the  route  by  wliii! 
the  national  road  has  been  since  carried  over  them.  In  1753,  r 
was  opened  by  the  Ohio  Company.  It  was  afterward  improve, 
by  the  Provincial  trf)ops  under  Washington,  and  was  finished  I'V 
BraddockVs  engineers;  f  and  this  route  was  now  to  be  given  up. 
and  a  wholly  new  one  ojiened,  probably,  as  Washington  su'.'- 
gested,  throuL!:li  Pennsylvania  influence^,  that  her  frontiers  mii^li' 
thereby  be  ])rot(M'led,  and   a   way  opened  for  her  traders.     Tli' 

•  He  r«<turn(!il  to  oflico,  June  29th,  1707. 
+  Sparks'  Wasliington,  vol.  ii.  [i.  'M2. 


1758. 
hanlshi])^ 

(^IK'SIIC,    ' 

f'cr,  may 

and   die   ; 

ccived    bj 

Juniata.  | 

Un\,   til 

tilings  in 

tlial  in  tli( 

Nations  a 

iiiid  so  po 

(if  Indian 

we  have  s 

get  a  claiii 

olitained  ^ 

tlic  wild  n 

iiiiwillinirb 

Were  Ijy  pi 

tn    buy    or 

the  old  all 

Albany,  J{ 

stoj)ping  tl 

and  Virgil 

tninity 


ne 


•  Proiid's  p 

i  Whilf!  iij) 
lull  r,  ;iiitl  to  U 
tuM  (if  xoiik: 
oSsfrviiic;  that 
Otiiccr.H,  tliiiiki 
first  puzzled  w 
t!i:it  in  that  littf 
1')  l>iiul  hiiiiscll 
sVnild  ijo    tlic; 
U'Uul  grunt,  an 
a-  ■'•'1(111  ;is  jios.s 
oi'  Fort  Du  (^11 

;  S(!f;  PoKt" H 

.  Many  treat 
l'"i:n„'.  S,.,. 
V'^l  111.  |)p.  43 
t")ii's  Address 
I'liiiisyhiiiua  I) 
Pruuil'.s  /•,.„„, 
Imlians,  and  cxi 

6 


of  Cooper' 
'his,  and  I'lii 
islnir^,  wen 

VV    (llilt     fill- 

i.  Nor  wii- 
uiiiiiicr.  ():. 
erratK.'an  th' 
;  in  1h<;  cas' 
any  ol'  llm:. 

ica  and  liin!. 

lal.  had  Ijc' 

('  way  be  (op 

slroiif^,  an 

orth  AnnTii 

,'as  taken  l> 

approacli  ' 

post   at   tl.' 

•tod  with  til' 
»f  the  gather- 
Washin<^t()r! 
)r  of  rrossiii: 
lot  wished  '' 
on,  Bouciui' 
ason  a   new 
ouhlcs  wcri 
in<r  a  faihiit 
hy  the   nm^' 
)st   (avoialjl 
ut(!  hy  whii'i 
In  ]ir)'i,( 
ird  in»})rovi. 
finished  1'} 
h;  frivijii  up. 
hinglon  siii'- 
onticrs  ini'ili' 
radors.     'Hi' 


\1'>^. 


Arrivnl  of  the   Bri/ish  at   Fori   Dii    Quesnr. 


81 


;S 


hanUliij''^  i>ii<l  dangers  of  the  tuareh  from  Rayslown  to  I'oit  J)u 
(^iiesne,  \vlier<'  the  liritish  van  arri\ed  upon  the  'ifjth  of  N'oveni- 
f'cr,  may  l»e  seen  sHglitly  pictured  hy  tiie  letters  of  Washington 
aim  llie  second  journal  of  Post,*  and  uiay  he  more  vividly  con- 
ceived h)  those  who  have  })ass(Ml  tiirough  the  valley  of  tlie  upper 
Jimiala.  \ 

Hut,  turning  from  (his  niarcli,  jet  ns  look  at  the  ])osition  of 
tilings  in  the  West,  during  the  autumn  of  17,08,  We  liave  said, 
that  in  the  outset  tin;  l''rench  did  their  utmost  to  alienate  the  Six 
Nations  and  Delawares  from  their  old  connexion  witii  the  British; 
and  so  politic  were  their  movements,  so  accurate  their  knowdedgc 
(if  Indian  character,  that  tliey  fully  succeeded.  Tlie  Knglisli,  as 
we  have  seen,  had  made  some  foolish  and  inicpiitous  attempts  to 
get  a  claim  to  tlie  western  lands,  and  Ijy  rum  and  hund)o  had  even 
obtained  grants  of  those  lands;  hut  when  the  rum  had  evaporated, 
the  wild  men  saw  how  they  iiad  been  deceived,  and  listened  not 
unwillingly  to  tin;  I'^rencli  professions  of  iriendsliip,  backed  as  they 
Wire  by  presents  and  politeness,  and  accf)mi)anied  by  no  attempts 
tn  hiiy  or  wheedh;  land  fiom  thein.:[  ''^'ii'ly?  tlierefore,  many  of 
the  old  allies  of  lOngland  joined  her  enemies ;  and  tlie  treaties  ol' 
Albany,  Joiuison  Hall,  and  Kas(on||  did  little  or  nothing  towards 
stoj)j)ing  tiu!  desolation  of  tlie  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland, 
and  Virginia.  The  (Quakers  alwa}.:  heliev(!d,  that  this  slate  of 
ciuiiity   between   the    Delawares   and   themselves,  or  their   rulers, 

•  Proud's  rciiiiHylvania,  vol.  ii.  A|)jion(lix. 

I  Wliiln  111)011  tliis   iiiarcli  (iciKMal   KorbcH  was  ho  Hicli  that  ho  was  carried  in  a  close 

hui:r,  and  to  tliis  liic  olficcrH  went  to  receive  their  order.s.     An  anecdote!  was  afterwards 

tuld   (jf  Hoine    iiiiniieal    Indian   cliiefs,  wlio    c.aiiK^  to  tlie  .iriiiy  on  an    rnil)aH.My,  and  wlio, 

o'isfrvin<;  tliat  from  tliis  close  litter  ramo  all  comrn-ind^,  ask(^d    the  reason.     The  Flritisli 

Otiiccra,  thinkinfr  the    savaj^es  would  despise  their  (Mineral,  if  told  he  was  sick,  were  at 

first   puzzled  wiiat  answer  to  iiiak(!  ;  hut  in  a  nidinent   one  of  llicin  sjioke  out,  and  said, 

tliit  in  tli:it  litter  was  their  fleneral,  who  was  so  fierce  and  strong'  that  he  felt  it  necessary 

to  hind  himself,  hand  and  foot,  and  \iu  still  until  he  eaiiK^  to  the  enemy's  country,  lest  he 

n'l'iiiid  do  the  amiiassadors,  or  even  his  own  men,  a  mischief.     The  red  men  j^ave   their 

li-u;il  gnint,  and  placed  some  miles  of  forest  helwctwi  themselves  and  this  fierce  chieftain 

a-  -'joii  as  |)ossil)le.     (icneral   Forhes  died  in   I'hiladelpliia  a  few  weeks  after  the  capter'' 

of  Fort  nu  Quesnc. 

;  See  I'ost's  Journals  ;  rownall's  J!(iiioir,oii  St  nirr  in  XorlU  Amiriiu. 

i,  M.iiiy   treaties    were   made    between    17.). i    and    17. )^,    which   amounted    to    little   oi 

Ii"''iiii;,'.     See   Miiss(ir/iU!'(lt:<    /fislarifd,'  ('iillt rt lunx ,  vol.  vii.  p.  fl7. — S|iarks'    Fniiihlin. 

Vil  iii.  pp.    43fi,    ITjO,  471. — Proud's    Pinnsylvania,   vcd.   ii.  ajip. ;    Friendly   Associa- 

lini's  ylf/f/rt'.t.i,  and    Post's  Journiih-     Ther(!  were  two   Kaston  treaties  ;  one  with  tlie 

I'l  iciisyhaiiia  Delaware  ,  in   17.')t;,  the  other  with  all  the   Indians  in  175K. — Sec   also  in 

TiMid's  Prnnsi/haniii,  \<>\-  ii.  p.  331,  an  inquiry  into  the  causes   of  quarrel   with    the 

I^'iians,  and  extracts  from  treaties,  &c. 


82 


Post  sent  West. 


1758, 


ini^ht  be  i)revc'n(L*d  by  a  lillk-  friendly  commuiilon ;  but  il,. 
persuasions  ol"  the  French,  the  renegade  English  traders,  and  oUkts 
who  had  gone  to  the  West,  were  great  obstacles  to  any  friciKllv 
conversation  on  the  one  side,  and  the  common  I'eeling  among  iLt 
whites  was  an  equal  dilliculty  on  the  other.  In  the  autu.nn  r,] 
175G,  a  treaty  was  held  at  Easton  with  the  Pennsylvania  iJcla- 
wares,*  and  peace  agreed  to.  But  this  did  not  bind  the  Oliu 
Indians  even  of  the  same  nation,  much  less  the  8hawanese  aim 
Min<i;oes:  and  thou<rh  the  Sachem  of  the  Pennsylvania  savatjcs, 
Teedyuscung,  jjiomised  to  call  to  his  western  relatives  with  a  lom! 
voice,  they  did  not,  or  would  not  hear  him;  the  tomahawk  aii^i 
brand  still  shone  among  the  rocky  mountain  fastnesses  of  the  inti- 
rior.  Nor  can  any  heart  but  i)ity  the  red  men.  They  knew  no' 
whom  to  believe,  nor  where  to  look  for  a  true  friend.  The  Frerid 
said  they  came  to  defend  them  from  the  English  ;  the  Ejiglish  saic 
they  came  to  defend  them  from  the  French ;  and  between  the  twf 
powers  they  were  wasting  away,  and  their  homes  disappeariiii; 
before  them.  "  The  kings  of  France  and  England,"  said  Teed- 
yuscung, "  have  settled  this  land  so  as  to  coop  us  up  as  if  in  i 
pen.  This  very  ground  that  is  under  me  was  my  land  and  inheri- 
tance, and  is  taken  from  me  by  fraud."  Such  being  the  feelinf,'i: 
the  natives,  and  success  being  of  late  nearly  balancetl  between  tin 
two  European  powers,  no  wonder  that  they  hung  doubting,  aiw 
knew  not  which  way  to  turn,  'i'he  French  wished  the  Eastiir. 
Delawares  to  move  west,  so  as  1o  bring  them  wiihin  their  iiilln- 
ence,l  and  the  British  tried  to  persuade  them  to  prevail  on  tlni 
western  brethren  to  leave  their  new  allies  and  be  at  peace. 

In  1758,  the  condition  of  allairs  being  as  stated,  and  Forlir 
army  on  the  eve  of  starting  ibr  Fort  Du  Quesne,  and  the  Freni.1 
being  also  disheartened  by  the  British  success  elsewhere,  and  llRi. 
force  at  Du  Quesne  weak, — it  was  determined  to  make  an  eliW 
to  draw  the  western  Indians  over,  and  thereby  still  further  h 
weaken  the  force  that  would  oppose  General  Forbes.  It  was  i: 
easy  matter,  however,  to  find  a  true  and  trustworthy  man,  wlm^' 
courage,  skill,  ability,  knowledge,  and  })hysical  power,  would  1:" 
hiui  for  such  a  mission,  lie  was  to  pass  through  a  wilderne^^ 
niletl  with  d()iil)tful  friends,  into  a  country  filled  with  open  em- 
mies.  The  whole  I'lench  interest  would  be  against  him,  and  tli' 
Indians  of  the  Ohio  were  little  to  be  trusted.     Every  stream  on  lii^ 

•  Sparks'  i-Va;(A7i/(,  v"'-  vii.  |).  12.0. 
I  lleckewcldci'd  >'uii;iUvc  p.  b'i. 


1758. 

Avay  had  bcr 

(Ieath-y(dl,  ai 

who  was  at 

the  savatres  s 

C'lirislian  Fre 

we  have  his  i 

parts  which 

j)riii(ing  it. 

aiifj,  against  i 

siirtdy  lose   h 

"many  plant? 

August,  he  c; 

was  forced   ti 

Venango,   bui 

"  Kuskiislikcf 

])Iar(',   ho   sa> 

warriors.     A\ 

seemed  well  ( 

^^•(.■at   conferej 

opposite   Fort 

iiations.     Tlio 

iiig  the  From 

would  carry  h 

well  redeemet 

his  Indian  frie 

immediately  fn 

ments,  for  wh 

was  received 

claimed   the    ] 

Nations;  but   ; 

"That  man  s| 

frighten  us  Ijy 

father  (the  Fn 

''lie  drunk ;  pra 

'lot  know  wha 

liiive  to  say  to 

Voii  do  nothing 

Jathor,  and  win 

It  was  clear 

Indians,  were 

^liough  some  o 


1758, 

bill   ill. 
il  otliir^ 

iViciullj 
u)n^  iht 
ituiiin  (Jt 
ia  Dcla- 
he  Ohlf) 
lesc  ami 

s:iva<_'f<, 
111  a  loui! 
awk  an; 

the  in'i- 
cnew  II 
ic  Fremlii 
^lish  saic 
I  the  tw 
appeal  in: 
lid  'I'tei:- 
IS  if  in  i 
nd  inluri- 

feeling''. 
It  ween  tli' 

)tin<i;,  aiii. 
F^asiciT. 

it'ir  iiitl'^ 

il  on  ill' 


nnft. 


Post  at  Fort  Thi  Qitcane. 


83 


1    Foi'ln'^ 
le  Frt'iK.'. 
and  lliLi: 
;  an  ell'. 
iirther  i' 
It  was  r.': 
n,  \vliOH 
wouU 
[vildoviK- 
pen  eiH 
,  and  til' 
im  on  V' 


uav  had  boon  dyed  with  blnod,  every  hill-side  liad  rnnpf  with  the 
death-veil,  and  ;i;rown  red  in  the  HfJ^ht  of  biirninuj  huts.     The  man 
who  was  at  last  ehosen  was  a  Moravian,  who  had  lived    among 
tiic  sava<^es  seventeen  }('ars,  and  married  among  tliem  ;  his  name 
Ciiristian  Frederic   Post.     Of  his  journey,  sufferings,  and  doings, 
we  have  his  own  journal,  though  I lecke welder  tells  us,  that  those 
parts  wliirh   redound   most    to   his   own  credit,  he   omitted   when 
])riiiting  it.      He   left   Philadtdphia  iijjon  the  15th   of  July,  1758; 
and,  against  the  protestations  of 'i'eedyuscung,  who  said  lie  would 
surely  lose   his   life,    proceeded   up   the    Susijuehannah, — passing 
"many  plantations  deserted   and   laid  waste."     Tlpon  the  7th  of 
August,  he  came  to  the  Alleghany,  opposite  French  Creek,  and 
was  forced   to   pass  under  the  very  eyes  of  the   garrison  of  Fort 
Venango,  l)ut   was    not  molested.     From    Venango  he   went    to 
"  Kuskusldcec,"  which  was  on   or  near  T5ig  Beaver  Creek.     This 
])lar(',  he   says,  contained    ninety   houses   and  two  hundred   able 
warrio.'-s.     At  this  place  Post   had    much  talk  with  the  chiefs,  who 
seemed  well  disposed,  but  somewhat  afraid   of  the  French.     The 
great   conference,   however,   it   was   determined    should   be    held 
oj)posite   Fort    Du    Quesne,   where    there    were    Indians   of  eight 
nations.     The  messenger  was  at  first  unwilling  to  go  thither,  fear- 
ing the  French  wM)uld   seize  him;  but  the  savages   said,  "they 
would  carry  him  in  their  bosom,  he  need  fear  nothing,"  and  they 
well  redeemed  this  promise.     On  the  24th  of  August,  Post,  with 
his  Indian  friends,  reached  the  point  opposite  the  Fort ;  and  there 
immediately  follow^ed  a  series  of  speeches,  explanations  and  agree- 
ments, for  which  w-e  must  refer  to  his  Journal.      At  first  he  wn:^ 
was  received   rather  hardly  by  an  old  and   deaf  Onondafo,  who 
claimed    the    land    whereon    they  stood    as   beloiinin"-  to   the  Six- 


Nations;  but   a  Delaware  rebuked   him   in    n 


()   V'■l■^•  po 


lite   t 


eriiis. 


"That  man  s])eaks  not  as  a  man,"  he  said;  "lie  endeavors  to 
tVitrhten  us  by  saying  this  ground  is  his;  he  (beams;  he  and  his 
father  (the   French)  have   certainly  drunk   too  much  liijuor  ;  they 


are  < 


Irunk 


pray 


let  tl 


lem  ijo 


to  si 


eei) 


lill  tl 


le 


y  are  sober 


oil  do 


1(1  til     i>'>t  know  what   your  own   nation  tloes   at  home,  how  much  they 
to  say  to  the    English.      You    are  (juite  roltcn.      You  -itiiik. 


have 


Y()U  do  nothing  but  smoke  your  pij)e  here."     CJo  to  sleep  wi^.h  your 
father,  and  when  you  are  sober  we  will  speak  to  you." 


rn 


It  was  clear  that  the  Delawares,  and    indeed  all   the  wcsle 
Indians,  were  wavering  in  their  affection  f<ir  tlie    French;  and, 
i!inu(rh  some  opposition  was  made  to  a  union  with  the  colonists, 


84 


Grnnrs  Defeat. 


the  general  feeling,  produced  by  ihe  prospect  of  a  quick  approacl 
by  Forbes'  army,  and  by  the  ir\ith  and  kindness  of  Post  hinisclt, 
was  in  favor  of  FOngland.  The  Indians,  however,  complainii' 
bitterly  of  the  dis})osition  which  the  whites  showed  in  clairniiii; 
and  seizing  their  lands.  "  Why  did  you  not  fight  your  battles  at 
home,  or  on  the  sea,  instead  of  coming  into  our  country  to  figlit 
them  ?"  they  asked,  again  and  again  :  and  were  mournful  wheii 
they  thought  of  Ihe  future,  "  Your  heart  is  good,"  they  said  t. 
Post,  "  you  speak  sincerely :  but  we  know  there  is  always  a  gna' 
number  who  wish  to  get  rich  ;  they  have  enough  ;  look !  we  do  no' 
want  to  be  rich,  and  take  away  what  others  have."  "  The  whi'i 
people  think  we  have  no  brains  in  our  heads  ;  that  they  are  bis;, 
and  we  a  little  handful ;  but  remember,  when  you  hunt  for  a  ratlli- 
snake  you  cannot  find  it,  and  perhaps  it  will  bite  you  before  yoii 
see  it."  When  the  war  of  Pontiac  came,  this  saying  might  haw 
been  justly  remembered. 

At  length,  having  concluded  a  pretty  definite  pe^cc,  Vo< 
turned  toward  Philadelphia,  setting  out  upon  the  9th  of  Septem- 
ber; and,  after  the  greatest  suflTerings  and  perils  from  Fremli 
scouts  <uid  Indians,  reached  the  settlements  iminjured. 

W^hile  Post  was  engaged  upon  his  dangerous  mission,  the  vai, 
of  Forbes'  army  was  pressing  slowly  forward  under  the  heats  o: 
August  from  Raystown,  (Bedford,)*  toward  Loyalhanna,  hewiii;; 
their  way  as  they  went.  Early  in  September,  the  General  reacliei 
Raystown,  whither  he  also  ordered  Washington,  who  had  till  thei; 
been  kept  inactive  among  his  sick  troops  at  Fort  Cumberland. 
Meantime  two  officers  of  the  first  Virginia  regiment  had  gone  sep- 
arately, each  with  his  party,  to  reconnoitre  Fort  Du  Quesne,  am' 
had  brought  accounts  of  its  condition  up  to  the  13th  of  August.- 
It  being  deemed  desirable,  however,  to  have  fuller  statements  thai 
they  were  able  to  give,  a  party  of  eight  hundred  men  under  Majo 
Grant,  with  w^honi  went  Major  Andrew  Lewis  of  Virginia,  \va^ 
pushed  forward  to  gain  the  desired  information.  Grant  appears  ♦' 
have  exceeded  his  orders,  which  were  merely  to  ol)tain  all  tin 
knowledge  relative  to  the  French  which  he  could ;  and  aftt'i 
having  unwisely  divided  his  force,  with  equal  w^ant  of  sagarin 
brought  on  an  engagemr-nt;  having  before  him,  perhaps,  the  vaii 
hope  that  he  should  take  the  fort  he  was  sent  to  examine.  In  tin 
skirmish  thus  needlessly  entered  into,  Grant's  troops  were  thrown 

*  Sparks'  Wasliingtoii,  ii.  312. 

t  Sec  map  in  Sparks'  Washington,  ii.'j  also  plate  and  aecouut  in  Am.  Pioneer,  ii.  II" 


,1758. 

into  confiisioi 

miles  beiiind 

arms,   to   rel 

wliich  had  c( 

was  taken  pi 

shared  their 

rescued  them 

officer  waited 

to  yield,  were 

enemy  a  dea 

with  the  hnyc. 

to  lead  to  th( 

the    Virginiar 

publicly  the  c 

of  it.* 

October  hf 
opening  the  i 
November,  h 
General  thouj: 
C'hesnut  ridci 
■en  days  more 
having  destro 
the  Ohio  the  } 

At  Easton, 
at  which  were 
and  their  conf 
was  concludec 
American  pion 
p.  191  ;  and  J 
iliid  that  the  Ir 
yuscung.  Wi 
treaty,  Po,st  wa 
followed  after 
to  the  various  ' 
and  was  again 
Indians  with  t 
^vould   in  all 

*  Sparks'  Washin 
\liv.— Marshall's  L 
'tciirred,  Septembc 

f  Vol.  iiL  p   239. 


175? 


1758. 


British  take  Fort  Du  Qucs)}€. 


85 


,  the  vai, 

heats  01 

hewiii:: 

reacht'd 

till  thci; 

nberlari(!. 

jone  Sep- 


cuts  tlia; 

er  IVIajo; 

mia,  wib 

ipears  *s 

all  tin 

and  ado; 

sagarity 

\hv  vail 

In  tlu 

thrown 

ecr,  ii.  1 1 


into  confusion  hy  their  Indian  foes.  Lewis,  who  had  been  left  two 
miles  behind,  iiastening  forward  wlien  he  heard  the  sound  of  fire- 
arms, to  relieve  his  comrades,  was  unahle  to  eheck  the  rout 
wliich  had  commenced,  and  together  with  his  commanding  officer 
was  taken  prisoner.  Indeed,  the  whole  detachment  would  have 
shared  their  fate,  had  not  Capt.  liullitt,  with  his  fifty  Virginians, 
voscued  them.  Ordering  his  men  to  lower  their  arms,  this  able 
officer  waited  until  the  Indians,  who  thought  the  little  band  about 
to  yield,  were  full  in  view,  then  giving  the  word,  poured  upon  the 
enemy  a  deadly  fire,  which  was  instantly  followed  by  a  charge 
with  the  bayonet, — a  proceeding  so  unlooked  for  and  so  fatal  as 
to  lead  to  the  complete  rout  of  the  assailants.  This  conduct  of 
the  Virginians  was  much  admired,  and  Washington  received 
publicly  the  compliments  of  the  Commander-in-Chief  on  account 
(.fit.* 

October  had  now  arrived,  and  Washington  was  engaged  in 
opening  the  road  toward  tlie  Fork  of  the  Ohio.  On  th<?  5th  of 
Novend)er,  he  was  still  at  Loyalhanna,  where  at  one  time  the 
(lencral  thought  of  spending  the  winter;  on  the  15th,  he  was  on 
Cliesnut  ridge,  advancing  from  four  to  eight  miles  a  day;  and  in 
*en  days  more  stood  where  Fort  l)u  Quesne  had  been  ;  the  French 
having  destroyed  it,  when  they  embarked  for  the  lower  posts  on 
the  Ohio  the  preceding  day. 

At  Easton,  meantime,  had  been  gathered  another  great  council, 
at  which  were  present  "the  eight  United  Nations,  (the  Iroquois,) 
and  their  confederates;"  with  all  of  w^hom,  during  October,  peace 
was  concluded.  The  particulars  of  this  treaty  are  given  in  the 
American  pioneer  i.  244,  taken  from  the  Annual  Register  for  1759, 
p.  191  ;  and  from  a  note  in  Biirk's  "  History  of  Virginia, "f  we 
llnd  that  the  Iroquois  were  very  angry  at  the  prominence  of  Teed- 
yuscung.  With  the  messengers  to  the  West,  bearing  news  of  this 
treaty,  Post  was  sent  back,  within  five  weeks  after  his  return.  He 
followed  after  General  Forbes,  from  whom  he  received  messages 
to  the  various  tribes,  with  which  he  once  more  sought  their  chiefs ; 
and  was  again  very  instrumental  in  preventing  any  junction  of  the 
Indians  with  the  French.  Indeed,  but  for  Post's  mission,  there 
^vould   in   all   probability  have   been  gathered   a  strong  force   of 

*  S|)arks' Waehington;  ii.  313;  note. — Bailor's  Kentucky,  2(1  edition,  Introduction, 
\liv.— MarslialTs  Life  of  Washington,  (Edition  1S04,  Philadelphia,)  li.  66.  This  defeat 
'itrtirred,  September  21.    Washington  comtnanded  all  the  Virginia  troops. 


Vol. 


p  239. 


86 


Indian  War  in  the  South. 


1760. 


nno. 


western  savages  to  waylay  Forbes  and  defeiid  Fort  Du  Questie, 
in  which  ease,  so  adverse  was  the  season  and  the  way,  so  wearitu 
the  nicn,  and  so  badly  managed  the  whole  business,  that  there 
would  have  been  great  danger  ot'  a  second  "  IJraddock's  field;'' 
so  that  our  hund)le  Moravian  friend  played  no  unimportant  pari  in 
securing  again  to  his  British  Majesty  the  key  to  western  America, 

With  the  fall  of  Fort  l>u  Quesne,  all  direct  contest  between  the 
French  and  British  in  the  West  ceased.  From  that  time  Canatlii 
was  the  only  scene  of  operations,  though  garrisons  for  a  wliili 
remained  in  the  forts  on  French  Creek.  In  1759,  Ticonderoga, 
Crown  Point,  Niagara,  and  at  length  Quebec  itself  yielded  to  the 
English ;  and,  on  the  8th  of  September,  17G0,  Montreal,  Detroit, 
and  ali  Canada  were  given  up  by  Vaudreuil,  the  French  governor. 

But  the  French  had  not  been  the  only  dwellers  in  western 
America;  and,  when  they  were  gone,  the  colonists  still  saw  belon 
them  clouds  of  dark  and  jealous  warriors.  Indeed,  no  sooiu: 
were  the  Delawares  cjuiet  in  the  north,  than  the  Cherokees,  who 
had  been  assisting  Virginia  against  her  foes,  were  roused  to  wai 
by  the  thoughtless  and  cruel  conduct  of  the  frontier  men,  who  shot 
several  of  that  tribe,  because  they  took  some  horses  which  tlii\ 
found  running  at  large  in  the  woods.  The  ill-feeling  bred  by  \\\b 
act  was  fc-^gerly  fostered  by  the  French  in  Louisiana  ;  and,  whilt 
Amherst  and  Wolfe  were  pushing  the  war  into  Canada,  the  fron- 
tiers of  Georgia,  the  Carolinas  and  Virginia,  were  writhing  inidf; 
the  horrors  of  Indian  invasion.  This  Cherokee  war  continun! 
through  1760,  and  into  1761,  but  was  terminated  In  the  summt'i 
of  the  last-named  yeai"  by  Colonel  Grant.  We  should  be  glad, 
did  it  come  within  our  province,  to  enter  somewhat  at  large  int' 
the  event,s.  of  it,  as  then  came  forward  two  of  the  most  remarkabk 
chiefs  of  that  day,  the  Great  W'arrior  and  the  Little  Carpcntei 
(AttakuUakulla) ;  but  we  must  first  refer  our  readers  to  the  second 
volume  of  Thatcher's  "Indian  Biography." 

Aloug  the  frontiers  of  Pennsylvania  and  northern  Virginia,  the 
old  plantations  had  been,  one  by  one,  reoccupied  since  1758,  ami 
settlers  were  slowly  pushing  further  into  the  Indian  country,  ami 
tradei*s  were  once  more  bearing  their  burdens  over  the  mountains, 
and  finding  a  way  into  the  wigwams  of  the  natives,  who  rested. 
watching  silently,  but  narrowly,  the  course  of  their  Englisli 
defenders  and  allies.  For  it  was,  professedly,  in  the  characte; 
of  defenders,    that   Braddock    and    Forbes   had  come    into  the 


Wfst  ;*  and, 
till'  furs  of  tl 
prrsiiaded  tli 
given  to  pre! 
dfiiis,  the 
Hut  the  sava 
e\ery  step  ol 

In  1760,  t 

old  plan,  aiu 

the  \'irginia 

in<j;  the  sumi 

at  Kort  Pitt, 

each  post  ha 

tables  for  th 

writer,  were 

the  oidy  inro 

savs,  that  in 

three  million 

Indeed,  we  I 

tlements  in  tl 

Virginia  Cou 

beyond  the  n 

rate,  it  is  clc 

1762,  Bouqu( 

the  treaty  of 

west  of  the  i 

all   settlemen 

who  were  spn 

But  if  the 
much  more  \ 
known  only 
the  Ottaways, 
they  received 
reuil,  when  . 

*  Sparks'  Fran) 
ladiaiis  were  ;  see 

+  Sparks'    Was, 
Company,  dated  S 

I  Dated  August 

i  Contest  in  Nc 

p.  l^7._/'/„,■rt  fi 
§  riaiii  Facts,  i 


17G(), 


nr.o. 


Sdtleineiits  in  the  West  resumed. 


87 


Wot  ;*  and,  while  every  Hritisli  finger  itclied  for  the  lands  as  well  as 
lilt'  furs  of  the  wild  men,  with  mistaken  hypocrisy  Ihey  would  have 
tursuaded  thcia  that  the  treasure  and  the  life  of  Enjifland  had  been 
friveii  to  preserve  her  old  allies,  the  Six  Nations,  and  their  depen- 
dents, the  Delawares  and  Shawanese,  from  French  agcfression. 
But  the  sava-^es  knew  whom  they  li«d  to  deal  with,  and  looked  at 
every  step  of  the  cultivator  with  jealousy  and  hate. 

Ill  1760,  the  Ohio  Company  once  more  prepared  to  pursue  their 
old  |)lan,  and  sent  to  England  for  such  orders  and  instructions  to 
the  N'irginia  government  as  would  enable  them  to  do  so.f  Dur- 
ing the  summer  of  that  year,  also,  General  Monkton,  ])y  a  treaty 
at  Kort  Pitt,  obtained  leave  to  build  posts  within  the  wiUl  lands, 
each  post  having  ground  enough  about  it  to  raise  corn  and  vege- 
tables for  the  use  of  the  garrison.^  Nor,  if  we  can  credit  one 
writer,  were  the  settlements  of  the  Ohio  Company,  and  ihe  forts, 
the  only  inroads  upon  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  savages  ;  for  he 
says,  that  in  1757,  by  the  books  of  the  Secretary  of  Virginia, 
tliiee  millions  of  acres  had  been  granted  west  of  the  mountains. 
Indeed,  we  know  that  in  1758  she  tried  by  law  to  encourage  set- 
tlements in  the  West ;  and  the  report  of  John  Blair,  Clerk  of  the 
Virginia  Council,  in  1768  or  1769,  states,  that  most  of  the  grants 
beyond  the  mountains  were  made  before  August,  1754.  ||  At  any 
rate,  it  is  clear  that  the  Indians  early  began  to  murmur;  for,  in 
1762,  Bouquet  issued  his  proclamation  from  Fort  !^itt,  saying  that 
the  treaty  of  Easton,  in  1758,  secured  to  the  red  men  all  lands 
west  of  the  mountains  as  hunting-grounds ;  wherefore  he  lbrl)ids 
all  settlements,  and  orders  the  arrest  of  the  traders  and  settlers 
who  were  spreading  discontent  and  fear  among  the  Ohio  Indians. § 

But  if  the  Ohio  Indians  were  early  ill-disposed  to  the  English, 
much  more  was  this  the  case  among  those  lake  tribes,  who  had 
known  only  the  French,  and  were  strongly  attached  to  them ; 
the  Ottaways,  W^yandots,  and  Chippeways.  The  first  visit  which 
they  received  from  the  British  was  after  the  surrender  of  Vaud- 
reuil,  when  Major  Robert  Rogers  was  sent  to  take   charge   of 

'  Sjiarks' Fr««A7//(,  vol.  iv.  p.  328. — Post's  Journals  show  how  full  of  jealousy  the 
Indians  were  ;  see  tlicrc  also  Forbes'  leUcr,  sent  by  liim. 

t  Sjjarks'  Washinslov,  vol.  ii.  p.  482 — rini)i  Farlf,  p.  120,  where  a  letter  from  the 
Company,  dated  September  9th,  17G1,  is  given. 

I  Dated  August  20th.     Flain  Facts,  pp.  S5,  5G. 

ii  CiJHltit  in  yorlh  Americii,  litj  an  Im/Hirtuil  Hand,  p.  36. — Secret  Jour7iah,  vol.  iii. 
p.  \hl — Plain  Fads.     Appendix. 

§  Plain  Facts,  p.  56. — .See  Hcckeweldcr's  Narrative,  p.  61. 


88 


Rogers  crosses  Ohio. 


175f>. 


1701. 


Detroit.*  He  left  Montreal  on  tlie  13lh  of  S^-ptcnibor,  17G(),  ami, 
on  the  8th  of  October,  reached  Prescm'lle,  where  Bouquet  tlnr, 
coinnian(h'(i.  Tlience  he  went  slowly  up  Lake  l'>ie,  to  Detroit, 
which  place  he  .suninioned  to  yield  itself  on  the  IDth  of  Novcm. 
her.  It  was,  if  we  mistake  not,  while  waitinf^  for  an  answer 
(o  this  summons,  that  he  was  visited  by  the  ^reat  (Jttawa  cliid. 
tain,  l\)nliac,  who  demanded  how  the  Kn^lisli  dared  enliT  lii> 
country;  to  which  the  answer  was  f^iven,  that  tliey  came,  not  to 
take  the  country,  but  to  open  a  free  way  of  trade,  and  to  put  out 
the  French,  who  stopped  their  trade.  This  answer,  togetlier  with 
otlier  moderate  and  kindly  words,  spoken  by  Holers,  seemed  to 
lull  the  risirjg  fears  of  the  savages,  and  Pontiac  promised  him  jiis 
protection. 

Beleter,  meantime,  who  commanded  at  Detroit,  had  not  yielded; 
nay,  word  was  brought  to  Rogers  on  the  24th,  that  his  messen^'i; ; 
had  been  confined,  and  a  (lag-pole  erected,  with  a  wooden  heat!  j 
upon  it,  to  represent  Britain,  on  which  stood  a  crow  picking  tht 
eyes  out, — as  emblematic  of  the  success  of  France.  In  a  ftw 
days,  however,  the  commander  heard  of  the  fate  of  the  lowe: 
posts,  and,  as  his  Indians  did  not  stand  by  him,  on  the  29th  Ik 
yielded.  Rogers  remained  at  Detroit  until  December  23d,  undc 
the  personal  protection  of  Pontiac,  to  whose  presence  he  proljulily 
owed  liis  safety.  J^rom  Detroit  the  Major  went  to  the  Maunuc 
and  thence  across  the  present  State  of  Ohio  to  Fort  Pitt;  and  lii^ 
Jouruiil  of  this  overland  trip  is  the  first  we  have  of  such  an  one  in 
that  region.  Ilis  route  was  nearly  that  given  by  IIutchins,f  in 
Bouquet's  "  Expedition,"  as  the  common  one  from  Sandusky  to 
the  Fork  of  the  Ohio.  It  went  from  Fort  Sandusky,  where  San- 
dusky City  now  is,  crossed  the  Huron  river,  then  called  Baki 
Eagle  Creek,  to  "  Mohickon  John's  Town,"  upon  what  we  know 
as  Mohicon  Creek,  the  northern  branch  of  White  Woman's  River, 
and  thence  crossed  to  Beaver's  Town,  a  Delaware  town  on  tin 
west  side  of  the  "  Maskongam  Creek,"  opposite  "  a  fine  river" 
which,  from  Hutchins'  map,  we  presume  was  Sandy  Creek.  At 
Beaver's  Town  were  one  hundred  and  eighty  warriors,  and  no; 
less  than  three  thousand  acres  of  cleared  land.  From  there  the 
track  went  up  Sandy  Creek  and  across  to  the  Big  Beaver,  and  up 

*  Seo  liis  Jourmil,  London,  1765.     Also,  his    Concise  Account  of  North   Antunca 
London.     17G5. 

t  Thomas  Hutchins,  afterwards  Geograplicr  of  the  United  States,  was,  in  17G4,  assist- 
ant engineer  on  Uouquct's  edition. 


llie  Oliio,  tl 
iraclied  Jan 
while  he  wa 

1m    tiie   s| 
.Ahxander  I 
purposes  of  1 
ing  against  t 
conciliate  th 
and  war.     1 
reach  Missili 
waited  on  b) 
Pontiac.  him 
that  their  Fr 
enemies,  con 

"  Fnglishi 
have  not  yet 
lakes,  these 
tors.  They 
none.  Youi 
not  live  with 
know  that  II 
food  for  us  u 

He  then  sf 
them,  no  pre 
tion  to  allow 
l)rother,  he  d 
war.* 

Such  were 
after  the  Eng 
ings  were  in 
dians  and  Fr 
the  war  betw 
there  was  he 
power  might 
boon,  it  is  i 
tlioiigh  of  th 
hardly  any  th 

Upon  the 
cliidod,  and 

•  Travels  of  A 
Thatciier's  India 


17G9. 

?0(),  and, 
luct  tli.r, 
I  l)(!lroit. 
'  No  Vein. 
1  answer 
kv-a  ohicl. 
L'ntcr  hiv 
le,  not  to 
n  put  nut 
tlicr  with 
eemt'tl  to 
1  him  \{\>. 

;  yielded; 
lessenifcr 
Jen  licai! 
•kin^  the 
In   a  IVw 
he    lowc: 
!  29tli  1,. 
M,  undt: 
prolialily 
Maunu'p, 
and  hi; 
fin  one  in 
linsjf  in 
dusky  to 
ere  Sail- 
ed Bald 
>ve  know 
s  Rivir, 
1  on  thi 
e  river" 
eek.    At 
and  not 
here  the 
,  and  up 

'i    Arncncd- 


764,  assis'.- 


1701, 


Henry  at.  Mnr/cinac. 


89 


tlir  Ohio,  lhroujj;li  Ln|rslf)wn,  Id  Fort  Pitt,  wliich  plarc;  Ronjcrs 
readied  January  2."kl,  17(i(),  precisely  one  month  liavin<^  passed 
while  he  was  upon  the  way. 

\i\  the  spring  ot"  tlie  year  following  llo|j;ers'  visit,  (17(51,) 
Alexander  Henry,  an  Knt^lisii  trader,  went  to  Missillimaenac  for 
])iiri)oses  of  business,  and  he  found  everywhere  the  slron^n'sl  feel- 
iiiU  a^^'ainsl  the  Kn<;lish,  who  had  done  nothing  by  word  or  act  to 
conciliate  the  Indians.  Even  then  there  were  threats  of  reprisals 
and  war.  IIa\ing,  by  means  of  a  Canadian  dress,  managed  to 
reach  Missilimacanac  in  safety,  he  was  there  discovered,  and  was 
waited  on  by  an  Indian  cliief,  who  was,  in  tiie  opinion  of  Thatcher, 
Ponliait  himself.  This  chief,  after  conveying  to  him  the  idea, 
that  their  French  father  would  soon  awake  and  utterly  destroy  his 
enemies,  continued : 

"Englishman!  Although  you  have  conqiiered  the  French,  you 
have  not  yet  conqiu'red  us!  We  are  not  your  slaves!  These 
lakes,  these  woods,  these  mountains,  were  left  to  us  by  our  an(;es- 
tors.  'Jhey  are  our  inheritance,  and  we  will  })art  with  them  to 
none.  Your  nation  supposes  that  we,  like  the  while  people,  can- 
not live  without  bread,  and  pork,  and  beef.  But  you  ouglit  to 
know  that  lie,  the  Great  Spirit  and  Master  of  Life,  has  provided 
food  for  us  upon  these  broad  lakes  and  in  these  mountains." 

He  then  spoke  of  the  fact  that  no  treaty  had  been  made  with 
them,  no  presents  sent  them,  and  while  ho  annoimced  their  inten- 
tion to  allow  Henry  to  trade  unmolested,  and  to  regard  him  as  a 
l)rother,  he  declared,  that  with  his  king  the  red  men  were  still  at 
war.* 

Such  were  the  feelings  of  the  northwestern  savages  immediately 
after  the  English  took  possession  of  their  lands ;  and  these  feel- 
ings were  in  all  probability  fostered  and  i increased  by  the  Cana- 
dians and  French.  Distrust  of  the  British  was  general;  and,  as 
the  war  between  France  and  England  still  went  on  in  other  lands, 
there  was  hope  among  the  Canadians,  perhaps,  that  the  French 
power  might  be  restored  in  America.  However  this  may  have 
been,  it  is  clear  that  disaffection  spread  rapidly  in  the  West, 
tiiough  of  the  details  of  the  years  from  1759  to  1763  we  know 
hardly  any  thing. 

I'pon  the  10th  of  February,  1763,  the  treaty  of  Paris  was  con- 
cluded, and  peace  between  the  F.uropean  powers  restored.     Of 

*  Travels  of  Alexander  Henry  in  C-inada,  from  1760  to  1776.  New  York,  180i>. — 
Thatcher's  Indian  Biography,  vol.  ii.  j)p.  7o,  et  .ipj. 


1 


90  Peace  of  Paris.  17G3, 

tlmt    treaty    we    glvo   the   essential    provisions  bearing  upon  (ni; 
suijjcct. 

Akt.  4     '•  His   most  Cliristian   Majesty  renounces    all    prctensioiu 
which   he  has  heretofore  formed,  or   might  form,   to  Nova  Scdtii  or 
Acjuha  in  all  its  parts,  and  f^uaratitees  the  whole  of  it,  and  wiili  all  iu 
(lependiMicies,  to  the  KiM|^  of  (Jrcat  Britain:   moreover,  his  most  Chris- 
tian Majesty  cedes  and  j^iiarantet's  to  his  said  Britannic  Majesty,  in  full  1 
right,  Canada,    with  all  its  dependencies,  as  well  as  the  island  of  Cipe  | 
IJrtton,  and  ail  the  other  islands  and  coasts  in  the  gulf  and  river  of  St,  i 
Lawrt'tice  ;  and,  in  general,  every  thing  that  depends  on  the  said  cdiin. 
tries,  lands,  islands,  and  coasts,  with  the  sovereignty,  property,  possts.  ( 
sion,  and  all  rights  acquired  by  treaty  or  otherwise,  which  the  nms; 
Christian  King  and   the  crown  of  France  have  had,  till  now,  over  the 
said   countries,  islands,  lands,  places,  coasts,  and   their   inhabitants;  vo 
that  the  most  Christian  King,  cedes  and  makes    over  the  whole  to  the 
said  King,  and  to  the  crown  of  (Jreat  Britain,  and  that  in  tl  e  most  am- 
ple   n)aimcr  and   form,  without   restrictior,  and  without  any  hberty  to 
depart  fiom  the  said  cession   and  guarantee  und'  r  any  pretence,  or  to 
disturl)  (ireat  Britain  in  the  possessions  above  mentioned. 

Art.  7.  "  In  order  to  establish  peace  on  solid  and  durable  founda- 
tions, and  to  remove  forever  all  subjects  of  dispute  with  regard  to  'h 
limits  of  the  British  and  French  territories  on  the  continent  of  Ameri- 
ca, it  is  agreed  that  for  the  future,  the  confines  between  the  dominioiij 
of  his  Britaimic  Majesty  and  those  of  his  most  Christian  Majesty  in  tlia: 
part  of  the  world,  shall  be  fixed  irrevocably  by  a  line  drawn  along  the 
middle  of  the  river  Mississippi,  from  its  source  to  the  river  Iberville,  anil 
from  thence  by  a  line  drawn  along  the  middle  of  this  river,  and  the  lakes 
Maurepas  and  Ponichartrain,  to  the  sea  ;  and  for  this  puipose,  the  niosi 
Christian  King  cedes,  in  full  right,  and  guarantees  to  his  Britannic 
Majesty,  the  river  and  port  of  the  Mobile,  and  every  thing  which  he 
possesses  or  ought  to  possess  on  the  left  side  of  the  river  Mississippi, 
with  the  exception  of  the  town  of  New  Orleans,  and  of  the  island  in 
which  it  is  situated,  which  shall  remain  to  France  ;  it  being  well  uneler- 
stood  that  the  navigation  of  the  river  Mississippi  shall  be  equally  free, 
as  well  to  the  subjects  of  Great  Britain  as  to  those  of  France,  in  its 
whole  breadth  and  length  from  its  source  to  the  sea;  and  expressly,  that 
part  which  is  between  the  said  island  of  New  Orleans,  and  the  right 
bank  of  that  river,  as  well  as  the  passage  both  in  and  out  of  its  moiiih. 
It  is  further  stipulated  that  the  vessels  belonging  to  the  subjects  of  either 
nation  shall  not  be  stopped,  visited,  or  subjected  to  the  payment  of  any 
duty  whatsoever." 

[li  is  necessary  to  observe,  that  the  preliminary  articles,  which  eo  far 


I7G.7. 

as  relates  to  lli 
thoKC  of  the  d 
bcr,  1702,  on 
to  Spain.]" 


And  now  o 
Piiiiiphlets  \v( 
thr  Ohio  ;  Co 
pritiy  in  Engl 
there   were   c 
17.")  1,  undi-r 
were   prepara 
there  existed 
among  the  In( 
Carolina,  by 
fall  upon  the  \ 
dead.      Ciiipi 
Delawares,  ar 
feelings,  and 
voice   of   thai 
tant  North,  ci 
these  dogs  in 
I  have  given 
you  are  in  dis 

That  voice 
traders  journe 
shruidf  from  t 
day ;  the  fror 
eiop,  or,  \va 
upon  one  mor 

*  See  Laad  Lav 


1763. 


Indian  Conspiracy. 


91 


as  n-latps  to  tho  two  artirle«  hero  in<>rrlc(l,  arc  vcrhaliin  llio  same  with 
tlio*r  of  tlio  (lefinilive  tre.ity.  were  sijjncd  on  the  third  diy  of  Novem- 
ber, ITfl'i,  on  which  same  day,  as  will  appear,  France  ctuled  Louisiana 
to  Spain.]* 


^^S^^^^r^^V^^ 


FROM  no:]  TO  1701. 


And  now  once  more  men  began  to  think  seriously  of  tlio  West. 
Pain|)hlets  were  puhlished  upon  the  advantages  of  sctthnnents  on 
thi-Oliio;  Colonel  Mercer  was  ehosen  to  represent  the  old  Com- 
pany in  England,  and  try  to  have  their  alfairs  made  straight,  for 
there  were  eounter-elaims  hy  the  soldiers  who  liad  eidisted,  in 
17o4,  under  Dinwiddle's  proclamation  ;  and  on  all  hands  there 
Were  preparations  for  movement.  JJut,  even  at  that  moment, 
there  existed  through  the  whole  West  a  conspiracy  or  agreement 
among  the  Indians,  from  Lake  Michigan  to  the  frontiers  of  North 
Carolina,  by  which  they  were  with  one  accord,  with  one  spirit,  to 
fall  upon  the  whole  line  of  British  posts  and  strike  every  white  man 
dead.  Chippeways,  Ottoways,  Wjandots,  Miamis,  Shawanese, 
Delawares,  and  Mingoes,  for  the  time,  laid  by  their  old  hostile 
feelings,  and  united  under  Pontiac  in  this  great  enter})rise.  The 
voice  of  that  sagacious  and  noble  man  was  heard  in  the  dis- 
tant North,  crying,  "Why,  says  the  Great  Spirit,  do  you  suffer 
these  dogs  in  red  clothing  to  enter  your  country  and  take  the  land 
I  have  given  you  ?  Drive  them  from  it !  Drive  them !  When 
you  are  in  distress,  I  will  help  you." 

That  voice  was  heard,  but  not  by  the  whites.  The  unsuspecting 
traders  journeyed  from  village  to  village ;  the  soldiers  in  the  forts 
shrunk  from  the  sun  of  the  early  summer,  and  dozed  away  the 
day ;  the  frontier  settler,  singing  in  fancied  security,  sowed  his 
eiop,  or,  watching  the  sunset  through  the  girdled  trees,  mused 
upon  one  more  peaceful  harvest,  and  told  his  children  of  the  hor- 

'  See  Land  Laws,  p.  83. 


93 


Mfickiiuir  tnh'n. 


MfA. 


rors  f)f  llir  Irn  y^nrs'  war,  now, — thank  Ciod!  ovor.  From  tht; 
Allr^lianu's  t(i  the  Mississippi  the  trcts  had  U'rtvcd,  and  all  \va< 
cahn  lift'  and  joy.  \\\\\  Uiron^li  that  prcat  rotintry,  «'Vcn  \\u% 
bands  of  sidh-n  xi'i\  men  won'  jonrncyint;  from  thr  central  valh  \< 
to  llic  hikes  and  the  Kastern  hills.  Hands  of  t;hip])eways  pathorcil 
alxHif  Missiliniaeanae.  Oltaways  'died  the  woods  near  Detrnji, 
The  Maiimee  post,  Pres(prFle,  Niaf^ara,  Pitt,  Lii^onier,  and  eviry 
Kurdish  fort  was  hemmed  in  hy  mingled  trihes,  who  felt  that  the 
great  battle  drew  nif^h  which  was  to  deterniine  their  laic  and  the 
possession  of  their  noble  lands. f  At  last  the  day  came.  Tin' 
traders  everywhere  were  seized,  their  floods  taken  from  ihein,  iiml 
more  than  one  hundred  of  them  jiut  to  death.  Nine  Hritish  forts 
yielded  instantly,  and  the  savaf^es  drank,  "  scooped  uj)  in  the  hol- 
low of  joined  liands,"  the  blood  of  many  a  Mriton.  The  border 
streams  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  ran  red  again.  "  We  hear," 
.says  a  letter  for  Fort  Pitt,  "  of  scalpinf^  every  hour."  In  Western 
Virf!;inia,  more  than  twenty  thousand  people  were  driven  fmtn 
their  homes.  Mackinac  was  taken  by  a  stratagem,  which  Henry  i 
thus  describes : 

The  next  ilay,  heing  the  foiirdi  of  June,  was  the  kinir's  birth-<l;iy, 
Tiic  morning  was  sultry.  A  Ciiippeway  came  to  tell  me  that  his  nnlion 
was  going  to  play  at  baggafiwatj,  with  the  Sacs  or  Saakies,  another 
Indian  nation,  lor  a  h  ^h  wager.  He  invited  me  to  witness  the  sport, 
adding  diat  the  commandant  was  to  be  there,  and  would  bcl  on  the  sidcoi 
the  Chippeways.  In  cousequenee  of  this  infoimalinn,  1  went  to  the  com- 
niandant,  and  expostulated  with  him  a  little,  representing  iluitihe  Indinns 
might  possibly  have  some  sinister  end  in  view  ;  but  the  commandant 
only  smiled  at  my  suspicions. 

Jiaggathvay,  called  by  the  Canadians  h  jeu  dc  la  crosse,  is  playcJ 
with  a  bat  and  ball.  The  bat  is  about  four  feet  in  length,  curved,  anJ 
terminating  in  a  sort  of  racket.  Two  ponts  are  planted  in  the  ground, 
at  a  considerable  distance  from  each  other,  as  a  mile  or  more,  Each 
party  has  its  post,  and  the  game  consists  in  throwing  the  ball  up  to  the 
post  of  the  adversary.  The  ball  at  the  beginning  is  placed  in  the 
middle  of  the  course,  and  each  party  endeavors  as  well  to  throw  the 
ball  out  of  the  direction  of  its  own  post,  as  into  that  of  the  adversary's. 

I  did  not  go  myself  lu  see  the  match  which  was  now  to  be  played 
without  the  foit,  because,  there  being  a  canoe  prepared  to  depart,  on 
the  following  day,  for  Montreal,  1  employed  myself  in  writing  letters 
to  my  friends ;;  and  even  when  a  fellow-trader,  Mr.  Tracy  happened  to 

t  See  Henry's  JVarrarire.— Tliatcher's  Indian  Biography,  vol.  ii.  p.  S3, 


1763. 

call  upon  tni 
and  proposin 
hcwa,  it  «« 
iniHing  to  full 
lind  not  gone 
Indian  war-ci 

Going  iuHt: 
fori,  I'liriously 
III  particular, 

'I'lie  game 
been  perceive 
III  the  ardor 
be  thrown  to 
can  be  diverli 
meat,  therei'o 
than  that  the 
having  fallen 
in  the  game,  i 
ail  shouting,  : 
Nothing  couli 
fore,   could  hi 
stratagem  like 
dians  had  eii 
fort,  and  by  w 
garrison,  and 
more  certain 
could,  by  a  p 
without   the 
themselves.* 

At  Detroit, 
cess ;  and  hei 

"  As  every 
to  be  on  a  frie 
any  suspicions 
encamped  at  a 
he  was  come 
peat-c  betwee 
chiefs  might  1 

*  See  Drake's 

t  Captain  Carv 
Detroit  contained 
twenty  miles,  altl 


nr,3, 

['"rom  file 
I  all  \v;i« 
.'cn  flicn, 
;il  valley* 

pallicriM: 
r  Drtrnit, 
itid  ever) 

tluit  th.. 
(>  and  thf 
nc.  Till' 
h<Mn,  ainl 
ilish  forts 
1  the  liol. 
lie  border 
Vc  luar," 
.  Wi'stt'rn 
veil  IVfiin 
c.'h  Ilcnrv 


birth-tl;iy, 
Imh  nation 
a,  another 
llio  sport, 
the  siilf  01 
I)  the  coin- 
he  Indiiins 
mm  and  ant 

is  played 

rveil,  and 
,R  ground, 
•e,     Each 

up  to  the 
ed  in  the 
dirow  the 
versary's. 
be  played 

epart,  on 
ng  letters 
ppened  to 


1763. 


Mocfcinar  taken. 


\)\\ 


call  ii|>oi>  iiie,  saying  thai  another  ounou  hud  just  arrived  from  Detroit, 
and  i)r(>])using  dial  I  nhoidd  go  with  him  to  the  heacli,  to  inquire  the 
ncwH,  it  «o  happened  thai  1  Hlill  reniaiueil,  to  liiiinh  my  lelters  ;  pro* 
nu!*ing  to  follow  Mr.  Tracy  in  the  course  of  a  few  iniiuiH'!'.  Mr.  'I'nicy 
liiid  not  gone  more  than  twenty  paces  from  the  door,  when  I  heard  an 
Indian  war-cry,  and  a  noise  of  general  confusion. 

Going  instantly  to  my  window,  I  saw  a  crowd  of  Indian^*,  within  the 
fort,  furiously  cutting  tlown  and  scalping  every  Knglishman  they  found. 
Ill  particular,  I  witnessed  the  fate  of  Lieutenant  Jemeite.       •     •     •     • 

'I'lie  game  of  haggatiway,  as  from  the  description  above  will  have 
been  perceived,  is  necessarily  attended  with  much  violence  and  noi.>«e. 
In  the  ardor  of  contest,  the  ball,  as  has  been  suggested,  if  it  cannot 
be  thrown  to  the  goal  desired,  is  struck  in  any  direction  by  which  it 
can  be  diverted  from  that  designed  by  the  adversary.  At  such  a  mo- 
ment, therefore,  iiolliiiig  could  be  less  liable  to  excite  premature  alarm, 
tiian  that  the  ball  should  be  tossed  over  the  pickets  of  the  fort,  nor  that, 
having  fallen  there,  it  should  be  followed  on  the  instant  by  all  engaged 
in  the  game,  as  well  the  one  [larty  as  the  other,  all  eager,  all  struggling, 
all  shouting,  all  in  the  unrestrained  pursuit  of  a  rude  athletic  exercise. 
Nothing  could  be  less  fitted  to  excite  premature  alarm  ;  nothing,  there- 
fore, could  be  more  happily  devised,  under  the  circumstances,  than  a 
stratagem  like  this  ;  and  this  was,  in  fact,  the  strategom  which  the  In- 
dians had  employed,  by  which  they  had  obtained  possession  of  the 
fort,  and  by  which  they  had  been  enabled  to  slaughter  and  subdue  its 
garrison,  and  such  of  its  other  inhabitants  as  they  pleased.  To  be  slill 
more  certain  of  success,  they  had  prevailed  upon  as  many  as  they 
could,  by  a  pretext  the  least  liable  to  suspicion,  to  come  voluntary 
without  the  pickets  ;  and  particularly  the  commandant  and  garrison 
tlicmselves.* 

At  Detroit,  where  Pontine  commanded,  treachery  prevented  suc- 
cess; and  here  also  we  give  the  account  of  a  cotemporaiy  writer:! 

"  As  every  appearance  of  war  was  at  an  end,  and  the  Indians  seemed 
to  be  on  a  friendly  footing,  Pontiac  a|)proached  Detroit  without  exciting 
any  suspicions  in  the  breast  of  the  governor,  or  the  inhabitants.  He 
encamped  at  a  litde  distance  from  it,  and  let  the  commandant  know  that 
he  was  come  to  trade  ;  and  being  desiious  of  brightening  the  chain  of 
peace  between  the  English  and  his  nation,  desired  that  he  and  his 
chiefs  might  be  admitted  to  hold   a  council  with  him.     The  governor, 

•  See  Drake's  CaplivUies,  289,  292. 

t  Captain  Carver,  who  was  in  the  north-west  from  17H6  to  1768.  In  1767  he  says 
Detroit  contained  more  than  one  hundred  housra,  and  tliat  the  river  bank  was  settled  for 
Iveiity  miles,  although  poorly  cultivated  ;  the  j)eoj>le  were  engaged  in  the  Indian  trade. 


y^ 


94 


Ponliac  before  Detroit, 


17G3. 


still  unsuspicious,  and  not  in  the  least  doubting  the  sincerity  of  the 
Indians,  granted  their  gcnerars  request,  and  fixed  on  the  next  morning 
for  thoir  reception. 

♦'  On  the  evening  of  that  day,  an  Indian  woman  who  had  been 
appointed  by  Major  Gladwyn  to  make  a  pair  of  Indian  f-hoes,  out  of  a 
curious  clkskin,  brought  them  hoii.e.  The  major  was  so  pleased  wiih 
them,  that,  intending  these  as  a  present  fur  a  friend,  he  oidered  her  lo 
tako  the  remainder  back,  and  make  it  into  others  for  himself.  He  llien 
dircctcil  his  servant  to  pay  her  for  those  she  had  done,  and  dismissed 
licr.  The  woman  went  to  the  door  that  led  to  the  street,  but  no  fiit- 
ther ;  she  there  loitered  about  as  if  she  had  not  finished  the  business  on 
which  she  came.  A  servant  at  length  observed  her,  and  asked  her  why 
she  staid  tiiere  ?     She  gave  him,  however,  no  answer. 

••  Some  short  time  after,  the  governor  himself  saw  her,  and  inquired 
of  his  servant  what  occasioned  her  stay.  Not  being  able  to  get  a  satis- 
factory answer,  he  ordered  the  woman  to  be  called  in.  Wiien  she 
came  into  his  presence,  he  desired  to  know  what  was  the  reason  of  her 
loitering  about,  and  not  hastening  home  before  the  gates  were  shut,  thai 
she  might  complete  in  due  time  the  work  he  had  given  her  to  do.  She 
told  him,  after  much  hesitation,  that  as  he  had  always  behaved  wiili 
great  goodness  towards  her,  she  was  unwilling  to  take  away  the  remain- 
dor  of  the  skin,  because  he  put  so  great  a  value  upon  it;  and  yet  had 
not  been  able  to  prevail  upon  herself  to  tell  him  so.  He  then  asked 
her  why  she  was  more  reluctant  to  do  so  now  than  she  had  been  when 
she  made  the  former  pair.  With  increased  reluctance  she  answered, 
that  she  should  never  be  able  to  bring  them  back. 

"  Ilis  curiosity  was  now  excited,  he  insisted  on  her  disclosing  ihe 
secret  that  seemed  lo  be  struggling  in  her  bosom  for  utterance.  At  lasi, 
on  receiving  a  proii/ise  that  the  intelligence  she  was  about  to  give  liiin 
should  not  turn  to  her  prejudice;  and  that  if  it  appealed  to  be  beneficiyil, 
she  should  be  rewarded  for  it,  she  informed  him,  that  at  the  council  to 
ho  held  with  the  Indians  the  following  day,  Pontiac  and  his  chiefs 
intended  to  murder  him  ;  and,  after  having  massacred  the  garrison  aiil 
inhabitants,  to  plunder  the  town.  That  for  this  purpose,  all  the  chief; 
who  were  to  be  admitted  into  the  council  room  had  cut  their  guns  sliort 
so  that  they  could  conceal  them  under  their  blankets  ;  with  which,  on  a 

signal  given  by  u '  general,  on  delivering  the  belt,  they  were  all  to 

rise  up,  and  instantly  to  fire  on  him  and  his  attendants.  Having' 
effected  this,  they  were  immediately  to  rush  into  the  town,  where  they 
would  find  themselves  supported  by  a  great  number  of  their  warriors, 
that  were  to  come  into  it  during  the  silting  of  the  council  under  the 
pretence  of  trading,  but  privately  armed  in  the  same  manner.  Having 
gained  from  the  woman  every  necessary  particular  relative  to  the  plot, 


17G3. 

and  also  the 
dismissed  her 
his  part  with 
"'I'he  intp 
uneasiness  ;  a 
him  in  comm 
information  as 
pny  no  altent 
wcishi  with  h 
lie  was  convii 
his  suspicions 
the  time  wou 
ni!,dit,  and  sa\ 
weapon  of  de 

"As   he   Ir? 
he  heard  them 
discovered,  pr 
success.     As  s 
under  arms,  an 
cipal  office's, 
the  same  time 
it  was  expecte( 
day,  who    mig 
tiieir  arms  read 
"  About  ten 
dueled  lo  the  c 
officers,  each  v 
aiis  passed  on, 
troops   than   u; 
>T  sooner   we 
them,  than  Po 
men,  moaning 
streets  ?     He 
them  perfect  it 
"  The  Indiai 
the  strongest  p 
Hsh  :  and  wher 
particular  mod 
to  he  the  sigiia 
drew  their  swc 
the  same  time 
had  been   purj" 
men,  inimediat 
he'.l  in  the  mai 


I 


17G3. 


Pontiac  betrayed. 


95 


and  also  llie  moans  by  wliioli  slic  arqnircci  a  kiio\vlc(]<fC  of  llu-iu,  lie 
(lisnii>f^p(l  lift"  with  injunctions  of  secrecy,  and  a  promise  of  fulfillin<^  on 
his  part  with  pimclualily  the  engagements  he  had  entered    into. 

"  'I'lie  intelligence  the  governor  had  just  received  gave  him  great 
uneasiness;  and  he  immediately  consulted  the  officer  who  was  next 
lijm  in  command  on  the  subject.  But  this  gentleman,  considering  the 
information  as  a  story  invented  for  some  artful  purpose,  advised  him  to 
pay  no  attention  to  it.  Tiiis  conclusion,  however,  had  happily,  no 
ucisht  with  him.  He  thoiight  it  prudent  to  conclude  it  to  bo  true,  till 
lie  was  convinced  that  it  was  not  so  ;  and  therefore,  without  revealing 
his  suspicions  to  any  other  person,  he  took  every  needful  precaution  that 
llie  lime  would  admit  of.  He  walked  around  the  fort  for  the  wlulc 
iiiglit,  and  saw  himself,  that  every  sentinel  was  upon  duty,  and  every 
weapon  of  defence  in  proper  order. 

"  As  he  traversed  the  ramparts  that  lay  nearest  to  the  Indian  camp, 
lie  heard  them  in  high  festivity,  and  little  imagining  that  their  plot  was 
(lisTovercd,  probably  pleasing  themselves  with  the  anticipation  of  their 
success.  As  soon  as  the  morning  dawned,  he  ordered  all  the  garrison 
under  arms,  and  then  imparting  his  apprehensions  to  a  few  of  the  prin- 
cipal ofiice'fi,  gave  them  such  directions  as  he  thought  necessary.  At 
the  same  time  he  sent  round  to  all  the  traders,  to  inform  them,  that  aa 
it  was  expected  a  great  number  of  Indians  would  enter  the  town  that 
day,  who  might  be  inclined  to  plunder,  he  desired  they  would  have 
tlieir  arms  ready,  and  repel  any  attempt  of  that  kind. 

"  About  ten  o'clock,  Pontiac  and  his  chiefs  arrived,  and  were  con- 
ducted to  the  council  chamber,  where  the  governor  and  his  principal 
ofTicers,  each  with  pistols  in  his  belt,  awaited  his  arrival.  As  the  Indi- 
ai:s  passed  on,  they  could  not  help  observing  that  a  greater  number  of 
iroops  than  usual  were  drawn  up  on  the  parade,  or  marching  about. 
>-)  sooner  were  they  entered  and  sealed  on  the  skins  prepared  for 
tlicm,  than  Pontiac  asked  the  governor,  on  what  occasion  his  young 
men,  meaning  the  soldiers,  were  thus  drawn  up  and  parading  the 
streets  ?  He  received  for  answer  that  it  was  only  intended  to  keep 
;licm  perfect  in  their  exercise. 

"  The  Indian  chief  warrior  now  began  his  speech,  which  contained 
the  slrouffest  professions  of  friendship  and   irood  will   towards  the  En 


g- 


nsii 


and  when  he  came  to  the  delivery  of  the  belt  of  wampum,  the 
particular  mode  of  which,  according  to  the  woman's  information,  was 
to  he  the  signal  for  the  chiefs  to  fire,  the  governor  and  all  his  attendants 
ilrow  their  swords  half  way  out  of  their  scabbards  ;  and  the  soldiers  at 
the  same  time  made  a  clattering  with  their  arms  before  the  door,  which 
had  been  purposely  left  open.  Pontiac,  though  one  of  the  bravest 
mon,  immediately  turned  pale  and  trembled  ;  and  instead  of  giving  the 
bell  ill  the  manner  proposed,  delivered  it  according  to  the  usual  way. 


1763. 


Pontine  lays  siegp  to  Detroit. 


His  cliipfs  who  hnd  impatiently  expected  the  signal,  looked  at  eac!: 
other  with  astonishment,  but  eontinncd  quiet  waiting  the  result. 

"The  governor,  in  his  turn,  made  a  speech,  but  instead  of  thankins 
the  great  warrior  for  the  piofessions  of  friendship  he  had  just  ullerrd, 
he  accused  him  of  being  a  traitor.  He  told  him  that  the  English,  who 
knew  every  thing,  were  convinced  of  his  treachery  anil  villainnu? 
designs  ;  and  as  a  proof  that  they  were  acquainted  with  his  most  secrei 
thoughts  and  intentions,  he  stepped  towards  an  Indian  chief  that  sa; 
nearest  to  him,  and  drawing  aside  the  blanket,  discovered  the  shorleiieil 
firelock.  This  entirely  disconcerted  the  Indians,  and  frustrated  their 
design. 

"  He  then  continued  to  tell  thorn,  that  as  he  had  given  liis  word  ai 
tlie  time  they  had  desired  an  audience,  that  their  persons  should  If 
safe,  he  would  hold  his  promioc  inviolable,  though  they  so  little 
deserved  it.  However,  he  desired  them  to  make  the  best  of  their  way 
out  of  the  fort,  lest  his  young  men,  on  being  acquainted  with  their 
treacherous  purposes,  should  cut  every  one  of  them  to  pieces. 

"Pontiac  endeavored  to  contradict  the  accusation,  and  to  make  ex- 
ctises  for  his  suspicious  conduct;  but  the  governor,  satisfied  of  the 
falsity  of  his  protestations,  would  not  listen  to  him.  The  Indian? 
immediaieiy  left  the  fort ;  but  instead  of  being  sensible  of  the  governor's 
generous  behavior,  thev  threw  off  the  mask,  and  the  next  day  made  a 
regular  attack  upon  it." 

Thus  foiled,  Pontiac  laid  ibrmal  siege  to  the  fortress,  and  Ik 
many  months  that  siege  was  continued  in  a  manner,  and  with  a 
perseverance,  unexampled  among  the  Indians.  Even  a  regiila; 
commissariat  department  was  organized,  and  bills  of  credit  drawn 
out  upon  bark,  were  issued,  and  what  is  rarer,  punctually  piiit!, 
It  was  the  9th  of  May,*  when  Detr-oit  was  first  attacked,  and  unnn 
the  3d  of  the  following  December  it  was  still  in  danger.  As  laU 
as  March  of  the  next  year,  the  inliabitants  were  "  sleeping  in  thii: 
clothes,  expecting  an  alarm  every  night. "f 

Fort  Pitt  was  besieged  also,  and  the  garrison  reduced  to  sad 
straits  from  want  of  food.  This  being  known  beyond  the  moun- 
tains, a  quantity  of  provision  was  collected,  and   Colonel   Boqut; 

*  This  date  seems  certain.  Sec  Thatcher's  Lives  of  the  Indians!,  ii.  93  to  103.- 
Thiit  of  tiie  attiLck  on  Mackinac  is  yet  more  certain  :  but  how  could  the  people  at  Miick- 
iiac  remain  i^nior.iiit  of  Pontiac's  movrnients  from  May  9th  to  Juiin  itli  ?  A  coiiinu' 
('ano(!  voyage,  with  all  its  stoppages,  did  not  take  more  than  fourteen  days.  See  School- 
craft's Travels  of  1820,  (Ali)any  1821,)  p.  73  to  110.  Pros(in'Ile  also  was  not  attacks! 
till  June  4th,  and  yet  nf)  suspicions  seem  to  have  existed. — (Mr.  Harvey,  of  Erie,  fpiot'  ! 
in  Day's  Historical  Collccliojis  of  Pennsylvania,  31-1.) 

i  See  Henry's  Narralivc — Thatcher's  Indian  Biographi/)  vol.  ii.  p.  83. 


17()3. 

was  ajipoin 
si[;ne(i  him 
wliicii  had 
toward   the 
I'roin  that 
fjgoiiicr,  ai 
of  the  l)i'an( 
(on  miles  a1 
who,  heariti 
J  liiin,  and   d 
the  Indians, 
with  his  (hr( 
and  relievet 
It  was   nf 
failed   to   tal 
Detroit,  Pitt, 
others  wislu 
their  longing 
and  immedia 
cess   did   no 
league    was 
followers. 

In  Octobei 
in  part,  for  th 
red  men,  whi 
anee ;  a  proc 
graphs  and  p 

And  where.'; 
and  the  securil 
liidiiiis  with  M 
lion,  slionid  no 
t  f  our  dominie 
chased  by  us, 
^'rounds ;  we  d 
it  to  be  our  roj 
iii-c!iief,  in  an^ 
Florida,  do  prei 
survey,  or  pa 
respective  govt 

'  Ho' mail's  _\„/i 
DayN  lliftoricul  ( 


I 


9: 

[1  at  cac!: 
it. 

thanking 
t  uUernl, 
jlish,  who 
villainnu? 
lost  secret 
f  that  sa; 

shorleneil 
•ated  llitir 

is  word  ai 
should  he  '■ 
f    so  httle 
■  their  way 
with  thei: 

I  make  ex- 
ied  of  the 
he  Indians 
governor's 
lay  made  a 

s,  and  fo: 
nd  with  >i 

a  regula; 
dit  drawn 

ally  paid. 

:ind  unoii 
As  la'a 

g  in  tlu'i; 

'd   to  sad 

u;  mouii- 

.1  Boqiu' 

l)J  to  103,- 
>le  at  Mack.- 
A  coiiini":: 
Sec  School- 
not  attacks'. 
Eric,  quotf ! 


17().3. 


Bouquet  attacked  l)y  the  Indians. 


O'/ 


was  appointed  to  ronvi'V  it  to  the  head  of  the  Ohio,  hiiving  as- 
sifjiK'd  liiin  for  the  service  the  poor  remains  ot'  two  rt-giments, 
which  had  but  late'y  returned  from  the  war  in  Cuba.  He  set  out 
toward  the  middle  of  July,  and  upon  the  25(h  reached  Bedford. 
From  that  post,  he  went  forward  ])y  Forbes's  road,  passed  Fort 
Li<j;otiier,  and  iipon  the  5th  of  August  was  near  Bushy  Run,  one 
of  the  branches  of  'I'urtle  Creek,  which  falls  into  the  IVIonongahela 
ten  miles  above  Fort  Pitt.  Here  he  was  attacked  by  the  Tndians, 
who,  hearing  of  his  approach,  had  gathered  their  forces  to  defeat 
him,  and  during  two  days  the  contest  continued.  On  the  Gth, 
the  Indians,  having  the  worst  of  the  battle,  retreated;  and  Bouquet, 
with  his  tliree  hundred  and  forty  horses,  loaded  with  flour,  reached 
and  relieved  the  post  at  the  Fork.* 

It  was  now  iiearly  autumn,  and  the  confederated  tribes  had 
failed  to  take  the  three  most  important  fortresses  in  the  West, 
Detroit,  Pitt,  and  Niagara.  Many  of  tliem  became  disheartened  ; 
others  wished  to  return  home  for  the  winter ;  others  had  satisfied 
their  longings  for  revenge.  United  merely  by  the  hope  of  striking 
and  immediate  success,  they  fell  from  one  another  when  that  suc- 
cess did  nf)t  come  ;  jealousies  and  old  enmities  revived  ;  tlie 
h'ague  was  broken ;  and  Pontiac  was  left  alone  or  with  few 
followers. 

In  October,  also,  a  step  was  taken  by  the  British  government, 
in  part,  for  the  purpose  of  quieting  the  fears  and  suspicions  of  the 
rod  men,  which  did  much,  probably,  toward  destroying  their  alli- 
ance ;  a  proclamation  was  issued  containing  the  following  para- 
graphs and  prohibitions: 

And  whereas,  it  is  just  and  reasonable,  and  essential  to  our  interest 
and  the  s^ecurity  of  our  colonies,  tliat  the  several  nations  or  tribes  of 
huliiiis  with  whom  we  are  connected,  ;uid  who  live  under  our  protec- 
tion, iijiould  not  be  molested  or  disturbed  in  llie  po.sses.«ion  of  sucli  parts 
if  our  dominions  and  terriiories  as,  not  lia\ing  been  ceded  to,  or  pur- 
chased by  us,  are  reserved  to  them,  or  any  ^f  ihern,  as  their  liuntiufr 
grounds;  we  do,  therefore,  widi  die  advice  of  our  privy  countdl,  declare 
it  to  be  our  royal  will  and  pleasure,  that  no  Governor  or  Coramander- 
iu-cliit'f,  in  any  of  our  colonies  of  Quebec,  East  Florida,  or  West 
Fhirida,  do  presume,  upon  any  pretence  whatever,  to  grant  warrants  of 
survey,  or  pass  any  patents  for  lands  beyond  the  hounds  of  their 
ovcrnnients,  as  described  in  their  commissions  ;  as,  also  that 


?pcctn 


Itu'l 


'>i  Anntih.  vol.   ii.  p.  121. — Sp;irl<s'    Wiiihiii!^'oH;   vol.  ii.  Map,  at  p.  3S. — 


1^3}"-:  llisiioricul  CoUeciions  of  re7Ui!i>/lv<ini(i,  6S1, 


98 


Vrocbimdlion  by  llw  BriliaJi    (lovcnunciit. 


no;], 


no  (Juvcrnor  or  Cominaiulcr-in-cliii!!'  ul'  our  oihrr  roloiiii  s  or  |)l;ini;iiioii. 
ill  Aincricii,  do  prc.-umc  lur  the  prrsciit,  iuiil  imiil  our  furllitr  iilca.surc 
be  known,  to  grant  warrants  of  survey,  or  j)a.«s  j)atonta  for  any  l;iiii!< 
bcyonil  the  luads  or  sources  of  any  of  tlie  rivers  wliieh  fall  into  the 
Alliinlie  ocean  I'roui  the  west  or  northwest ;  or  upon  any  lands  whatever. 
wliicli,  not  having  been  ceded  to,  or  purchased  by  us,  as  aforesaid,  ;irc 
reserved  to  the  said  Indians  or  any  of  them. 

And  we  do  furtlier  dechire  it  to  be  our  royal  will  and  pleasure,  for  the 
present,  as  aforesaid,  to  reserve  under  our  sovereiirnty,  protection,  ami 
dominion,  for  the  use  «)f  tlie  said  Indians,  all  the  land  and  territories  nni 
included  witliin  llio  limits  of  our  said  three  new  Governments,  or  wiili- 
in  the  limits  of  the  territory  granted  to  tlie  Hudson's  IJay  (Jompanv: 
as  also  all  the  lands  and  territories  lying  to  the  westward  of  the  sourtis 
of  the  rivers  wliich  fall  into  the  sea  frouj  the  west  and  northwest  ;is 
aforesaid  ;  and  we  do  hereby  slricdy  forbid,  on  pain  of  our  displeasure, 
all  our  loving  subjects  from  making  any  purchases  or  setdemonls  wliiu- 
over,  or  taking  possession  of  any  of  the  lands  above  reserved,  wiilioiii 
our  special  leave  and  license  for  thai  purpose  first  obtained. 

And  we  do  further  sU'.  ily  enjoin  and  require  all  persons  whatever, 
wiio  have  either  wilfully  or  inadvertently  seated  themselves  upon  aiiv 
lands  within  the  countries  above  described,  or  upon  any  other  land!, 
which,  not  having  been  ceded  to,  or  purchased  by  us,  are  still  reserveil 
to  the  said  Indians  as  aforesaid,  forthwith  to  remove  themselves  from 
such  settlements. 

And  whereas  great  frauds  and  abuses  have  been  committed  in  the  pur- 
chasing lands  from  the  Indians,  to  the  great  prejudice  of  our  interest;, 
and  to  the  great  dissatisfaction  of  the  said  Indians  ;  in  order,  therefore, 
to  prevent  such  irregularities  for  the  future,  and  to  the  end  that  ilie 
Indians  may  bo  convinced  of  our  justice  and  determined  resolution  lo 
remove  all  reasonable  cause  of  discontent,  we  do,  with  tiie  advice  of  oi.r 
privy  council,  strictly  enjoin  and  require  that  no  private  person  do  pre- 
sume to  make  any  purchase  froui  the  said  Indians,  of  any  lands  resrivei 
to  the  said  Indians,  witliin  those  parts  of  our  colonics  where  we  hav, 
ihoughl  proper  to  allow  settlement;  but  that,  if  at  any  time,  any  of  ilr 
said  Indians  sln)uld  be  inclined  to  dispose  of  the  said  lands,  the  same 
shall  be  purchased  only  for  us,  in  our  name,  at  some  public  meelinn-o: 
assembly  of  the  said  Indians,  to  be  held  for  that  purpose,  by  the  Gov- 
ernor 01  Commander-in-chief  of  our  colony,  respectively,  within  ^vhich 
they  shall  lie  :  and  in  case  they  shall  lie  within  the  limits  of  any  pro 
prielaries,  conformable  to  such  directions  and  instructions  as  wc  or  they 
shall  think  pn)per  to  give  lor  tl;at  purpose:  and  we  do,  by  the  advice 
0^  our  privy  council,  declare  and  enjoin,  that  the  trade  with  the  sail 
Indians  shall  be  uce  and  open  to  all  our  subjects  whatever:  Provi(l''i'. 
'i'lial  every  person  who  may  iiicline  lo   trade  with  the  said  Indians,  (!o 


ITfil. 

lake  out  n  a 

Coniniander- 

person  shall 

,is  we  shall, 

iippointcd  fbi 

said  irade  ;  r 

oriiors  and   < 

well   iho.'^e   u 

eminent  and 

k'C  or  reward 

license    sindl 

whom  the  sai 

I  ilinns  as  we 

To  assist 
make  two  m 
Hradstrcet  1 
MoMipief  intr 
"nrly  in  the 
William  Job 
ill  of  whom 
Detroit,  v.lie 
niadc  witli  l| 
!hc  followiiitj 

1.      All 
uiven    up. 

•>.  All  01 
West  wero  i( 
ibrts  a.s  migh 
tiul  as  mud 
'iver. 

■I  Tf  any 
Fncflish  law, 

t.  Siv  Ik 
:;;i'nt  of  tlie  c 

'  Soo  Land  L,t\ 

^  Aiuiiial  |{o<.risl 

:  HfP.vrs  "S-.'.rv.i 

•r.-rt.— Tlio  Amii 

I  rri'<;([ii-i!p,  (K,-| 

''■■;ilisylv:'iii.i,  :]]  I, 

'i'h  tho  Ottawas,  1 


17(i3, 


ivr, 


Trriihj  irifli  the    TikI'khis  (if    Dcfrolf, 


Of) 


any  land- 

I  into  ilic 
wlmlever, 
csaid,  are 

re,  for  llic 
ction,  am! 
ilorics  no! 

I,  or  Willi- 
/ompany; 
\c  souri'is 
rlhwot  as  j 
liplca.siirc, 
Mits   wlial- 

II,  wiilioi.: 

wlintcver, 
upon  p.nv 
Iirr  I:iii(l«, 

II  roscrvfi' 
elves  Iroiii 

n  the  pur- 

interest?, 

therefore. 

.1    that  ilie 

olutiou  10 

k'ice  ol'oi.r 

oil  do  pri- 

s  reserve'; 

e  \vc  lun. 

my  of  ilr 

the  ^w\w( 

iiectiiiiio: 

'  the  Gov- 

hill  which 

"  any  pro 

c  or  tlicy 

the  ailvi.': 

h  the  sai: 

Provhhl 

idian?,  t'o 


lake  out  a  a  licence,  for  earryin^  on  such  trade,  from  the  fJovernor  nr 
('omniandcr-iii-chicf  of  any  of  our  colonies,  respectively,  where  such 
person  shall  reside  ;  and  also  ffive  secnrity  to  ohserve  snch  re^nlr.tioiia 
;is  we  shall,  at  any  lime,  think  fit,  hy  onrsdves  or  commissaries,  to  ho 
iippointetl  lor  this  pur|)ose,  to  direct  and  ajjpoinl,  for  tli(>  henefit  of  the 
said  trade  ;  and  we  do  hereby  authorize,  enjoin,  and  require  the  C»ov- 
I  ernors  ami  (onnnandcrs-iii-chief  of  all  our  colonies,  rcspeclively,  as 
Will  iho.-io  uiidei  our  innnediatc  government  as  ihuso  under  the  gov- 
cininenl  and  direction  ol'  proprietaries,  to  grant  such  licenses  without 
fi'C  or  reward,  takiiif;  especial  care  (o  insert  therein  a  condiiioii  that  such 
license  shall  Ik;  void,  and  the  security  forfeited,  in  ease  the  person  to 
wliom  the  same  is  granted  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  observe  such  rcgu- 
I  iiions  as  we  slnll  think  proper  to  prescribe  as  aforesaid.* 

'IV)  assist  tiic  cfrcet  of  tliis  proclainrtfiDn,  if  wns  (Iclennincd  fo 
make  two  movements  in  the  sprinpj  and  smnmer  of  17Gt;  (lenrrnl 
Hradstreet  beincj  ordcrcMl  into  tlie  rountry  \\\)()n  T-ake  Krie,  and 
Houfiuet  into  lliat  upon  the  Ohio.  The  forin(>r  moved  to  Niaf^nra 
'■nrlv  in  the  siunuKM",  an<l  tluM'e  in  June,  aeeompanied  ])y  Sir 
William  Jolinson,  lidd  a  ci;rand  couneil  witli  twenty  or  morn  tribes, 
,ill  of  wlioin  sued  for  jicace  ;  and,  U[u)n  Ijic  Rth  of  Aii'^iisl,  readied 
Detroit,  v.liere,  abniit  tjie  21st  of  that  month,  a  definite  treaty  was 
niade  with  tlii^  Tndians.  Anionic;  tin-  pro\'isions  of  lliis  treaty  weri; 
'he  followinrr :  f 

1.  All  prisoners  in  the  liands  of  the  Tndians  were  to  In? 
aiven    n]i. 

"2.  All  (daims  to  tlie  Posis  and  Forts  of  tlio  F^iirrjish  in  the 
West  were  to  be  a])andoned  ;  and  leave  <:;iven  to  ereef  such  otlirr 
forts  as  might  be  needed  to  protect  the  traders,  &e.  Around  each 
!i)it  as  mucli  land  was  cetled  as  a  "Cannon-shot"  would  fly 
over. 

'■].  If  any  Indian  killed  an  Engli.shman  he  was  to  be  tried  by 
Knfjlish  law,  the  Jury  one-half  Tndians. 

1.  .*si\'  hostages  were  given  by  the  Tndians  foj-  tli"  fri!''  fulfil- 
"lent  of  the  conditions  of  the  treaty.]: 

'  See  Land  Laws,  p.  h6. 

■^  Annual  Register,  1761. —{State  Papers,  ISi.) 

:  IFrr.rv's  X.irralive  (Xew  York  edition,  IS'^O.)  pp.  1^',  I'^fi. — ITcr.ry  was  with  Brail- 
T.  M. — Tlie  Annual  Register  of  17GI,  (State  Papers,  p.  1SI,)  says  the  tie.itv  was  niiule 
!  rn-^iiu'ije,  (Krio.)  ;\Ir.  Harvey,  of  Krie,  ('(ii(it(>d  hy  Day  in  Ili^^torical  C'liliections  of 
''  aiisylvani.i,  ^1  t,  says  the  same.  Others  have  named  the?  Maumcc,  wlicit;  a  truce  was 
.nod  U',  Arjrus*  ")\h.  (See  Henry.)  Th.ere  ni:iy  li.ave  heen  two  treatios,  one  at  L'ctrnit 
'  :'h  the  Ottawa-,  S;e..  and  one  at  Eric  witli  tin.'  Ohio  Indians. 


lOU 


Pontile  killed  by  a  Kas/aLskiu  Indian. 


17G5. 


I7r,5.     Sir 


BoiKiuet,  meauwhile,  collected  troops  at  Fort  Pitt,  and  in  tin 
ciulumii  marched  across  I'rom  13i<i;  Beaver  to  the  ui)i)er  Miiskiiit,niiii. 
and  thence  to  the  point  where  the  White  Woman's  river  cohk- 
into  the  main  stream.  There,  u\)nn  the  0th  of  November,  In 
concluded  a  peace  with  llie  IJelawares  and  Shawanese,  am! 
receiveil  from  them  two  humlred  and  six  prisoners,  eii^hty-nni 
men  and  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  women  and  children.  11 
also  received,  from  tlie  Shawanese,  liostages  for  the  delivery  "! 
some  captives,  who  could  not  he  brought  to  the  Muskingum  ;r 
that  time.  Tlu'se  hostages  esca])ed,  but  the  savages  were  of  gooii 
faith,  anil  upon  the  9th  of  May,  17G5,  tlu;  remaining  whites  won 
gi\'en  up  to  George  Croghan,  the  deputy  of  Sir  William  Joluixm. 
at  Fori  Pitt.*  Many  anecdotes  are  related  in  the  account  of  tin. 
delivery  of  the  captives  to  Bouipiet,  going  to  show  that  strong 
attachments  hail  been  formed  between  them  and  their  captors;  and 
West's  pencil  has  illustrated  the  scene  of  their  delivery.  But  wc 
have  little  faith  in  the  representations  of  either  writer  or  painter.' 

Pontiac,  the  leading  spirit  in  the  past  struggle,  finding  lii< 
attempts  to  save  his  country  and  his  race  at  that  time  hopeless, 
left  his  tribe  and  went  into  tlie  West,  and  for  some  years  after  \va^ 
living  among  the  Illinois,  and  in  St.  Louis,  attempting,  but  ii. 
vain,  to  bring  about  a  new  union  and  new  war.  He  was  in  (In 
end  killed  by  a  Kaskaskia  Indian.  So  far  as  we  can  form  a  jut!','- 
ment  of  this  chieftain,  he  was,  in  point  of  talent,  nobleness  <:' 
spirit,  honor,  and  devotion,  the  superior  of  any  red  man  of  wIidi.i 
we  have  ;ui  account.  His  plan  of  extermination  was  most  imi- 
terly;  his  execution  of  it  equal  to  its  conception.  But  for  llu 
treachery  of  one  of  his  followers,  he  would  have  taken  Detroi' 
early  in  May.  His  whole  force  might  then  have  been  directed  iii 
one  ma-^s,  first  upon  Niagara,  and  then  upon  Pitt,  and  in  all  prolni- 
bility  both  posts  would  have  fallen. |  Fven  disappointed  as  in 
was  at   Detroit,  had  the  Six   Nations,  with  their  dependent  allies 

*  P(p  Iidwpvrr,  Aniprican  Arcliivrs,  foiirtli  sorics,  i.  1015,  wlicro  tlio  pood  fiitli  of  li; 
Sliawaiiese  is  disputed. 

t  "  All  Ilistoricil  Account  of  the  Expedition  against  the  Oliio  Indians  in  the  year  17  I. 
(Muler  llio  coniniand  of  Henry  Boiujuet,  F.sijuiro,  &,c.  l'ulili»licd  froui  Autliciitic  Dolu- 
iiients,  by  a  Lover  ol' liis  Country.  London,  ITliii.  Tliis  vulunie  was  first  j)riiilcd  i.^ 
Piiiladelpliia. 

:};  Thatcher's  Indian  B iug ra p/i y,  \ol.  ii.  Our  knowledge  of  Pontiac  and  his  war  .-■ 
very  limited.  W'c  liope  soniethiiij;  more  may  come  to  li^jiit  yet.  Nicollet  in  his  lltj;i;;: 
(P  ^';)  ti'^'-'^  some  paiticulars  from  one  who  Iviiew  I'ontiac.  His  dea'Ji  was  ieveiigt.ii  :■. 
tlie  Northern  nations,  who  nearly  eitermiuated  Uie  Illinois. 


till'  P(law;i 
li,1\-r  liecii 
.•IfKf  upf'ii 
tlic  infbicn 
rvi  r  })rove 
tlic  West,- 
ilred,  die  ^ 

\  'I  liriliNJi;  s( 
was  n'>  (U 
Iiulians ;  ai 
Clcrman    Fl 

f         settled  a  de 
mnde ;  the  ( 
pcnns  shou 
Ohio  or  Al 
was  made, 
posnl  was, 
■^ufTcred    in 
then  done  t' 
With  the 
George   Crr 
*o  the  west 
securing,  so 
who  were   s 
stirring  up  1 
nal  of  his  i 
"History  of 
mate  of  the 
thoufrh,  of  f 
present    son 
French  settl 
time.     On  f 
of  June  rea( 
taken   prisoi 
Fpon  the    ] 
Vincent. 

On  my  ati 
French  famil 

*  Plain  Facts, 
t  /iiV2  — Butlc 


17G5, 


uGn.     Sir  Wlllhnn   Jnhnunn  svccnuh  in  a    Tirol jj  of  Peac",        101 


I    in  tilt. 
;kiiiiriiiii. 

T    (-'lilin-. 

nl>er,  \\\: 
:sc,    atii! 

•en.  \l 
■livery  i'\ 
ing'uin  u' 
;  of  gofii; 
itcs  ^VL■l•( 
Johnson, 
at  ol'  till. 
il  si  roil:.' 
tors ;  ami 
Bui  \Vf 
painlor. ' 
ding  lii« 
hopeless, 
after  \va- 
g,  but  il. 
•■as  in  111' 
n  a  jmlt;- 
leness  <:'. 

of    V.'llOL; 

lost  nui" 
t  for  llii 
1  Detroi! 
reeled  iii 
11  prolra- 
'd  as  In 
nt  allies. 

tJlitll  of  li; 

c  year  17  I 
ciilic  Diitii- 

t    pfiulCll  i. 

I   lii.s  war  ;-- 
Ills  llfpui: 


till'  pclawnres  and  Shawancse,  lieen  true  to  liini,  tlic  "Rriti<li  ndi.:;1it 
l)n\'e  1)een  long  kept  beyond  tlie  mo'in'niii'; ;  but  the  Troipiois, — 
.'IfKo  upon  die  (  olonies,  old  allies  of  England,  very  greatly  undm* 
the  influence  of  Sir  \Vilii..n  Jolmson  and  disposed,  as  tliey 
ivcr  jM-oved  themselves,  to  claim  and  sell,  but  not  to  defend 
tlie  Wi'st,  —  ^vere  for  })eace  after  the  King\s  }>roelamati()n.  Iii- 
(lei'd,  the  Moliawks  and  b'ading  tribes  were  from  the  first  with  the 
Ilriiidi;  so  that,  after  the  success  of  Jiradstreet  and  Boucpiet,  there 
was  no  difllculty  in  coiududing  a  treaty  with  all  the  Western 
Indians;  and  late  in  Ajiril,  17()5,  Sir  William  Johnson,  at  the 
Gorman  Flats,  held  a  conference  with  the  various  nations,  and 
settled  a  definite  peace.*  At  this  meeting  two  propositions  were 
ninde ;  the  one  to  fix  some  1)oundary  line,  Avest  of  which  the  pjiro- 
jicnns  should  not  go;  and  the  savages  nained,  as  this  line,  the 
Ohio  or  Alleghany  and  Sus([uehannah  ;  but  no  di'finite  agreem<'nt 
was  made,  Johnson  not  being  empowered  to  act.  The  oth(^r  pro- 
posal was,  that  the  Indians  slioidd  grant  to  the  traders,  who  had 
suffered  in  1763,  a  tract  of  latul  in  compensation  for  tlie  injuries 
'lien  done  them,  and  to  this  the  red  men  agreed. f 

With  the  returning  deputies  of  the  Shawanese  and  Delawares, 
George   Croghan,  Sir  William   Johnson's   sub-commissioner,  went 
'o  the  west  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  the  more  distant  tribes,  and 
securing,  so  far  as  it   could  be   done,   the   alliance   of  the    P^rench 
who  were   scattered   through   tlie  western   valleys,  and  who  were 
stirring  up  the  savages  to  warfare,  as  it  was  believed.     The  Jour- 
nal of  his  voyage  may   be    found  in    the    Appendix   to    Butler's 
"History  of  Kentucky"  (second  edition,)  together  with  the  esti- 
mate of  the  number  of  Indians  in  the  west;  a  very  curious  tn])le, 
though,  of  course   vague  and   inaccurate.     From  his  Journal   we 
present    some    passages    illustrative   of  the    .state    of  the    western 
French  settlements,  and  tlie  feelinG:s  of  the  western  Indians  at  that 
time.     On  the  15th  of  IMay,    Croghan  left   Pittsburgh:   on  the  6th 
of  June  readied  the   mouth  of  the   Wabash,  and    on  the  8th  was 
taken   prisoner  by  a   party  of  Indians  from  the   upper    Wabash. 
Upon   the    15th   he  reached   Vincennes,   or   St.   Vincent,  or  Post 
Vincent. 

Oil  my  airival  there,  I  found  a   village  of  about  eighty   or  ninety 
French  families  settled  on  the  east  side  of  this  river,  being  one  of  the 

*  Plain  Facts,  p.  60. 

t  Ihli] — Butler's  Histori/  of  Kcnturly,  sccoiul  cilition,,  p.  Hf),  vt  srq. 


102 


Si.  Vincent  in  1705. 


170j, 


1705.     T'n 


finest  .siliiation.s  that  can  be  I'oiiiicl.  'i'lic  country  is  lovil  anil  clear,  uiij 
tlic  soil  very  rich,  protliicing  wheat  and  tobacco.  1  ihinU  the  lulier 
preferable  to  that  of  Maryland  or  Virginia.  The  French  inliabiiaiiu 
hereabonls,  arc  an  idle,  hizy  pcojile,  a  parcel  of  rcnegadoes  fmm 
Canada,  and  nre  much  worse  than  the  Indians.  They  look  a  secret 
pleasure  at  our  niiisforlunes,  and  the  moment  \vc  arrived,  they  caiup  to 
the  Indians,  cxrhanging  tridos  for  their  valuable  plunder.  As  the  .sava- 
ges ♦nok  from  me  a  considerable  quantity  of  gold  and  silver  in  specie, 
the  French  traders  extorted  ten  lialf  Johannes  from  them  for  one  poiinJ 
of  vermilion.  Here  is  likewise  an  Indian  village  of  the  Pyankeshaws, 
who  were  much  displeased  with  the  party  that  took  nie,  telling  tlieiii 
that  "our  and  your  chiefs  are  gone  to  make  peace,  and  jou  have  begun 
a  war,  for  which  our  women  and  children  will  have  reason  to  cry.' 
From  this  post  the  Indians  permitted  me  to  write  to  tiic  commander,  at 
Fort  (Jharlres,*  but  would  not  bulVer  me  to  write  to  any  body  ebe,  (thi;, 
I  ajiprehend  was  a  precaution  of  the  French,  lest  their  villany  bhoiiid 
he  perceived  too  soon,)  although  the  Indians  had  given  me  pcrinistiion 
to  write  to  Sir  William  Johnson  and  Fort  Pitt  on  our  march,  before  we 
arrived  at  this  place.  Rut  immediately  after  our  arrival  they  had  a 
private  council  with  the  French,  in  which  the  Indians  urged,  (as  they 
afterwards  informed  me,)  tliat  a8  the  French  had  engaged  them  in  fO 
bad  an  affair,  which  was  likely  to  bring  a  war  on  their  nation,  they  now 
expected  a  pioof  of  their  promise  and  assistance.  They  delivered  the 
French  a  scalp  and  part  of  the  plunder,  and  wanted  to  deliver  some 
presents  to  the  Pyankeshaws,  but  they  refused  to  accept  of  any,  am! 
declared  tiiey  would  not  be  concerned  in  the  aflair.  Tliis  last  informa- 
tion 1  got  from  the  Pyankeshaws,  as  I  had  been  well  acquainted  wilh 
them  several  years  before  this  time. 

Post  Vincent  is  a  place  of  great  consequence  for  trade,  being  a  fine 
hunting  country  all  abng  the  Ouabaehe,  and  too  far  for  the  Indians, 
which  reside  liereabouts,  to  go  either  ;o  the  Illinois,  or  elsewhere,  to 
fetch  their  necessaries.     *     #     »     * 

June  23d.  Early  in  the  morning  we  set  out  through  a  Ikic  meadow, 
tiien  some  clear  woods  ;  in  the  afternoon  came  into  a  very  large  bottom 
on  the  Ouabaehe,  within  six  miles  of  Ouicatanon ;  here  I  met  several 
chiefs  of  the  Kicapoos  and  Musquattimes,  who  spoke  to  their  young 
men  who  had  taken  us,  and  reprimanded  them  severely  for  what  they 
had  done  to  me,  after  which  they  returned  with  us  to  their  village,  anJ 
delivered  us  all  to  their  chiefs. 

The  distance  from  Post  Vincent  to  Ouicatanon  is  two  hundred  ami 
ten  miles.  This  place  is  situated  on  the  Ouabaehe.  About  fourteen 
French  families  are  living  in  the  fort,  which  stands  on  the  north  si^le  ol 

♦  Illinoisj  ucar  Kaskaskiu. 


the  river, 
lis,  live  nJErii 
two  villages 
tlic  river.  / 
(or  Ouicatou 
visit  ine,  and 
weiii  iinrnedi 
to  take  the 
Illinois,  whc 
were  entirely 
up  this  party 

The  Frenc 
ill  telling  the 
making  the 
greatest  difTic 
a  weak,  fooli 
designing  pe 
French  told 
made  war  on 
who  are  a  b 
remove  their 
the  English, 
open  and  cle 
all    plants    h; 
through   the  1 
trading  place, 
the  French  to 
and  by  a  verj 
for  their  laboi 

August  1st 
river,  called 
river,  about  a 
wide,  on  the 
ruinous. 

The  Indian 
or  ten  Frencl 
Indian  war;  \ 
came  to  diis 
against  tlie  Ei 
people,  fond  ( 
the  English,  ; 
country  is  pie 

•  Miami  of  the 


1705. 


]1()').     The  French  exciting  the  Indians  against  the  English.      103 


L'lcar,  aiiil 
till'  laitcr 
iiliabilaiii. 
Iocs    from 

a  secret 
y  caiiin  !o 
the  sava- 
ill  ppccic, 
)no  pniinJ 
ikcshaws, 
ling  tiiem 
ave  befjuii 

to  cry."  [ 
uaiidtM-,  al  ' 
clif,  (thio 
ny  bliould 
jcriiiiision 
before  we 
loy  had  a 
I,  (as  they 
hem  in  so 
,  they  now 
iveret]  the 
iver  some 
'  any,  am! 
t  informa- 
nted  wiih 

ing  a  line 

3  Indians, 

where,  to 

meadow, 
ge  bottom  [ 
ict  several  | 
cir  young  | 
vliat  they 
age,  ani! 

ndred  aiiii 
t  fourteen 
rih  si^lc  0! 


the  river.  The  Kirapoos  and  Miisqnntliities  wliose  warriors  had  taken 
lis,  live  iiiirh  the  fort,  on  the  same  side  of  the  river,  where  they  have 
two  villages  ;  and  tlie  Ouicatanons  have  a  viUagc  on  the  .south  side  of 
the  river.  At  our  arrival  at  this  post,  several  of  the  Wawcottonans, 
(or  Ouicatonans)  with  whom  I  had  been  formerly  acquainted,  came  to 
visit  me,  and  seemed  greatly  concerned  at  what  had  happened.  They 
went  immediately  to  the  Kicapoos  and  Mvisquattimes,  and  charged  tliem 
to  take  the  greatest  care  of  us,  till  their  chiefs  should  arrive  from  tlie 
Illinois,  where  they  were  gone  to  meet  me  some  time  ago,  and  who 
were  entirely  ignorant  of  this  allair,  and  said  the  French  had  spirited 
up  tliis  party  to  go  and  strike  us. 

Tiic  rrench  have  a  creat  iiinuencc  over  tliesc  Indians,  and  never  fail 
in  telling  them  many  lies  to  the  prejudice  of  his  majesty's  interest,  by 
making  tlic  English  nation  odious  and  hateful  to  them.  I  had  the 
jireatcsl  difTicullies  in  removing  these  prejudices.  As  these  Inilians  arc 
a  weak,  foolish,  and  credulous  people,  they  arc  easily  imposed  on  by  a 
designing  people,  who  have  led  them  hitherto  as  they  pleased.  The 
French  told  them  that  as  the  southern  Indians  had  for  two  years  past 
made  war  on  them,  it  must  have  been  at  the  instigation  of  the  English, 
who  are  a  bad  people.  However  I  have  been  fortunate  enough  to 
remove  their  prejudice,  and  in  a  great  mcasu'^e,  their  suspicions  against 
the  English.  Tlie  country  hereabouts  is  exceedingly  pleasant,  being 
open  and  clear  for  many  miles;  the  soil  very  rich  and  well  watered; 
all  plants  have  a  quick  vegetation,  and  the  climate  very  temperate 
through  the  winter.  This  post  has  always  been  a  very  considerable 
trading  place.  The  great  plenty  of  furs  taken  in  this  country,  induced 
the  French  to  establish  this  post,  which  was  the  first  on  the  Uuabache, 
and  by  a  very  advantageous  trade  they  have  been  richly  recompensed 
for  their  labor.     ♦     *     *     » 

August  1st.  The  Twightwee  village  is  situated  on  both  sides  of  a 
river,  called  St.  Joseph.  This  river,  where  it  falls  into  the  Miame* 
river,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  this  place,  is  one  hundred  yards 
wide,  on  the  cast  side  of  which  stands  a  stockade  fort,  somewhat 
ruinous. 

The  Indian  village  consists  of  about  forty  or  fifty  cabins,  besides  nine 
or  ten  French  houses,  a  runaway  colony  from  Detroit,  during  the  late 
Indian  war;  they  were  concerned  in  it,  and  being  afraid  of  punishment, 
came  to  this  post,  where  ever  since  they  have  spirited  up  the  Indians 
against  the  English.  All  the  French  residing  here  are  a  lazy,  indolent 
people,  fond  of  breeding  mischief,  and  spiriting  up  the  Indiins  against 
the  FiOglish,  and  should  by  no  means  be  sufTered  to  remain  here.  The 
couiUry  is  pleasant,  the  soil  rich  and  well  watered.     After  several  con- 


•  Miami  of  the  Lake,  or  Maumcc. 


1 


101 


French  and  hhllon  Sifflvmcn/s. 


170 


)j. 


ronrcionccs    wiili    ihrso  Iiulians,    ami   ihi'ir  <!(livciiiig   iiio  iij)  all  t!,e 
Eiiyli.sh  jirNoiicrs  llioy  had, 

On  llic  Oili  of  August  wc  set  out  for  Detroit,  down  llic  IMiaiiios  livcr 
ill  a  cauor. 

Auiriisf  17lli.  In  iho  morning  wo  arrived  at  tlie  fort,*  wliiili  U  ,- 
liirgn  slorUado,  inclosing  al)out  riglily  lionsos,  it  stands  close  on  the 
north  side  of  iho  rivor,  on  a  high  hank,  oommandH  a  vrry  pleasant  proe. 
poet  for  nine  miles  ahove,  and  nine  miles  helow  the  fort;  the  eoimtrv 
is  thiek  settled  with  French,  their  plantations  are  generally  laid  out 
about  three  or  four  acres  in  breadth  on  the  river,  and  eighty  acres  in 
depth  ;  the  soil  is  good,  producing  plenty  of  grain.  All  the  people 
here  arc  generally  poor  wretches,  and  consist  of  three  or  four  humlrej 
rcnch  families,  a  lazy,  idle  people,  depending  chiefly  on  the  savagrs 
for  th'jir  subsistence;  tliough  the  land,  with  r"le  labor,  produces  plcniy 
of  grain,  they  scarcely  rait^c  as  nuich  as  will  supply  their  wants,  in 
imitation  of  the  Indians,  whose  manners  and  customs  they  have  entirely 
adopted,  and  cannot  subsist  without  them.  The  men,  women,  ami 
children  speak  the  Indian  tongue  porfeclly  well.  In  the  last  Indian  \v;ir 
the  most  part  of  the  French  were  concerned  in  it,  (illhongli  the  wliolf 
settlement  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  his  Uritanic  Majesty)  they 
liave,  therefore,  great  reason  to  be  thankful  to  the  English  clemency  k 
not  bringing  them  to  deserved  punishment.  Pefore  the  late  Indian  vor 
there  resid«?d  three  nations  of  Indians  at  this  place  :  the  Putawatime?, 
whose  village  was  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  aI)out  one  mile  helow 
the  fort;  the  Ottawas,  on  the  east  side,  about  three  miles  above  the  fort; 
and  the  Wyandotts,  whose  village  lies  on  the  east  side,  about  two  mile! 
below  i.je  fort.  Tiie  former  two  nations  have  removed  to  a  considerable 
distance,  and  the  latter  still  remain  where  they  were,  and  are  remarkable 
for  their  good  sense  and  hospitality.  They  have  a  particular  attach- 
ment to  the  Roman  Catholic  religion,  the  French,  by  their  priests,  hav- 
ing taken  uncommon  pains  to  instruct  them.t 

So  stood  matters  in  the  West  during  this  year,  1765.  Al! 
beyond  the  Allegliaiiies,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  forts,  was  a 
wilderness  until  the  Wabash  was  reached,  where  dwelt  a  fiw 
French,  with  some  fellow  countrymen,  not  far  from  them  upon  tin 
Illinois  and  Kaskaskia.  The  Indians,  a  few  years  since  undis- 
puted owners  of  the  prairies  and  broad  vales,  now  held  them  by 
sufferance,  having  been  twice  conquered  by  the  arms  of  England, 
They,  of  co  irse,  felt  both  hatred  and  fear;  and,  while  they 
despaired  of  holding  their  lands,  and  looked  forward  to  unknown 

*  Detroit. 

t  Butler's  History  of  Kentucky,  from  p.  4C5,  to  470. 


1 


^ 


fvlN,  the  d( 
uilliin  tlieiii 
liuiitiiig-grou 
'riiiy  had  i)i' 
and,  lliough 
pniifclion  W( 
ill  liOdd  laith 
And  it  vva 
viduals  01 
treaty  of  (Jei 
possession  ol 
licla.     The 
iiiurrd,  and 
(•(iininander  ( 
Sir  William 
sillltrs;  but 
iiiained  wlier 
na>siiig  the 
even  then   im 
been  taken,  a 
and  SL'ttlemei 
iui  independe 
was  conceive 
fuid  that  it  wi 
tnae   Franklii 
Governor   Fr; 
colony.     The 
the  lands  soul 
Sir  William 
grant  of  as  m 
to  form,  wou 
warded  to  h 
letter  from  Si: 
all  of  which 
But   at  that  t 
plan   of    Fra 
through  its  a 
oritjinal  m-ani 
laation  had  t 

*  Plain  Fncts,  f 
t  Sparks"  Fran] 


1 


1705. 

il>   :ill  t!,c 

unos  live 

liicli  is  : 
sc  on  ilic 
isaiit  j)ro«- 
10  country 
Y  laid  0(11 
y  acres  in 
he  people 
ir  huntlreJ 
;ie  savagrj 
ces  pleniy 

wanls,  in 
vc  cnlirtly  i 
linen,  and  I 
ndian  war  j 
the  whole 
jesty)  tliey 
;mency  ir 
[ndian  ".var 
lawalime?, 
nilc  helow 
e  the  fort; 

two  miles 
nisiderahle 
emarkable 
ar  attach- 
iests,  Iiav- 


r(55.  Al! 
•ts,  was  a 
.'clt  n  few 
upon  tilt 

|ce  uiidis- 
thcni  by 
Eno-land. 
hile  lliOY 
unknown 


'S^C^. 


Till'  hiilidn  frihca  not  jiaitl  fcr  llwir  L<iii(h 


105 


jviN,  llif  (I»'('i)csl  and  most  abiding  spirit  of  n-vcngv  was  roiiscj 
wiiliin  tlifni.  Thi'y  had  srt'n  thi;  IJiitisli  coniin}^'  to  take  thiir 
liiintinf^'-groiincis  upon  tlu'  stri'iiglh  ol'  a  treaty  \\ivy  kni'W  not  of. 
Till)  had  bri-n  jorccd  to  admit  IJiitisli  tioops  into  thiir  country; 
anil,  though  now  nominally  [iiotiiiril  iVom  sctlli  is,  that  piomisrd 
protection  w(Mild  be  but  an  incentive  to  passion,  in  case  it  was  not 
in  good  taith  extended  to  them. 

And  it  was  not  in   good   I'aith   exteniU'd  to  them  by  eitiier  indi- 
\iduals  f)r    govi'rnments.     During    the  year    that    succeeiK'd    the 
treaty  of  German    Flats,   settlers   crossed  tlu-   mountains  and  took 
possession  of  lands  in  western  Virginia,  and  along  the  ^[ouonga- 
licla.     The  Indians,  having  received  no  pay  for  these  lands,  mur- 
mured, and  once   more  a  border  war  was  feared,      (ieneral   («age, 
(dininander  of  tiie  King's  forces,  was  applied  to,  probably  tlii(uigli 
Sir  William  Jolmson,  and  issued  his  orders  for  tlie  removal  of  the 
settlers;  but    they  defied  his  commands  and  liis  power,  and  re- 
mained where  they  were.*     And  not  only  were    frontier  men  thus 
))assiiig  the   line  tacitly  agreed   on,  but  Sir  William   himself  was 
t  veil  then  meditating  a  step  which   would   have   produced,  had  it 
Ifeeii  taken,  a  general  Indian  war  again.     This  was  the  purchase 
and  settlement  of  an  immense  tract  south  of  tlie  Ohio  river,  where 
an  independent    colony  was  to  be   formed.     How  early  this   plan 
was  conceived  we  do  not   learn,   but,  from  Franklin's  letters,  we 
find  that  it  was  in  contemplation  in  the  spring  of  17G6.f     At  this 
time  Franklin   wi.s  in   London,   and   was   written   to  by  his  son, 
Tiovernor   Franklii,  of  New  Jersey,  with   regard  to  the  proposed 
colony.     The  plan  seems  to  have  been,  to  buy  of  the  Six  Natn^is 
the  lands  south  of  the  Ohio,  a  purchase  which  it  was  not  doubted 
Sir  William   might  make,  and    then  to  procure  from  the  King  a 
grant  of  as  much  territory  as  the  Company,  which  it  was  intended 
to  form,  would    require.     Governor    Franklin,    accordingly,    for- 
warded to  his  father  an   application  for  a  grant,  together  with  a 
letter  from  Sir  W^illiam,  recommending   the  plan  to  the  ministry; 
all  of  which   was   duly  communieated  to  the   proper   department. 
But  at  that  time  there  were   various  interests  bearing  upon  this 
plan   of   Franklin.      The    old    Ohio    Company    was    still    suing, 
through  its  agent  Colonel  George  Mercer,  for  a  perfection  of  the 
orii/mal  grant.     The  soldiers  claiming  under  Dinwiddle's  procla- 
mation had  their  tale  of  rights  and  grievances.     Individuals,  to 

*  Plain  Facts,  p.  65. 

t  Sjiarks'  Franklin,  vol.  iv.  p.  233,  it  seq. 


1 


106 


Walpoli'  CoDipany  Orgdiiized. 


whom  grants  Imd  hccn  niiKic  1»)  Virginia,  wiNlicd  tluiu  ( (Hiiiili  d!. 
Cjciu'ial  I.yiiiaii,  IVnni  Coiiiici'ticiit  -vve  Itclicvc,  was  solicilin^r  . 
new  <;iaiit  similar  to  that  now  asked  hy  Franklin  ;  and  the  milli- 
ters themselves  were  divided  as  to  the  policy  and  proprieiy  ,; 
estal)lishin<^  any  settlentents  so  far  in  the  interior,  —  Shelhiirri. 
heinif  in   luNor  of  the  new  colony,  —  IIillsborou<^h  opposed  tc  i' 

The  Company  was  or<fani/ed,  however,  and  the  nominally  had. 
inf5  man  therein  heini^  Mr.  Thomas  Walpole,  a  Iif)ndon  hanker '■ 
eminence,  it  was  known  as  the  Walpole  (-ompany.  Franklin  ini. 
tinned  i)rivately  to  make  friends  anmn*;  the  ministry,  and  to  jin- 
upon  them  the  policy  of  inakint;  large  settlements  in  the  Wo' 
and,  as  the  old  way  of  managing  tlie  Indians  by  superinti-ndinv 
was  jnst  then  in  had  odor  in  conseiiuencc  of  the  expense  attcinl. 
ing  it,  the  cahinet  council  so  far  aj)proved  tlie  new  plan  as  to  pp. 
sent  il  for  evamination  to  the  Board  of  Trade,  with  mend)ei's  i; 
whicli  Franklin  had  also  been  privately  conversing. 

This  was  in  the  autumn  of  17G7.  Hut,  before  any  conchisjn;. 
was  come  to,  il  was  necessary  to  arrange  definitely  that  boundarv 
line,  which  had  been  vaguely  talked  of  in  1765,  and  with  respcc: 
to  which  Sir  William  Johnson  liad  written  to  the  ministry,  wl 
had  mislaid  his  letters,  and  given  him  no  instructions.  Tli 
necessity  of  arranging  this  boundary  was  also  kept  in  mind  by  t!,.  i 
continued  and  growing  irritation  of  the  Indians,  who  found  tlicn- 
selves  invaded  from  every  side.  This  irritation  became  so  gn;v  | 
duritig  the  autumn  of  1707,  tliul  Gage  wrote  to  the  Governor  r  I 
Pennsylvania  on  the  sul)jeet.  The  Governor  communicated  \\b 
letter  to  the  Assem])ly  on  the  5th  of  January,  1768,  and  represen- 
tations were  at  once  sent  to  England,  e.  Dressing  the  necessity  oi 
having  the  Indian  line  fixed.  Franklin,  l.c'  father,  all  this  time, 
was  urging  the  same  necessity  upon  the  ministers  in  England;  ami 
about  Christmas  of  1767,  Sir  William's  letters  on  the  subject  hav- 
ing been  found,  orders  were  sent  him  to  complete  the  proposeii 
purchase  from  the  Six  Nations,  and  settle  all  dillerenccs.  But  tlu 
project  for  a  colony  was  for  the  time  dropped,  a  new  administra- 
tion coming  in  which  was  not  that  way  disposed. 

Sir  William  Johnson  having  received  early  in  the  spring,  tlu 
orders  from  England  relative  to  a  new  treaty  with  tlie  Indians,  a' 
once  took  steps  to  secure  a  full  attendance.*  Notice  was  given 
to  the  various  colonial  governments,  to  the  Six  Nations,  the  Del.- 

*  For  an  account  of  this  long-lost  treat/  see  rittiii  Facts,  jip.  Ho — 104,  or  Bulkr'i 
Kt'Jilucli!/,  2ml  edition;  p[>.  iH — ISy. 


l*f''         ITti.S. 

wares,  and  il 
at   Fort  Stan 
i)|)(iii  the  •Jill 
friiiii  New  Jei 
Ills  deputies; 
tjif  war  of  17 
Dtlav.art's  an 
llic  Iioimdary 
West  from  lli: 
Isl  1)1"  Novem 
of  the  Clierok 
Alleghany  to 
wlicreby  the 
U'Ui/i  the  S!j 
One  deed  for 
td  William  T 
li;ul  hecn  des 
1}  tills  was  In 
the  iradt  rs  na 


rt'iuauung  we 
ai,Mi'cd  on  i)ait 

*  Tlirro  w.is  ;ils( 
Criij.'haii,  and  tlio  o 

I'iImiii  (I.oikIou 
at  Purl  Stanwix,  Im 
Kintiickv  to  till'  (In 
llol>tcn  to  the  niou 
h;ivc  liceu  after  tlii.s 
Louis.  (TliDMias  ^ 
vas  tliis  Dr.  Wallto: 
W.ilki  r  am!  Coione 
tlic  sDUlliirn  Indian 
(nntlcr,  -J)  cilition, 
confirmation  of  Fil 
edition,  11.)  \V(<  I 
Jiii!„'''  Hall,  111  Ills  S 

'•  ■Iiiliii  Doiialdsoi 
milos  aliovo  HijT  Is 
riciit  frnin  till!  jirc^ 
AM'  hiivc  scon,  « that 
Ki'iitnciiy  rivfr,  wli 
dil:|:iitc(l  in  liuviiiij' 
ii\<U'M\  of  tlie  lino  ;i 
0.  I.i'';;,;i  rivrr,  nii 
DKjiitli  of  the  (Jrcat 
V'.vor.  It  is  further 
tl:<'l.iM-(,rf;rcat  Br 
tliat  wliieh  liad  bee 


1 


170: 

r)in|)l('(il, 
»licitiii;f ;. 
he  lnilli^• 
opiit'ly  (•: 
Sliclliiiri.. 
DSt'<l  to  i' 
iiilly  Inn'. 
banker': 
ikliii  I'll!,' 
d  to  |)r(- 
lie  Wi'^' 
intcndtii' 
sf  utti:i(l. 
as  to  piv. 
t'laljcrs  01 

?onclusior. 
l)r)Uii(liir_v 
itli  rcsiXM" 
istry,  wii 
r)iis.  Til-' 
in  (I  l)y  tilt 
md  tlunn- 

l(>   so  rrjW 

ivenior  i: 

icaled  lib 
rt'prt'scn- 

'ccssily  0! 
this  time, 
and ;  iiii'. 
)JL'ct  liav- 
proposfi 
But  till 

dmiuistia- 

pring,  llh 

ndiaiis.  a' 

vas  n;ivfr; 

the  DiLv 

t,  or  Bulkr'i 


\ 


m6. 


Timty  (it  Fort  SianwU. 


107 


>vari"<,  nnd  tlu'  Shawanrsc,  and  a  I'on^'ifSH  was  appointed  l(»  nicft 
ai  l''<>it  Stanwix  (hiring'  thr  lollowin;;  OrtohtT  (HOS).  It  nu't 
upon  llic  •Jllli  ol  lliat  iiionlli,  and  was  altiiuh'd  by  rrprrsinliitivcs 
fidiii  Nt'vv  Jersey,  \  irj^inia,  and  P»'nns)l\ania  ;  li>  Sir  William  and 
liis  dtpulics;  by  tlu'  aj^cnls  ol'  those  tiiuh-is  who  had  sullirt'd  in 
the  war  of  17<)M;  and  by  deputies  I'roin  all  the  Six  Nations,  the 
I)i  lav.ares  and  the  Shawanese.  The  iirst  point  to  be  settled  was 
till  liDimdary  line  which  was  to  deteimine  the  Indian  hmds  of  the 
Wtst  from  that  time  Ibrward  ;  and  this  line  the  Intlians,  u[)on  the 
1st  ol'  November,  stated  should  l)ej;in  on  tho  Ohio,  at  tlie  mouth 
ol'the  Cherokee  (or  Tennessee)  river;  thence  go  up  the  Ohio  and 
Allt^diany  to  Ivittanin;^;  thence  across  to  the  Suscpiehannah,  ice.; 
\vli(  I'thy  tlie  wliole  country  south  of  the  Ohio  and  Alle<^hany,  to 
V'hiili  the  Six  Actions  hud  a/iij  rlaiin^  was  transferred  to  the  Ijiitish. 
Our  ileiil  for  a  part  of  this  land,  was  made  on  the  .'Jd  of  November 
to  William  Trent,  attorney  for  twenty-two  traders,  whose  goods 
hinl  Ihi'Ii  destroyed  by  the  Indians  in  17G3.  The  tract  conveyed 
by  this  was  between  the  Kenawha  and  Monongahela,  and  was  by 
the  iraders  named  Indiana.  Two  days  afterwards,  a  (h'ed  for  tlu; 
rtiuiuniiig  western  lands  was  made  to  the  King,  and  the  price 
aiTiced  on  paid  down.*     These  deeds  were  made  upon  the  express 

•  'I'lirro  was  also  given  two  (If'fMJH  ol"  I.iikIh  in  tlii'  iiitorior  of  I'ciiiisjlviiniii,  oiin  to 
Crcicliaii,  and  tlin  other  to  the  |iro|)rietaries  ot'  tliiit  colony. 

I'iImmi  (Loiiiloii  eililion,  1793,  \t.  10)  speaks  of  two  other  <lccds  given  by  the  Iroiinoin 
at  I'lirt  Stanwix,  l)iit  mentions  no  year;  oni;  was  to  Col,  Donaldson  for  the  lands  from  tho 
Kintiicky  to  tlie  (Ireat  Keidiawa.  Col.  P.  ran  tlie  line  from  six  miles  aliove  Lontr  Island  in 
Uolslcii  to  the  month  oftiicCU.  Kcnhiiwa,  in  1770 — 1  ;  (sue  |)ost;)  and  his  deed  seems  to 
h;nc  licon  after  this,  from  Kilson's  account.  Tiie  other  deed  was  to  Dr.  Walker  and  Gen  . 
Lfujs.  (Thomas  Walker  was  commissioner  for  N'irginia  at  the  Stanwix  treaty  of  17t!S— 
vas  t!iis  Dr.  Walker  ?  His  name  was  Thomas.  Holmes's  Annals,  ii.  SOI,  note.)  Dr. 
^Villker  and  Colonel  Lewis,  in  17Gy,  were  employed  to  convince  tho  sujiurintendcnt  of 
tlic  .soiitlir  rn  Indians,  Mr.  Stewart,  that  the  claim  of  the  Iro([iioiH  exlend<'d  to  Kentucky. 
(Hiillir,  •?  I  edition,  11.)  Marshal  (i.  I."))  refi  rs  to  Donaldson's  deed,  but  we  find  no 
confirmation  of  Filson's  statement  that  it  was  given  l)y  tho  Iroquois.  (See  Hiitler,  2nd 
cdiiKni,  M.)  We  presume  tho  true  explanation  of  tho  wholt;  matter  is  that  given  by 
Jui!„'c  Hall,  in  his  Sketches,  vol.  i.  p.  21S,  which  wc  extract. 

'■  ,Iolm  Donaldson,  the  surveyor  who  traced  this  line  [that  from  the  Holston  from  si.x 
iTiilcs  above  Big  Island  to  tho  Kenhawa,  under  the  treaty  of  Lochaber]  by  an  appoint- 
runt  I'roin  tho  president  and  council  of  Virginia,  states,  in  a  manuscript  affidavit  which 
Vih;ive  seen,  'that,  in  the  ])rogress  of  the  work,  they  came  to  the  liead  of  Louisa,  now 
K'liitiicky  river,  when  the  Little  Carpenter  (a  Cherokee  Chief)  observed  that  his  nation 
ill  hghtt'tl  in  having  their  lands  marked  out  by  natural  bouiuliiries  j  and  propositi  that, 
ui-!('ii(l  of  the  line  agreed  U|)on  at  Locliaber  as  aforesaid,  it  should  break  olfat  the  head 
of  Liii;i.:a  river,  and  run  thence  to  the  mouth  thereof,  and  thence  up  the  Ohio  to  the 
nioutti  of  the  Groat  Kenhawa.'  This  boundary  was  accordingly  agreed  tc  by  the  sur- 
veyor. It  is  further  stated,  by  the  same  authority,  '  that  leave  having  been  granted,  by 
the  kin;,'  of  Great  Britain,  to  treat  with  the  Chcrokees  for  a  more  extensive  boundary  than 
that  which  had  been  established  at  tlic  treaty  of  Hard  Labour,  provided  the  Virginians 


lOS 


Treaty  of  Lochaher. 


17^0 


nn-rccinoiil  llinl  no  clnlm  slioiild  ever  lio  l)aso'I  upon  proAir,;: 
1r('ati("^,  those  of  Lancaslc  •,  T.ogstowii,  &c. ;  and  thoy  wvyv  sli,nii' 
1)\  llic  cl.if'f'^  of  llic  Siv  Nations,  for  tlionisclvcs,  tlicir  allien  ;iiv 
d('iH'!i(l(Mits,  11k'  Sliawancsc,  Dclawares,  ]Min<^ops  of  Ohio,  ar:' 
others;  hut  tlie  Shawanese  and  Dehiware  di'puties  present  did  ir' 
si^n  Iheni. 

Sutdi  was  the  treaty  of  Stauwix,  whcn'eon,  in  a  great  measiin. 
rests  tlie  title  hy  pnrehase  to  Kentucky,  western  Virginia  ;i!i' 
Pennsylvania.  It  was  a  better  foundation,  perhaps,  than  tl,; 
given  by  previous  treaties,  but  was  essentially  worthless;  for  ilif 
lands  conveyed  were  not  occupied  or  hunted  on  by  those  coiiviv- 
ing  them.  In  truth,  we  cannot  doubt  that  this  innncnse  grant  wa; 
obtained  by  the  influence  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  in  order  \h: 
tlie  new  colony,  of  which  be  was  to  be  governor,  might  Iv 
founded  there.  The  fact,  that  such  a  country  was  ceded  vnln-. 
tarily, — not  after  a  war,  not  by  hard  persuasion,  but  at  onco  a*:' 
willingly, — -satisfies  us  tliat  the  whole  affair  bad  been  previo!;<'\ 
"^etlU'd  with  the  New  York  savages,  and  that  the  Ohio  Indians  l;;v 
no  voice  in  the  matter. 

V)\\\  beside  the  claim  of  the  Iroquois  and  the  north-west  India:- 
to  Iventu(dcy,  it  was  also  claimed  by  the  Cherokees  ;  and  it  ;- 
worthy  of  remendjrance  that  the  treaty  of  Lochaber,  made  i: 
October,  1770,  two  years  after  the  Stanwix  treaty,  recogni/id  •, 
title  in  the  southern  Indians  to  all  the  country  west  of  a  line  dra^v: 
from  a  })oint  six  miles  cast  of  Big  or  Long  Island  in  Holston  livi: 
to  tlie  mouth  of  the  Great  Kenhawa  ;*  although  as  we  have  jiiv 
stated  their  right  to  all  the  lands  north  and  east  of  tbe  Kentucb 
river  was  purchased  by  Col.  Donaldson,  either  for  tbe  king,  Vir- 
ginia, or  himself — it  is  impossible  to  say  which. f 

But  the  grant  of  the  great  nortbcrn  confederacy  was  mp.i!e, 
The  white  man  could  now  quiet  his  conscience  when  driving  tli 
native  from  his  forest  home,  and  feel  sure  that  an  army  wnul! 
back  his  pretensions.  A  new  company  was  at  once  organized  i: 
Virginia,  called  the  "  Mississippi  Company,"  and  a  petition  srr' 
to  the  King  for  two  millions  and  a  half  of  acres  in  the  W(<' 
Among  the  signers  of  this  were   Francis  Lightfoot   Lee,   RicliM 

voulil  lie  at  the  cxponsc  of  purchasing  tlie  s.imo,  tlic  general  assembly  voted  the  sum  : 
<£'2.)00  sterling  for  that  purpose,  which  sum  was  accordingly  paid  to  the  riierokiis, .: 
consideration,  as  we  presume,  of  the  additional  lands  gained  by  the  alteration  of  tlu;  !:: 
by  the  surveyor,  and  in  confirmation  of  his  act." 

*  Butler.    2nd  edition.    Introduction,  IL 

t  Ilall-s  Sketches,  ii.  248. 


1770. 

Ih'niy  Lee, 
mail  last  nai 
Tills  applica 
March,  1769, 

The  Board 
iijiuii  the  apj) 
l)niniigli,  the 
Franklin's  ce 
inucli  ability, 
ami  i,M-anted  t 
liuu'li  that  h 
iKH'dt'd  only 
Mill,  1772; 
Waljiole's,  ar 
lc(lii,L'(l  both  h 
Wfie  tiuieted. 
to  Walpole,  t' 
llir  Revolutic 
i^ivss  respect] 
ii'uld  o'l't  no  1 
^iiiia  with  the 
wri'tcii,  but  p 

During  the 
'rii'iuls  were  t 
i'j)t-raii:)n,  aci 
rapidly  ;  tbi.  i 
Uiaasy  and  je 
iiiiM  ])e  comp 
v.iijistanding  1 
i'N",  that  Lor 
surv(ys  and  st 
pi"  ■laniation  ( 
ill  which  this 
^I'lwii  even  to 
I'l'  'lie  Ohio  w 
Stanwix  treaty 

'  Pbiin  Fdcts,  j: 
"  Spurks'  FniiM 
;S,"rks'  ir,is/ii/ 
U'.isliiiintoirs  <' 
§  Ibid,  p.  378. 


1700 

V(M'(>   s'lLTlli  ' 

Ohio,   an' 
fill  (liil  If-' 

at  mcasiiiv, 
irgiiiia  ;iii.'; 

,     tliail     ll;; 

:'ss ;  t'ov  t!).; 
osc  convey- 
e  grant  wa; 

I  ordor  tlia' 
,  ini<j;lit  li,- 
mUhI  vnlnr- 
at  once  iV;' 

II  pr(>A'in'>'\ 
Indians  lia' 

^'est  India;.' 
;  and  it  ;■ 
pr,  niailc  i:, 
'cognizc'i!  ■ 
I  line  diwvr. 
lolston  live 
e  have  juv 
ic  Kontnckv 
c  kino;,  Vi:- 

■\vas  mp.ilo. 
driving  il 
army  woul' 
»rgani/t'il  i: 
petition  sri' 
u  the  \V(^' 
ee,   Richar- 

>tp(l  the  sum  : 
("lieri)ki'i>-- 
•alioii  ot  tlio  '■'■'■ 


1770. 


Seltlcrs  crowd  into  (he  fVast. 


lO'J 


Ihnry  Lee,  George  Washington  and  Arthur  Lee.  The  gentle- 
man last  named  was  the  agent  for  the  ])etitioners  in  ]']ngland. 
Tiiis  apjilication  \vas  referred  to  the  |}oard  of  Trade  on  the  9lh  of 
March,  1769,  and  after  that  we  hear  nothing  of  it.  * 

The  IJoard  of  Trade  was,  however,  again  called  on  to  rei)orl 
i;j)(iii  the  application  of  the  \Val})oIe  Company,  and  Loi'd  Ilills- 
bdiough,  the  President,  rt'j)orted  against  it.  'I'his  called  out 
Franklin's  celebrated  "Ohio  Settlement,"  a  i)aper  written  with  so 
uiinh  ability,  that  the  King's  Coinicil  put  by  the  ollleial  rt-port, 
ami  granted  the  petition,  a  step  which  mortitied  the  noble  lord  so 
much  that  he  resigned  his  official  station. f  The  petition  now 
milled  only  tlie  royal  sanction,  M'hich  was  not  given  until  August 
Uili,  1772;  but  in  1770,  the  Ohio  Company  was  mergetl  in 
\Viil|i()le's,  and,  the  claims  of  the  soldiers  of  1756  being  acknow- 
K'llgud  both  by  the  new  Company  and  by  government,  all  claims 
wcic  (juieted.  Nothing  was  ever  done,  however,  under  the  grant 
1o  \Val[)ole,  the  Revolution  soon  coming  upon  America.^  After 
tlir  Revolution,  Mr.  \Vali)()le  and  his  associates  petitioned  Con- 
^ivss  lespecting  their  lands,  called  by  them  "  Vandalia,"  but 
roiiM  net  no  help  from  that  body.  What  was  finally  done  by  \iv- 
piiia  with  the  claims  of  this  and  other  companies,  we  do  not  find 
\viiMcn,  but  presume  their  lands  were  all  looked  on  as  forfeited. 

During  the  ten  years  in  which  Franklin,  Pownall,  and  their 
iiriuls  were  trying  to  get  the  great  western  land  company  into 
I'litrall m,  aciual  settlers  were  crossing  the  mountains  all  too 
lajaJly  ;  foi  the  Ohio  Indians  "  viewed  the  settlements  with  an 
uiaasy  and  jealous  eye,"  and  "  did  not  scruple  to  say,  that  the) 
lauvl  he  compensaied  fi)r  their  right,  if  people  settled  thereon,  not- 
v.iihslanding  the  cession  by  the  Six  Nations." ||  It  has  been  said, 
:'!'<>,  that  Lord  Dunmore,  then  governor  of  Virginia,  authorized 
surveys  and  settlements  on  the  western  lands,  notwilhstanding  the 


III  w 


'i\V 


tarnation  of  1763;  but  Mr.  Spai'ks  gives  us  a  letter  frcun  him, 
hicli  this  is  expressly  denied. §  However,  surveyors  did  go 
II  even  to  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  and  the  whole  region  south 
lie  Ohio  was  filling  with  white  men.  The  futility  of  the  Fort 
X  treaty,  and  the  ignorance  or  contempt  of  it  by  the  lierce 


auwi 


'  I'luin  Facts,  p.  O'D l>allor";i  Kintucky,  \i-  17.3. 

'  Spiirks'  Fniiiklin,  vol.  iv.  \t.  302. 

;  S, I  irks'   Wiishini^ton,  vol.  ii.  p.  -IS3,  el  s'-n — PlaiiL  Fwta,  p.  1  tO. 
'iV.i-liiiiMtuirs  "  JouriKil  to  the  West,  in  1770."     Si);ir'As"   li'uslti/if'loit,  \ol.  i..  [>   jjl. 
^  lbi<l,  p.  378. 


110  Witihhiglon  hi/i/fi  v'sfcrn  lands.  1773 

Sliawanoso  nro  well  seon  in  the  incctlnn-  Lftwcen  lliom  and  Pjullitr 
one  of  the  early  eini<2;ranls,  in  17/3.*  Bullitt,  on  his  \vay  dowr 
the  Ohio,  stopped,  and  singly  sought  the  savages  at  one  of  tlui; 
towns.  Ill"  then  told  them  of  his  proposed  settlement,  and  hjc 
wish  to  live  at  peace  with  tliem;  and  said,  that,  as  they  b: 
received  nothing  under  the  treaty  of  1768,  it  was  intended  • 
make  'them  presents  the  next  year.  The  Indians  considered  \\i 
talk  of  the  Long  Knife,  ai:d  the  next  day  agreed  to  his  proposet! 
settlement,  pro\ided  he  did  not  disturb  them  in  their  hunting  snnt', 
of  the  Ohio ;  a  provision  wholly  inconsistent  with  the  Stanwix 
deed. 

Among  tlie  foremost  speculators  in  western  lands  at  that  tinn; 
was  George  Washington.  He  had  always  regarded  the  proclama- 
tion of  1763  as  a  mere  temporary  expedient  to  quiet  the  savnj^os 
and,  heing  better  accpiainted  with  the-  value  of  western  lands  tliM 
most  of  those  who  could  command  ineans,  lie  early  hegan  to  bi;v 
bevond  the  mountains.  ITis  aircnt  in  selectino;  lands  was  Craw- 
lord,  afterwards  burnt  by  the  Ohio  Indians.  In  September,  176T. 
we  find  Washi)ig!()n  writing  to  Crawford  on  this  subject,  aii'l 
looking  forward  to  the  occupation  of  the  western  territory;  i:. 
1770,  he  crossed  the  mountains,  going  down  the  Ohio  in  t!. 
mouth  of  the  great  Kenhawa;  and  in  1773,  being  entitled,  iini',' 
the  King's  proclamation  of  1763,  (which  gave  a  bounty  to  offirtr^ 
and  soldiers  who  had  served  in  the  French  war,)  to  ten  tlin,- 
sand  acres  of  land,  he  became  deeply  interested  in  the  couiiiry 
beyond  the  mountains,  and  had  some  correspondence  respectiii.- 
the  importation  of  settlers  from  Europe.  Indeed,  had  not  ik 
Revolutionary  war  been  just  then  on  the  eve  ot  breaking  on;, 
Washington  v.  ^uld  in  all  probability  have  become  the  leading  su- 
tler of  the  W^est,  and  all  our  history,  perhaps,  have  been  change'i.- 

l^ut  while  in  England  and  along  the  Atlantic,  men  were  t;i!l;iii.- 
of  peopling  the  West  south  of  the  river  Ohio,  a  few  obscure  Imli- 
■\  iduals,  unknown  to  Walpole,  to  Franklin,  and  to  Washing;  ... 
were  taking  those  steps  which  actually  resulted  in  its  setlleiiui,;; 
and  to  these  we  next  turn. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  so  much  attention  had  been  giv::: 

•  niitlor's  Tu  /iiiicJ.i).  p.  20. 

^  Spiirks'  W(i<JiiiiL'tiiii,  viil.  ii.  pp.  n  IG — 7.     lie  lr\(l  pitrnts  for  2-2,'^'!3  iicits  ;  01"iT   . 
tlic  Oliio,  l)ct\vi'oii  'lie  K('iili;i\vus  wi'Ji  a  river  iVimt  ol"  13   1-2  iiiiles  ;  Jl).2i(j  iicrcs  on  t;;- 
(iroat  Koiilmwa,  \\itli  a  rhor  iVoiil  of  forty  miles.     Iksiilcs  these  i.uuls,  lie  owned  fii'i"  • 
miles  liolow  Wheeling,  .'>>,1  aeros,  with  a  front  of  t\'o  and  a  half  miles,     lie  tuie.  i 
the  i.md  worth  S)'33  per  aero. — Sparks'  Washington,  \[[.  IGljSn. 


1750-73. 

Id  the  settle: 

dofs  not   a])j 

had,  at  the  t 

ixaiiiined  tlui 

is  the  finest  p 

be  accounted 

trict ;  a  distri 

i  1(1  this,  the  tr: 

I  then'  steps  no 

-  (juite  familiar 

.  at  a  period  w 

';  wholly  imkno 

many  liave  h 

lisli    colonist.'^ 

;  tHjually  clear 

'  rades  explore 

l)L'L'n  examine 

Dr.  Walke 

ill  the  ea.steri] 

sen  to   aiink 

ceiitre   of  Ke 

the    Scioto, 

shows   that  I 

acquainted    \\ 

explorer,  of  a 

James    Smilli 

statement : 

In  tlie  year 
fur  sctilini,'-  afl 
land  west  of  tl 

'Butler  (p.  l.s 

:'riafd  liy  fiets  in 
■"■  F,vai!s"s  map, 
-Vllcghanics,  throi 
I'ditioii   was   i)ubli 
li'jK/iiiiijilii/  (Inihi 
lie  A  nils()rint  for 
"''•)     Cipt.iin  Cor 
|''i\vM  the  Ohio  in  ' 

III    the    Ldlulon 

iMiieli  is  marked 
..I'tliiii;^'  1^  said  o;'( 
"■'■'uil  tr;ivi'ls 


I 


177:1 

■lul  TJulll" 
way  (Ifiwr. 
ne  of  tl:.;: 
it,  and  1;; 
tl.cy  1:: 
ntendcd  - 
lidered  tht 
s  propose'J 
ntiuii  sniii', 
c   Staii\vi\- 

;  that  tim.;: 
proclama- 
le  savnaTv 
lands  Ik;,  i 
^an  to  biivj 
was  Craw.' 
iber,  ITGT,  [ 
bjecl,  ;!:. 
rritoiy;  ::. 
hio   tn  !!. 
tied,  mill': 

to  ofTlCi;!- 

ten   til- 
ic  couiiiry 

rcspcH'iin.- 
id  not  the 
aking  ou:, 
L-adincj  s.'- 

changvi." 
ere  talkiin' 
sriire  I'lil!- 

ashing;  ;.. 

etllcnuii'i ; 


)een  giv. 


iicrt's  (111  ' 
owned  i'i;t' 

lo  COllJ.u. 


1750-73. 


Kentucky  Explored. 


Ill 


to  the  settlement  of  the  West,  even  before  tli(>  Frencdi  M-ar,  it 
does  not  a])i)ear  that  any  Europeans,  either  Fren(di  or  English, 
had,  at  the  time  the  Irealy  of  Fort  Stamvi.;  was  made,  thoroughly 
cxaiained  that  most  lovely  region  near  the  Kentucky  river,  which 
IS  the  finest  portion,  perhaps,  of  the  whole  Ohio  valley.  This  may 
be  accounted  for  by  the  non-residence  of  the  Indians  in  thai  di-;- 
irict;  a  district  which  they  retained  as  a  hunting  ground.  Owing 
to  this,  the  traders  who  were  the  first  explorers,  were  led  to  diiect 
their  steps  northward,  up  the  Miami  and  Scioto  vallies,  and  were 
quite  famiUar  with  the  country  between  the  Ohio  and  the  Fakes, 
at  a  iieriod  when  thr  interior  of  the  territorv  south  of  the  river  was 
wholly  unknown  to  them.  While,  therefore,  the  impression  which 
many  have  had,  that  the  entire  valley  was  unknown  to  the  Eng- 
lish colonists  belbi'e  Boone  s  time,  is  clearly  erroneous;  it  is 
equally  clear  that  the  centre  of  Kentucky,  which  he  and  his  com- 
rades explored  during  their  first  visit,  had  not  before  that  time, 
liceii  examined  by  the  whites  to  any  considerable  extent. 

Dr.  Walker,  in  1747  or  1750,*  had  been  among  the  mountains 
in  the  eastern  part  of  what  is  now  Kentucky  ;  theie  is  also  rea- 
>t:n  lo  itiink  that  Christopher  Gist  may  have  been  through  the 
I  t'litre  of  Kentucky,  along  the  river  of  that  name,  and  across  to 
the  Scioto,  before  1755  ;t  and  Washington's  journal  of  1770 
>hows'  that  Dr.  Connoly,  Colonel  Croghan's  ne})hew,  was  well 
acquainted  with  the  lands  south  of  the  Ohio;  but  the  first  actual 
explorer,  of  whom  we  have  any  definite  knowledge,  was  Colonel 
Jauu's  Smith,  from  whose  narrative  we  take  the  following 
statement : 

In  the  year  1700,  I  heard  thai  Sir  William  Jolin«on,  tlie  kint^'s  ai^ront 
for  Hcltlini^  affairs  with  the  Indians,  had  purchased  from  them  all  the 
land  west  of  the  Appalachian  INIonnlains  that  lay  between  the  Ohio  and 

'  Butlor  (p.  is)  says  1717;  Stipp's  MiscL'll;iiiy,  {[>.  9.)  says  1750;  \\li't'i  date  is  con- 
t'rnicl  by  ficts  in  Iloltnos'  Ainiiils  (ii.  30  1,  mitc^  :  :vt:'rsli:i1|,  i.  7)  sfivs  17.')*^.     Srp  iinto(  +  }. 

•'' F.var.s's  iiKip,  pii1)lislio(l  in  17")5  and  iTpnlilislic<l  1770.  ^ivos  Giffs  ronto  from  ttiR 
AlloKlmnies,  tlirough  Kentucky  and  Ohio  ;  tliis  expedition  may  have  been  after  tlie  first 
i.'ililion  was  [jublishcd,  but  was  prol)ably  in  17.30  or  17;j1.  Governor  Pownal,  i  liis 
I'lijioiiniiilii/  (liiilay.  90)  speaks  (>i\  (list's  second  jouiney  ;  s  in  17G1,  l)nl  tliis  wr  l:Ao  to 
l)iJ  a  misprint  for  17.")1.  Evans  pul)lislied  a  map  nf  tlie  West  in  17r)2  (Pownall  in  Tnday, 
^''■)  C'.iptain  Govdiiii,  v.liose  journal  is  niucli  referred  to  tiy  Kvan"!  and  otlier".  went 
''own  tlir  Oliin  in  17t')t).     (Pownall  in  Tmlay,  115.) 

In  the  Ldiidoii  edition  i)f  Wasiiiu^xtoirs  Jiiurual.  printed  in  17r)l.  f])irf  is  a  ni;'p  nn 
"ineh  is  n)ariied  "Walker's  Settloux'iit  17")0'',  iijion  tlie  C'uinlieriand.  On  tliat  mnp 
."'thiiij^f  is  said  ofGisfs  jo'.irnry,  and  it  is  too  imperfect  to  allow  us  to  think  it  based  on 
Tiiiil  tr;'.ve!s 


---St 


112 


Colonel  Smith  in  Kcntackij. 


nr.T 


Cliorokcc  River;  and  as  I  knew  l)y  conversing  with  the  Luliiiis  la 
tlicir  own  tongue  that  llioro  was  a  largo  body  of  rich  land  there,  I  con- 
cluded I  would  take  a  tour  westward  and  explore  that  country. 

I  set  out  about  the  last  of  Juno,  1700,  and  went  in  the  first  place  to 
Ilol.^tein  River,  and  from  thence  I  travelled  westward  in  company  wiii. 
Joshua  llorton,  Uriah  Stone,  William  Haker  and  Jamos  Smith,  who 
canu!  from  near  Carlisle.  There  were  only  four  white  men  of  us,  aai 
a  mulatto  slave  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  that  Mr.  Ilorlon  had  wiii, 
him.  We  explored  the  country  south  of  Kentucky,  and  there  was  iic 
moie  sign  of  white  men  there  then  than  there  is  now  west  of  the  heac 
waters  of  the  Missouri.  We  also  explored  Cumberland  and  Tennessee 
Rivers,  from  Stone's*  River  down  to  the  Ohio. 

When  we  came  to  the  mouth  of  Tennessee,  my  fellow-travellers  eor.- 
eluded  that  they  would  proceed  on  to  the  Illinois,  and  see  some  mor;  of 
the  land  to  the  west  ,  this  I  Wduld  not  agree  to.  As  I  had  alicndy 
boon  longer  from  home  than  what  I  expected,  I  thought  my  wife  Wdn',.'. 
be  distressed,  and  think  1  was  killed  by  the  Indians  ;  therefore  I  cor.- 
eluded  tiiat  I  would  return  home.  I  sent  my  horse  with  my  fellow- 
travellers  to  the  Illinois,  as  it  was  difficult  to  take  a  horse  through  the 
mountains.  My  comrades  gave  me  the  greatest  part  of  the  ammuiiiiioii 
they  then  had,  which  amounted  only  to  half  a  pound  of  powder,  ai., 
lead  equivalent.  Mr.  Ilorton  also  lent  nic  his  mulatto  boy,  and  I  tlit;; 
set  off  through  the  wilderness  for  Carolina. 

About  eight  days  after  I  left  my  company  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ten- 
nessee, on  my  journey  eastward,  I  got  a  cane  stab  in  my  fool,  whii!. 
occasiioned  my  leg  to  swell,  and  I  sullcrcd  much  pain.  I  was  now  in  . 
doleful  situation  ;  far  from  any  of  the  human  species,  excepting  blaik 
Jamie,  or  the  sav.iges,  and  I  knew  not  when  I  might  meet  with  ihcii!, 
My  case  appeared  desperate,  and  I  thought  something  mu:?t  be  d  \\\ 
All  the  surgical  instruments  I  had  was  a  knife,  a  moccasin  awl,  aiii!  i 
pair  of  bullet-moulds  ;  with  these  I  determined  to  draw  the  snag  frnni 
my  foot,  if  possible.  I  stuck  the  awl  in  the  skin,  and  with  the  knitVI 
cut  the  flesh  away  from  around  the  cane,  and  then  I  commanded  the 
mulatto  fellow  to  catch  it  with  the  bullet-moulds,  and  pull  it  out,  whirh 
he  did.  When  I  saw  it,  it  seemed  a  shocking  thing  to  be  in  any  person': 
foot;  it  will  therefore  be  supposed  that  I  was  very  glad  to  have  it  oui. 
Ti'  '  black  fellow  attended  upon  me,  and  obeyed  my  directions  faitlil'ully. 
I  ordered  him  to  search  (or  Indian  medicine,  and  told  him  to  get  iiie  ;i 
q  laniiiy  of  bark  fioin  the  root  of  a  lynn  tree,  which  I  made  him  be:.'. 
\.tn  a  slt)nc,  with  a  tommahawk,  and  boil  il  in  a  kettle,  and  with  the  ouze 
I  bathed  my  foot  and  leg  ;   what  remained  when  I  had  finished  balliiiiL' 

•  Stone's  river  is  a  south  branch  of  Ciimherland,  and  omptirs  into  it  aliovc  Nnslivillc 
We  lirst  j^:ivc  it  this  iKinio  in  rmr  jiiin-nal,  in  May,  1707,  aftrr  ono  of  my  fcl!a\v-triivcl!'.r- 
Mr.  Uriah  Sitono,  and  I  am  t<jl(l  tliat  it  retains  the  same  name  nnto  this  da  v. 


1767. 

I  boiled  to  a 
made  use  of  tl 

I  with  elm  barl 
and  inflummat 
peared,  I  ordei 
forks  and  pol 

'  house.     It  was 

'  we  were  almo; 

.•  and  I  went  al 
and  killed  a  bu 
fried  the  tallov\ 
jerk  as  we  nee 
While  I  lay 
book  and  Watt 
the  following  v^ 


I 
F 

1 

V 

I  continued  in 
As  I  now  lay  i 
might  be  passing 
off  some  distanc 
M-as  yet  sore,  I 
lest  by  travelling 

•  Jerk  is  a  name  w 
jueces  and  laid  ou  a 
dry. 

S 


6) 


1707 


1767. 


Smith  in  Kentucky. 


113 


uliiiis  ia 
•e,  I  con- 

placo  to 
any  \vi'.;, 
ith,  whij 
f  us,  anJ 

h:iJ  will 
re  was  iic 

the  litac 
renncjsee 

;llers  cor,- 
c  mor;  oi 
ul  iilrmdy 
'ifc  Wdul.'; 
re  I  cm;- 
ly  fellow- 
rough  tl:e 
nmunitio:' 
wtlor,  ai., 
inil  I  tin;; 

the  Tc:i' 
ot,  wlii'!. 

now  in  . 
ling  bhitk 

ith  then!. 

he  tl  1'.^ 

\vl,  ami  3 
snag  frnni 

16  knife  I 
indetl  the 

ut,  whieli 
pcisonj 

ve  il  oui. 

aiihl'ully. 

get  mc;i 

him  I'c..; 
the  ooK 

d  batliiiiL' 

-tr'v"  ■■ 


I  boiled  lo  a  jelly  and  made  poultices  thereof.  As  I  had  no  rags,  J 
made  use  of  the  green  moss  that  grows  uj)on  logs,  and  wrapped  il  round 
with  elm  bark ;  by  this  means,  (simple  as  it  may  seem)  tlie  swelling 
and  inflammation  in  a  great  measure  abated.  As  stormy  weather  ap- 
peared, T  ordered  Jamie  to  make  us  a  shelter,  which  he  did  by  erecting 
forks  and  poles,  and  covering  them  over  with  cane  tops,  like  a  fodder 
house.  It  was  about  one  hundred  yards  from  a  large  buffalo  road.  As 
we  were  almost  out  of  provision,  I  commanded  Jamie  to  take  my  gun, 
and  I  went  along  as  well  as  I  could,  concealed  myself  near  the  road, 
and  killed  a  buffalo.  When  this  was  done,  we  jerked*  the  lean,  and 
fried  the  tallow  out  of  the  fat  meat,  which  we  kept  to  stew  with  our 
jerk  as  we  needed  it. 

While  I  lay  at  this  place,  all  the  books  I  had  to  read  was  a  psalm- 
book  and  Watts  upon  Prayer.  Whilst  in  this  situation,  I  composed 
the  following  verses,  which  I  then  frequently  sung. 

Six  weeks  I've  in  this  desert  been, 

With  one  mulatto  lad  : 
Excepting  this  poor  stupid  slave. 

No  company  I  had. 

In  solitude  I  here  remain, 

A  cripple  very  sore. 
No  friend  or  neighbor  to  be  found. 

My  case  for  to  deplore. 

I'm  far  from  home,  far  f'om  the  wife 

Which  in  my  bosom  lay, 
Far  from  the  children  dear,  which  used 

Around  me  for  to  play. 

This  doleful  circumstance  cannot 

My  happiness  prevent. 
While  peace  of  conscience  I  enjoy, 

Great  comfort  and  content. 

I  continued  in  this  place  until  I  could  walk  slowly,  without  crutches. 
As  I  now  lay  near  a  great  buffalo  road,  I  was  afraid  that  the  Indian.^ 
might  be  passing  that  way,  and  discover  my  fire-place,  therefore  I  moved 
off  some  distance,  where  I  remained  till  I  killed  an  elk.  As  my  foot 
was  yet  sore,  I  concluded  that  I  would  stay  here  until  it  was  hcolcd, 
lest  by  travelling  too  soon  it  might  again  be  inflamed. 

'  Jerk  is  a  name  well  known  by  the  hunters  and  frontier  inabitants  for  meat  cut  in  small 
jneces  and  laid  ou  a  scaffold,  over  a  slow  fire,  whereby  it  is  roasted  until  it  is  thoroughly 
dry. 

8 


! 


114 


Fhilnj  in  Konfnrky. 


I7r,7 


In  ;i  few  wroks  after  1  proccfdotl  on,  ami  in  Ortolirr,  1707,  I  arrivoi! 
ill  Ciirnlina.  1  liad  now  boon  clovon  moiitlis  in  tlio  wiMernoss,  and 
during  tliis  time  1  had  noitliiT  soon  broad,  money,  women,  nor  spiriiiioin 
liquors  ;  and  throe  months  of  wliirli  I  saw  none  of  the  human  sperie?, 
exoopt  Jamie. 

VVIion  I  came  into  the  sotllomont,  my  olothes  were  almost  worn  nut, 
and  the  boy  had  nothing  on  him  that  ever  was  spun.  He  had  buokskin 
leii-uins,  mocoasins,  and  breorh-olout,  a  bear-skin  dressed  wi'u>  the  hni- 
on,  whioh  he  l)eItod  about  him,  and  a  raceoon-skin  oap.  I  had  noi 
travelled  far  uftor  I  ramc  in  befor ;  I  was  slrielly  examined  by  the  in- 
habitants. I  told  thorn  the  truth,  and  whei~  I  oame  from,  <fec.:  hut  niv 
story  appeared  so  strange  to  them  that  they  did  not  Iielieve  me.  Thev 
said  that  tl'oy  liad  never  heard  of  any  one  roming  through  the  mountiir- 
from  llic  nioiiih  of  Tennessee,  and  if  any  one  would  undertake  siirh - 
journey,  surely  no  man  would  lend  him  liis  slave.  They  said  that  tliev 
thought  that  all  I  had  told  them  were  lies,  and  on  suspicion  they  tjo'% 
me  into  custody,  and  set  a  guard  over  me.* 

The  next  persons  who  entered  this  reQ;ion  were  traders  ;  cnmin.:. 
not  from  Vir<:;inia  and  Pennsylvania  by  \\u\  river,  but  from  Nnnl: 
Carolina  by  the  Cninix  rlaiid  Gap.  These  traders  prohal^!'. 
sou<:;bt,  in  the  first  instance,  the  C'herokees  and  other  snutlu'ir: 
Indians,  with  wlioin  they  had  dealing.-"  from  a  A-eiy  early  jn'rind; 
but  ai)[)ear  afterward  to  have  journeyed  northward  ii})()ii  what  wi- 
ealled  the-  warrior's  road,  an  Indian  path  leading  from  the  Cm:.- 
beiiaiid  ford  along  the  broken  country,  l}ing  upon  the  easU;:, 
branch  of  the  Kentucky  river  and  ,so  across  the  Licking  Iowa,: 
the  mouth  of  the  Scioto. f  This  path  formed  the  line  of  cominiini- 
cation  between  the  northern  and  southern  Indians;  and  somewlitiv 
along  its  course,  John  Finiey,  doubtless  in  com])any  with  otlu'i\ 
was  engaged,  in  17()7,  in  trading  with  the  red  men;  we  presume, 
with  those  from  north  of  the  Ohio,  who  met  him  there  with  ih'. 
skins  procured  during  their  hunting  expedition  in  that  central  nii' 
choice  region.  Upon  Finley's  return  to  North  Carolina,  he  in  ' 
with  Daniel  Boone,  to  whom  he  described  the  country  ho  In 
visited.  Of  Boone's  previous  life  we  know  but  little.  He  wa^ 
born  in  PiMinsylvania,  July  14th,  1732,|  the  same  year  in  wliiii. 
Washington  was  born.  Ilis  early  literary  education  was  1  .' 
slight;  at  some  period  of  his  life  he  learned  to  write,  but  luw 

*  A.'l  tliis  UDvtiou  of  Smith's  Narrntivo  is  nmittccl  l)v  Motf-a!!'  ami  McClniiK.     It  la ' 
foiiiul  as  above  in  Drake's  Captivities,  p.  239. 
t  See  map  in  VWsow's  Kentuckri. 
I  Cist's  Chii-innafi  I^Ihcdluinj.  ii.  '  51,  taken  fVdiii  tlia  family  Record. 


17(i9. 

UmmI    iliC   jK 

l)(ji)ii('  wa-' 

iiig  and  sp 

wa.N  liii'ced 

cation  ill   v 

have    posse 

hardihood, 

With  his  n; 

have   seeuK 

his  predccc; 

he  of  the  ]iil 

It  was  on 

five   Cfunpa: 

(TOSS  that  ii 

the  Atlanlit 

Though  ii()\ 

hichiaii  chai 

modern  art, 

what  joy  tlit 

''knobs"  of 

llu>  r<\<;"ion  t 

since  thev  it 

(lerness,  a  In 

vrdleys,  of  t 

them  lay  a  g 

with  the  mo 

t'very  variety 

Paradise.     'I 

li'il   them    ui 

.allies  of  tin 

bcrhind    Riv 

lioiietl,  north 

ot'  the  Kenlu 

ilirough  Morj 

tlioy  cf'ased 

llit'ir  izuide,  1 

iliis  point   w 

'!:"  road  fVon 

;  wigwani  a- 

■  MS.  letter,     : 
■'•■'re  inach. 


1767. 


nno. 


lionnr  frors  fa  Kcnfrirhi/. 


115 


It  i:i 


Used  ilic  j>;  11  inufli  or  well;  lIiiinpliiT}  Mai'sliall  slates  Ilia'  when 
r,iMiiic  \va-',  in  ITS'],  ilcpiit}-  surveyor  of  Fa^t  1(e  fouiity,  his  \w\\- 
iii"  am!  s|jeHin!4'  were  so  hail  as  1o  l)e  ohjectionahle,  ami  thai  he 
•Nva>  fniced  to  eiiiploy  a  penman  to  make  his  returns/  His  edii- 
caiion  in  wooilcralt,  however,  was  complete,  and  lew  men  ever 
have  possessed  his  peculiar  c()nd)iiuition  ol'  hoidness,  caution, 
liardilinnd,  stren[;th,  activity,  patience,  and  love  of  solitude. 
With  his  nature  and  hahits,  Finley's  description  of  the  West  must 
have  seemed  the  account  of  an  Fd.en,  and  no  wonder  that  when 
his  preih'cessor  })roposod  to  return,  Daniel  made  up  his  mind  to 
he  nf  the  party. 

Tt  was  on  ihe  first  of  May,  17f)9,  lliat  T?oono,  in  company  with 
five  companions,  left  Ins  home  upon  tlie  Yadkin,  and  l)e;:;nn  to 
iTDss  llia<  immense  mountain  harrier  whieli  separat(>s  tlu-  plains  of 
tlie  Atlunlic  coast  from  tliosi'  of  tlie  '^\'v^\  valley  of  tlie  West. 
Tliough  nowhere  of  very  great  heiglith,  the  hreadth  of  the  Ap|ia- 
lachian  chain  makes  a  journey  across  it,  even  with  all  the  aids  of 
modern  art,  tedious  and  fati<ruing,  and  we  may  well  imagine;  with 
what  joy  the  adventurous  imnters  at  length  looked  down  frcun  the 
"knohs"  of  Red  River  upon  the  oi)ening  glaih's  and  le\i'ls  of 
the  region  they  were  in  search  of.  Thirty-eight  dr.ys  had  jiassed 
since  they  left  the  Yadkin ;  they  had  toiled  through  a  |)erfect  wil- 
derness, a  land  of  precipices,  of  rugged  hill-sides,  of  deep  narrow 
valleys,  of  tangled  wood,  and  impenetrable  thickets;  and  before 
them  lay  a  gently  rolling  country,  watered  bv  fine  springs,  covered 
with  the  most  lovely  natural  forests  in  the  woi-ld,  and  filled  widi 
every  variety  of  bird  and  boast,  proper  to  an  Indian's  or  a  hunter's 
Paradise.  Tjieir  path  (that  used  by  tlie  south-western  traders)  had 
li'il  them  under  the  shadow  of  the  Negro  ]\rountain,  acioss  tln^ 
■  allies  of  the  Ilolston  and  Clinch,  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Cum- 
berland River;  thence  along  the  Wai'rior's  road,  alreadv  nu  n- 
tioiiod,  northward,  by  llu;  Cumberland  Ibid,  over  the  head  waters 
ol  the  Kentucky  to  Red  River,  a  branch  of  the  Ki  nlucky  runuim:; 
through  Morgan  and  Montgomeiy  counties.  On  the  7th  ot'  June 
they  ceased  their  march  at  the  point  where  Finley,  who  acted  as 
their  iz'nde,  had  met  the  Indians  two  years  before.  They  reached 
ihis  point  wholly  unharmed,  though  they  had  sidiered  much  on 
;!;"  road  from  long-continued  rains.  They  encamped,  built  such 
:  wi"-\vam  as  served   to  slielter  them  from  the  storms,  and  befran 


MS.  letter,     I*.Ir.  I\Iarsli;ill  \v;is  in  the  Registry  Oli'icc  in  FraiiKto.  (,  \\  hi'ie'  the  rcttir;;-; 
■■-:re  ni;u!''. 


1 


lie 


Buone  taken  prisoner. 


17G7. 


ail    exiiiniiialioii    of    the    country.     In   this   cxainlnation,   and  ii, 
hunting,  tlioy  passed  the  time  lioin  June  7tli   to  December  -iid. 
How  far  tliey  went,  in  what  directions,  and  wiicther  with  or  witli- 
out  tlie  knowledj^e  of  the  Indians  we  have  no  means  of  knowing. 
We  have,  however,  but   little   doubt  that   some   intercourse  took 
place  during  those  six  montlis,  between  themselves  and  the   rcil 
men;  first,  because  we  cannot  think  six  roaming  hunters  could  so 
long  have  escaped  the  lynx-eyed  savages  ;    and   next,   Ixirause, 
afi:cr  the  friendly  relations  which   appear  to  have  existed  between 
Finley  and  the  Indians  in  1767,  we  should   not  expect  an  unpro- 
voked attack  from  the  latter  in  17G9  ; — and  yet,  the  first  event  of 
which    we   hear   in  Boone's  Narrative,  our  only  authority,  is  the 
attack  upon  himself  and  Stuart,  upon  the  22d  of  December.     No 
cause  is  assigned  by  Boone  for  this  event;   but   a   very  probable 
explanation   of   it   is    the  following: — The  Indians   were  always 
extremely  jealous  of  any  white  man  that  showed   the  faintest  in- 
tention of  residence  on  or  near  their  hunting-grounds;  if,  there- 
fore, the  observation  of  several  months  had  satisfied  them  that  tin 
new  comers   meant  to   lay  equal   claims  with   themselves  to  thu 
game  of  their  choicest  forests,   instead  of   being  mere   transient 
traders,  we  need  not  be  surprised  that  they  seized  the  first  oppor- 
tunity of  making  any  of  them  prisoners.     Such  an  opportunity  oc- 
curred,  as  we  have  said,  on  the  22d  of  December;  when  Boom, 
with  his  companion,  Stuart,  as  they  returned  from  a  hunting  expe- 
dition, near  the  Kentucky  river,  were  taken  captive  by  a  party  of 
the  natives,  who  lay  concealed  in  a  thick  cane-brake.     Their  cap- 
tivity lasted  a  week,  during  which  time  they  attempted   to  thro\^ 
their  captors  off  their  guard,  by  affecting  to  have  no  thought  nor 
hope   of  escape.     In  this   attempt  they  succeeded.     The  Indians 
relaxed  their  watchfulness.     The  hunters  waited  their  opportunity, 
and  at  length  one  night,  as  they  lay  en(;amped   by  a  large  fire, 
Boone  discovered  that  the  Indians  were  all  asleep  :  he  awoke  his 
companion,  and  with  careful  steps  they  effected  their  escape.    The\ 
returned  to  the  camp  near  Red  River,  but  found  it  deserted  ;  theli 
four   companions,  alarmed  at  their  fate   probably,   having  gone 
home  again.     In  a  little  while,  however,  Boone  and   Stuart  were 
relieved  from  the  solllude   caused  by  tli';i     1i,.>uitlun  by   (he  aiiivul 
of  two  other  adventurers;  one  of  them,  S     ire  Boone,  the  brother 
of  Daniel.     They  had  followed  the   same  course  from  Carolina, 
and  chanced  upon  the  spot  where  those  who  had  gone  before  thein 


1T70. 


wiTf  stiiy  ill 

did  not  COM 

Indians,  an 

fnrncd  honi 

ordinary  lifi 

measure,  se 

residence,  e 

the  most  su 

of  no  oilier 

fiirc,  and   of 

together;  fo 

by  himself,  a 

his  own,  reti 

lead  ;  with 

wilderness  i 

cnnccive  of 

Boone  to  spe 

yet  undiscov 

tion  continua 

now  the  Slat 

himself  to  m 

Cooper's  La; 

sure,  the  arts 

gift  seems  to 

instinct,    rathi 

guided  Boont 

those  who  we 

Then  we   are 

year ;  it  was  ■ 

with  the  west( 

week  in  notinj 

we  think  it  p 

might  learn  th 

are,  moreover, 

were  at  that  p( 

tcr,  that  being 

mained  prostn 

like  snow,  eve 

this  weed  Booi 

*  This  spot  is  sai 

!37. 


1767. 


1770. 


Boone  alone  in  Kvnlurhj. 


117 


rge  firu, 
roke  lii^ 
Tlu'} 

thcli 


|(r     o-oiiL' 


brolliov 
/•arolina, 
bre  them 


were  sta}ing.*     But  flic  conrKlciu'c  inspired  liy  inrronsod  numbers 
did  lint  contiiiiic  Iniiir ;  in   a  slioit    time   Stiiai-f  was  killed  by  the 
Indians,  and  the   man  who  had  come  out  with  .S(|iiire  [^oonc,  ro 
tiiriii'd  home  by  himself.      And  now   comnn'nerd   that   most  extra- 
ordinary life  on  the  part  of  these   two    men,  which  has,  in  a  great 
measure,  served  to  give  eelel)rity  to  their  names  ;  we  refer  to  their 
residence,  entirely  alone,  for  more  than  ft  year,  in  a  land  fdled  with 
the  most  subtle  and   unsparing  enemies,  and   under  the  influeiice 
of  no  other  motive,  a})j)arently,  than  a  love  of  adventure,  of  na- 
ture, and   of  solitude.     Nor  were  they,  during  this   time,  alv.'ays 
together;  for  three  months,  Daniel  remained  amid  the  forest  utterly 
by  himself,  while  his  brother,  with  courage  and  capacity  <'(pial  to 
his  own,  returned  to  North  Carolina  for  a  supply  of  powder  and 
lead  ;  with  which  he  succeeded    in  rejoining  the   roamer  of   the 
wilderness  in    safety,  in  July,  1770.     It   is  almost   impossible  to 
conceive  of  the  .skill,  coolness,  and  sagacity  which  enabled  Daniel 
Boone  to  .spend  .so  many  weeks  in  the   midst  of  the  Indians,  and 
yet  undiscovered  by  them.     lie  a])pears  to  have  changed  his  posi- 
tion continually;  to  have  explored  the  whole  centre  of  what  forms 
now  the  State   of  Kentucky,  and  in  so  doing  must  have  exposed 
himself  to  many  difFerent  parties  of  the  natives.     A  reader  of  Mr« 
Cooper's  Last  of  the  Mohicans,  may  comprehend,  in  some  mea- 
sure, the  arts  by  which  he  was  preserved  ;  but,  af^er  all,  a  natural 
gift  seems  to  lie  at  the  basis  of  such   consummate  wood-craft  ;  an 
instinct,   rather   than    any  exercise   of   intellect  appears  to  have 
guided  Boone  in  such  matters,  and  made  him  pre-eminent  among 
those  who  were  most  accompli.shed  in  the  knowledge  of  forest  life. 
Then  we   are  to  remember  the  week's  captivity  of  the  previous 
year ;  it  was  the  first  practical  acquaintance  that  the  pioneer  had 
with  the  western  Indians,  and  we  may  be  assured  he  spent  that 
week  in  noting  carefully  the  whole  method  of  his  captors.    Indeed, 
we  think  it  probable  he   remained   in   captivity  so  long,  that  he 
might  learn  their  arts,  .stratagems,  and  modes  of  concealment.   We 
are,  moreover,  to  keep  in  mind  this  fact,  the  woods  of  Kentucky 
were  at  that  period  fdled  with  a  .species  of  nettle  of  such  a  charac- 
ter, that  being  once  bent  down  it  did   not  recover   itself,  but  re- 
mained prostrate,  thus   retaining  the  impression  of  a  foot  almost 
like  snow,  even  a  turkey  might  be  tracked  in  it  v;ith  perfect  ease : 
this  weed  Boone  would  carefully  avoid,  but  the  natives,  numerous 

*  This  spot  is  said  to  have  been  a  cave  in  Mercer  County.    See  Cist's  Miscellany,  ii. 

!37. 


US 


Ihmnf  rr/inus  to  JVorOi  Cdrolliiii. 


1771 


and  t'c;iilcss,  wdiild  ciiiiiinoiilv  pa)  im  fcn-ard  to  i;,  so  lliat  ih, 
wliiic  liiiiiU'r  was  sine  to  lia\i'  palpable  si^iis  of  llic  prcst'iicc  i,i 
Lis  cm  iiiirs,  and  llir  diicc!ion  llify  liad  taken.  Considering-  iIhm 
(•iiiMiin.-.lanc;'S  it  is  e\ en  more  reniarkahle  llial  liis  brother  sIkhiI,! 
Iia\t'  ulurned  in  safety,  willi  liis  loaded  horses,  than  that  |„ 
alone  remained  nnharnied  ;  tliongh  in  the  escape  of  holh  lioiii 
cajitivii) or  death  from  .laniiar),  1770,  until  tluir  icturn  to  ih, 
Atlantic  ri\('rs  in  March,  1771,  there  is  sometliin;^  so  wonderful, 
that  the  old  pioneer's  phrase,  that  he  was  "an  instrument  ordaim-ij 
to  settle  the  wilderness,"  seems  entirely  proper." 

When  at  'enuth  the  hrolheis  returned  from  the  West,  in  ihi 
sprin;^-  of  1771,  it  was  with  the  inti'ution,  on  Daniel's  [)art,  i4 
brini^ing  hi.s  family  to  reside  in  the  land  of  his  choice',  hut  cireiiiii- 
stancH's,  with  whieh  we  are  unaeipniinli'd,  detained  him  in  Noitl 
Carolina  until  Septem])er,  177.'}.  On  the  -.'^Ih  of  that  mon;li, 
liavinii;  sold  his  farm  upon  the  Yadkin,  and  whatever  ar(i(des  1,, 
did  not  propose  to  lake  into  the  wilderness,  he  and  his  houselin'.il 
left  his  eastern  home  forever,  in  eom[)any  with  five  other  famili(- 
This  lit  lie  hand  was  farther  increased  l)y  a  paity  of  fori}  men  i:. 
PowelTs  \'alley,  which  lies  upon  the  eastern  side  of  the  Cumin  • 
land  Mountains.  Fidl  of  hope  and  spiiit  they  pressed  on  towai, 
thai  last  g'reat  mountain  harrier,  hut  just  as  tlu'y  appr(jached  il,  ^'U 
the  lOlh  of  October,  were  attacked  in  tlie  rear  hy  a  l)arty  of  h- 
dians,   who  killed  six   of  the    emigrants  and  wouiuled  a  sevt 


nil 


Among  the  dead  was  Boone's  idtlest  son.  The  woodsmen,  unpr- 
pared  for  aelion,  ami  attacked  from  behind,  met  the  foe  as  (piick'.i 
as  they  could,  and  easily  re})ulsed  them.  But  the  fear  of  il.t 
women,  the  loss  they  had  met  with,  the  disorder  introduced  iiiii 
their  ranks  and  among  their  cattle,  and  above  all,  the  evideiU' 
afforded  by  the  attack  of  the  vig-ilance,  activity,  and  hostile  feeliii;^ 
of  the  Indians,  deterretl  the  settlers  from  going  further;  and,  wi:!. 
heavy  hearts,  they  turned  u})on  their  trace,  recrossed  PowiT:":- 
Valle) ,  and  slopped  not  till  upon  the  borders  of  Clinch  River. 
with  a  double  mountain  range  between  them  and  the  wesk::. 
wilds. 

Meantinn.'  other  adventurers  were  examining  the  rich  laiui^ 
south  of  the  Ohio.  Even  in  1770,  while  Boone  was  wanderiiii, 
solitary  in  those  Ke-ntucky  forests,  a  band  of  foriy  hunters,  led  !i; 

•  noono's  \nrr;\fivo,  nw  ;iivrn  in  l'"ils(urs  Kp|itiirl\v.  Ttio  r()|i\'  in  Cnrv's  Mil^onin  :■ 
not  o.iiict.  A  correct  copy  is  in  tlic  tile  of  Hoonc,  piiiilisliod  l)y  Mossrs.  Appletoii,  N'* 
York,  lb-14;  this  '•  Lilc,"'  liowuver,  is  of  litllo  value,  Ijciiig  tu.t;cu  liinu  Fliut's. 


1773. 

Colonel  .Ian 
Clindi,  and 
the  tnrly  hi 
ahiidsi  Jnipi 
and  e\pl(jre 
liessee.    Thi 
i>  kiiowji  in 
Ilunlers.      V 
the  Ohio,  in 
\'irginia  ami 
same  year,  i 
\iiss  noted  a 
We  have  heft 
al  a  very  la 
far-reaching 
lo  examine  tl 
of  till'  Ivena\ 
h)    Mr.   Spai 
AN'ashiiigiou 

the  position  ^ 
f(»r    instance 
.settling  the  la 
and  that   the 
weie  jealous  ; 
gre)unds. 

This  jealoi 
vi'ars  next  si 
descended  the 
uhove,  that  n( 
unless  the  Ind 
tlieiii  undistui 
white  men. 
Were  the  two 
.H'parated,  and 
llu  hanks,  an 
whieh  Franktc 
laid  out,  on  be 
of  Louisville. 
the  autumn  oft 
of  Colonel  Wi 
^'iuia,  in  whid 


1771. 

li;i;  ill, 
riirc  1)1 

1^  lllfx 

r  sliouli 
llial  li, 

ill      ll'dll, 

1  to  th. 
)ii(l('ri'ul, 
Jl'dciliicii 

t,    ill  'In. 

p;irl,  I'l 
I  circiiiii- 
ill  Nortli 

lUOUtl!. 

■ticlf^  I 

oiisi'lnilii 

familii- 

^    Uirli  i.. 

Cumlic- 
n  towai. 
ird  il,  ■  :. 
rl)  (.!•  L- 
sevfn;!. 

(luicV.; 

ir  f)!'  ii.' 

CH'd  ill!' 

vidfiH' 
fet'liui; 
iiul,  wi:!. 

rowri:"^ 

Riv.r, 

wi'Sk'i:. 

■h    lam;^ 
•aiuli-'niii, 


•s,  icii  ;i; 


Miisoniii  :■ 
ll)leton,  Nc* 


1 


177:). 


Bullitt  <lcsci'/ids  t/ic  Ohio. 


ii:) 


Colniicl  Jaiiit's  Kiio\,lia(l  j;allu'r(.'(l  Ikhii  IIk-  viillf\s  <i|"  New  Ilivcr, 
CTuh'Ii,  and  llitlsloii  lo  clias.  tlif  huliiilofS  oi'  llu'  West  ;  iiinr  uf 
till'  liiriy  had  crossed  iIh'  iiiouiitaiiis,  pnu'tialfil  iht-  dcsni  and 
aliuosl  iiiipassablf  coiinli)  ahout  llif  heads  of  tht-  ("uiiibcrlaiid, 
and  i'\|)lor»'d  the  region  on  the  IjokKts  of  Keiitiicliy  and  Teii- 
iiessee.  This  iiuiiting  l>art>,  iVoni  the  leng!h  ot"  tinif  it  was  alistnt, 
i>  kiiiiwji  in  the  liaditioiis  of  the  West,  as  the  party  of  the  Kong 
Iluiiieis.  \Vliile  these  hold  men  were  |)eiietratinH  tjir  vallr^  of 
llie  Ohio,  ill  the  region  ot  the  Cumlierlaiid  gap,  others  eanie,  iVoin 
Virginia  ami  Pennsylvania,  h)  the  river;  among  them,  and  in  the 
saiae  yar,  that  the  Long  Iliiiiters  were  abroad,  (1770,)  eaiiir  no 
less  noted  a  person  than  (Jeorge  Washington,  llis  attention,  as 
wi'  have  before  said,  had  been  turned  to  thi' lands  along  thf  Ohio, 
a!  a  very  early  period  ;  lie  had  hiinsell'  large  claims,  as  well  as 
far-reaching  plans  of  settlement,  and  he  wished  with  his  own  e}es 
to  examine  the  Western  lands,  I'specially  those  about  the  mouth 
of  the  Ivenawha,  (''rcuii  the  journal  of  his  expedition,  published 
1)\  ]\lr.  Sparks,  in  the  ,\pj)endi\  to  the  second  Miliinie  of  his 
Washington  papers,  we  learn  some  valuable  facis  in  reference  to 
lIu'  position  (jf  alfairs  in  the  Ohio  \a!ley  at  that  time.  We  learn, 
for  instance,  that  the  \'irginiaiis  were  rapidly  surveying  and 
.seiiliiig  till'  lands  south  of  the  ri\er  as  far  down  as  the  Kenawhas; 
and  thai  the  Indians,  not v.ithslanding  the  treaty  of  Foi-t  Stanwiv, 
were  jealous  and  angry  at  this  constant  invasion  of  their  hunting- 
mounds. 

This  jealous)-  ai  .1  anger  were  not  sufTered  to  cool  during  the 
)iars  next  succeeding,  and  when  Thomas  IJullitt  and  his  party 
descended  the  Ohio  in  the  summer  of  1773,  he  found  as  related 
aliove,  that  no  settlements  would  be  tolerated   south  of  the  river, 

ess  the  Indian  hunting  grounds  were  K'ft  undisturbed.  'I'o  leave 


Ull 


D    O 


tlu'iii   undisturbed   was,   however,    no   part   of   the  ])lan   of  these 
white   men.     This  very  party,   which    Bullitt   led,  and  in  which 


WiT 


e  the  two  McAfees,   Hancock   Tayl 


or. 


D 


rennon  ant 


1   od 


lers. 


Mparated,  and  wliile  part  went  up  the  Kentucky  River,  explored 
the  banks,  and  made  important  surveys,  including  the  valley  in 
^\ill(•ll  Frankfort  stands,  the  remainder  went  on  to  the  Falls,  and 
laid  out,  on  behalf  of  John  Campbell  and  John  Connolly,  the  plat 
(if  Louisville.  All  this  took  place  in  the  summer  of  1773  ;  and  in 
the  autumn  of  that  year,  or  early  in  the  next,  John  Floyd,  the  dei)uty 
of  Colonel  William  Preston,  the  surveyor  of  Fincastle  county,  Vir- 
ginia, in  which  it  w  as  claimed  that  Kentucky  was  comprehended, 


120 


Lymnn  frnea  to  MtUrhez. 


1773. 


1 


also  frossrd  the  mountains  ;  wliilc  ricriciiil  Tlinnipsnn,  of  Perm. 
sylvania,  niadr  surveys  upon  the  north  fork  of  the  liickid"^'.* 
When  lV)on(',  thcifforc,  in  ScptcinhiT,  coninu'ncrd  liis  niarcii  for 
the  West,  (that  to  which  we  hnvv  already  nlcrred,)  the  rliojci; 
regions  which  he  had  examined  three  years  before,  wert;  known 
to  numbers,  and  setthjrs  were  preparing  to  desecrate  the  sih'tit  and 
beautiful  woods.  Nor  did  the  projects  of  the  English  colonists 
Stop  with  the  settlement  of  Kentucky.  In  177.'},  (Jeneral  Lyman, 
with  a  number  of  military  advt'iifurers,  went  to  Natchez,  and  laid 
out  several  townships  in  that  vicinity  ;  to  which  point  emigratinn 
set  so  strongly,  that  wv  arc  told,  four  hundred  families  passed 
down  the  Ohio,  on  their  way  thither,  during  six  weeks  of  the 
summer  of  that  year.* 

•Marshall,  i.  11. — Butler,  second  edition,  20.  American  .State  Papers,  ivi.  fi83.- 
Gcncrul  'riiom|)tioii  wuh  Niirv«!yiii|{  for  llie  I'l'iiiiHyiviiiiia  hkUIkts  under  the  Pruchunutioc 
of  17G3,  .'iiid  a  iierriiit  fri)iii  tlio  Council  of  Virginia  in  1771. 

•  Holmes'  Annals,  ii.  183; — from  Orijjinal  MSS.  For  a  history  of  Natchez,  see  W'n- 
tern  Messenger,  September  and  Novemhrr,  IK3S:  it  is  by  Mann  Bntlcr.  Sec  also  Elli- 
colt'H  Juuruai,  (Pliiladeli>hiu,  lbU3,)  p.  129,  &c. 


But  for  a 

delayed  ;   for 

of  1774,  pel 

log-hut  rearc 

which  bears 

the  sounds  o 

him  to  rejoin 

savages.     N( 

Imliiiiis,  as  w 

their  lands  w 

vailed  amon^ 

prol)ably  by  ( 

northwest. 

by  Washingt 

relerred  to. 

calculated  sti 

forest.      In   ] 

at  Wheeling ; 

were  explnrin 

Mr  A  fees,  Bui 

The  savages  i 

eneil  with  occ 

and  the  terrib 

sufferers  were 

than  to  throw 

whites.     Hop 

of  the  natives 

war  of  1774 ; 

kindle  it  into 

»vore  not  wai 

Indians  by  the 

on  the  Little  ] 

a  white  famil 


1773, 


1771    AND    177J. 


But  for  a  time  the  srfflciiKMif  of  Kciilucky  imd  the  West  wasi 
delayed;  for  tli()ij<^li  James  Ilarrod,  in  the  spring  or  (?arly  sunuiuT 
of  1774,  pcnc'trafed  ih-  wilderness,  and  built  Ijis  cabin,  (the  first 
lo<j;-hut  reared  in  the  valley  of  the  Kentucky,)  where  the  towii 
which  bears  his  nanu;  now  stands,  he  could  not  long  stay  there  ; 
the  sounds  of  coining  war  reached  even  his  solitude,  and  forced 
him  to  rejoin  his  companions,  and  aid  in  repelling  the  infuriated 
savages.  Notwithstanding  the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix,tlie  western 
Iiidiiiiis,  as  wc  have  siien,  were  in  no  degree  disposed  to  yield 
their  lands  without  a  struggle.  Wide-spread  dissatisfaction  i)re- 
vaiied  among  the  Shawanesi;  and  Mingoes,  which  was  fostered 
probably  by  the  French  traders  who  still  visited  the  tribes  of  the 
nortiiwest.  Evidence  of  the  feeling  \vliich  prevailed,  is  given 
by  Washington  in  his  Journal  of  1770,  and  has  been  already 
referred  to.  And  from  that  time  forward  almost  every  event  was 
calculati.'d  still  more  to  excite  and  embitter  the  children  of  the 
forest.  In  1770,  Ebcnezer,  Silas  and  Jonathan  Zane,  settled 
at  Wheeling ;  during  that  year  the  Boones,  as  we  have  related, 
were  exploring  the  interior  of  Kentucky ;  and  af>er  them  came  the 
McAfees,  Bidlitt,  Floyd,  Hancock  Taylor,  and  tlieir  companions. 
The  savages  saw  their  best  grounds  gradually  occupied  or  threat- 
ened with  occupation ;  but  still  they  remembered  the  war  of  1763, 
and  the  terrible  power  of  15ritain,and  the  oldest  and  wisest  of  the 
sufferers  were  disposed  rather  to  submit  to  what  seemed  inevit.ible 
than  to  throw  themselves  away  in  a  vain  cH'ort  to  withstand  the 
whites.  Hopeless  hatred  i^  ward  the  invaders  fdled  the  breasts 
of  the  natives,  therefore,  at  the  period  immediately  preceding  the 
war  of  1774;  a  hatred  needing  only  a  few  acts  of  violence  to 
kindle  it  into  rage  and  thirst  for  human  blood.  And  such  acts 
tvere  not  wanting ;  in  addition  to  the  murder  of  several  single 
Indians  by  the  I  ^ntier  men, — in  1772,  five  families  of  the  natives 
on  the  Little  Kenc  wha,  were  killed,  in  revenge  for  the  death  of 
a  white  family  on  Gauley  River,  although  no  evidence  existed 


122 


Connolly  seizes  Fort  Pitt. 


177.J 


to  prove  who  had  coiuiiiittcd  Ihc  lasl-iiiiiiicd  outnio-e.*     And  whim 
177-1    caiiir.  a    st  rifs   of  cvi'iits,  oj"  whi<'li   we   can   present  l)ut  a 
fain!  niithiic,  led  to  (•\ctssi\c  cxaspL-ralion  on  l)olli  siiU'S.     Penn- 
sylvania and  Vir-jinia  hiid  rciiial  clain:  to   I'ittshin-n'h  and  the  ad- 
joininii;  couiilry.      \n   the  war  of  17.04,  doubl    had    cxistt-c]   as  to 
which  coh)nv  tlic  fork  of  the  Ohio  was  situated   in,  and  the  ()\\ 
Dominion    lia\ing'   l)een  forward    in  Ihc  (hd'ence    of  the  contested 
tcrri'orv,  while  her   northern   neij^hbor  had  been   very  l)ackwan] 
in  (hiini^^  anytldng  in   its  favor,  the  Virginians  felt   a  certain  claim 
ii])on  the  "  Key  of  the  West.""     This  feeling  showed  itself  befort 
17(i:5,  and  by  1773  aj)pears  to  have   attained  a  very  decided  cha- 
ractei'.     Early  in    1771,  Lord  Dnnmore,  prompted   very  probably 
by  ("olo.nel  Croghan,  and  his  nephew,  Dr.  John  Connolly,  who  had 
lived  at   Fort  Pitt,  and  was  an  iiitriguing  and  andjitions  man,  dt- 
termined,   by   strong   nieasnre«;,    to  assert  the   claims   of  Virginia 
upon  Pittsbnrgh  and  its  vicinity,  and  despatched  Connolly,  willi  a 
cai)tain's  conimi>-ion,  and  with   power  to  take  possession  of  tjit 
country  upon  tin    Monongahela,  in  the  name  of  the   king,     TIil 
Dr.  issued  his  j)ro(daniation  to  the  people,  in  the   neighborhood  > 
Redstone  and  Pittsburgh,  calling  on  them  to   meet  upon  the  2l!l. 
or  2r)th  of  January,   1774,  in  order  to  be   embodied  as  Virgini;: 
militia.      Artliur  St.  Clair,  wb  *   then    represented  the  Proprietoi:^ 
of  l\Minsylvania  in  the  West,  was  at  Pittsburgh  at  the  time,  and 
arrested  Connolly  ])efore  tlie  meeting  took  place.    The  people  who 
had  seen  the  prordamation,  however,  came  together,  and  though 
they  were  disjiersed   without  attempting  any  outbreak  in  favor  oi 
the  Virginian  side  of  the  dispute,  which  it  was  very  much  feared 
they  would  do, — they  did  not  break  up  witliout  drunkenness  and 
rif)t,  and  among  other  things  Jired  their  giins  at  the  town  occuphi 
hy  friendly  Indians  across  the  river,  hurting  no  one,  but  excitinii 
the  fear  and  suspicion  of  tjie  red  men. 

Connolly,  soon  after,  wa>  for  a  short  time  released  by  the  sherilf, 
upon  the  promise  to  return  to  the  law's  custody,  wliich  promise 
he  broke  howcA'er,  and  having  collected  a  band  of  followers,  on 
tlie  -iSth  of  March,  came  again  'o  Pittsburgh,  still  asserting  tlie 
claim  of  Vir<jinia  to  the  government.  Then  commenced  a  serio? 
of  contests,  outrages  and  complaints,  which  were  too  extensive 
and  complicated  to  be  di'scribed  within  our  limited  space.  TIk' 
upshot  of  the  matter  was  this,  that  Connolly,  in  Lord  Dunmori.'s 
name,  and  by  his  authority,  took  and  kept  possession  of  Fort  Pitt; 

*  Withers'  Border  Warfare,  106. 


It 


1771. 

anil  as  it  ha 
ders,   rebui 
iii(i>t   unjust 
lucii  and  ni; 
Lniil   Dunn 
siu'i'S  were 
against  him 
ami  we'ut   t( 
surprise.     '1 
Virginia  Cu 
patron  mig 
tioually  le)slt 
the  Pennsyl 
whites   and 
color  to  his 
2J>t  of  Apri 
the  Shawane 
ought  to  be 
letter  came 
looking  up 
sessed  the  trt 
a  canoe,  bek 
had  been  att 
been  killed, 
known  t!iere 
general  tliat  t 
therefore,  im 
the  news  can: 
down  the  Oh 
the  Cherokei 
direction  of  t 
referred  to,  d 
two  friendly 
by  William  I 
stopped,  to  a 
country.*     T 
words  of  Dr. 
Was   veliej] 

*  For  tlio  aliovi 
Ecni's,  i.  I'yi  to  2: 
C'r(s;i|)  f(ir  whiit  1 
we  believe,  of  lii 


1774. 


1771. 


Dunmorc\  war  begins. 


123 


tiess  am! 
occupld 

exciting 

!  sheriir, 
pi'Oinisi 

wcrs,  (111 

rtiiig  tlif 
a  sltIl'S 

ixtensivi 

iIIImioit's 
ort  Pitt; 


ami  as  it  iiad  been  (lisniaiitleil  and  ncaily  dcslroycd,  l)y  rt^yal  Or- 
el,is  ri'huilt  it,  and  iianu'd  it  Fort  Dunnioi'c.  Mcanlinu-,  in  a 
jiiosi  wiijiisiiliablf  and  t}i'ianical  manner,  lie  aircstcd  holli  private 
iiu'ii  and  magistrates,  and  kept  some  of  them  in  eonfinement,  until 
Lord  Duiunore  ordered  their  reh'ase.  Knowing  tliat  these  mea- 
sures were  caieidaled  1o  h'ad  to  active  and  violent  measures 
against  iiimself  by  the  Pennsylvanians,  he  took  great  precaulions, 
and  went  to  consitlerable  expense  to  protect  his  own  parly  from 
surprise.  These  expenses,  it  is  no'.  improl)aljle,  he  feared  the 
Virginia  General  Assembly  would  object  to,  although  his  noble 
patrori  might  allow  them  ;  and  it  is  not  impossible  that  he  inten- 
tionally I'osteri'd,  as  St.  Clair  distinctly  intimated  in  his  letters  to 
the  Pennsylvania  authorities, — the  growing  jealousy  between  the 
whites  and  natives,  in  order  to  make  tlu'ir  (piarrels  serve  as  a 
color  to  his  profuse  expenditures.  At  any  rate  it  appears  that  on  the 
2l>\  of  A})ril,  Connolly  wrote  to  the  settlers  along  the  Ohio,  that 
the  Shawanese  were  not  to  be  trusted,  ami  that  tiiey  (the  whil'\s) 
ought  to  be  prepared  to  revenge  any  wrong  done  them.  This 
letier  came  into  the  hands  of  Captain  Michael  Cresap,  who  was 
looking  up  lands  near  Wheeling,  an(l  who  ai)[)ears  to  lia\'e  pos- 
sessed the  true  frontier  Indian-hati'ed.  Five  days  befon'  its  dale, 
a  canoe,  belonging  to  William  Butler,  a  heading  Pittsburgh  trader, 
had  been  a^t.icked  by  three  Cherokees,  and  one  white  man  had 
been  killed.  This  ha})pened  not  far  from  Wheeling,  and  Ix'came 
known  t!iere  of  course ;  while  about  the  same  time  the  report  was 
general  tliat  the  Indians  were  stealing  the  traders'  horst's.  When, 
therefore,  immediately  after  Connolly's  letter  had  been  circulated, 
the  news  came  to  that  settlement,  that  some  Indians  were  coming 
down  the  Ohio  in  a  boat,  Cresap,  in  revenge  for  the  murder  by 
the  Cherokees,  and  as  he  afterwards  said,  in  obedience  to  the 
'lirection  of  the  commandant  at  Pittsburgh,  contained  in  the  letter 
referred  to,  determined  to  attack  them.  They  were,  as  it  chanced, 
two  friendly  Indians,  who,  with  two  whites,  had  been  despatched 
by  William  Butler,  when  he  heard  that  his  first  messenLi;ers  were 
stopped,  to  attend  to  his  peltries  down  the  river,  in  the  Sliawanee 
country.*  The  project  of  Cresap,  (and  here  we  continue  in  the 
words  of  Dr.  Doddridge) — 

Was   vehemently  opposed  by  Colonel  Zane,  the  proprietor  of  the 

*  For  the  iibove  tacts  rnliitivo  to  Connolly's  coniliict,  &c.  see  Anieriean  Archives,  fourth 
seiKs,  i.  252  to  2SS,  4JJ,  771,  -159,  -U)7,  170,  IS  I,  ice.  It  wa.s  nal,/  tlial  niiiiniorr  thaiikt-cl 
Crcsa])  for  what  he  (lid  ;  Anic-rican  Archives,  fourth  series,  i.  5()G  ;  but  no  yjror*/ exists, 
we  believe,  of  his  having  done  so. 


I 


124 


Murder  of  Logan' a  family. 


1774. 


plarfi.  IIo  stated  to  tlic  Captain  that  the  killing  of  those  Indians,  would 
inevitably  bring  on  a  war,  in  which  much  inn  'cent  blood  would  be 
shed,  and  that  the  act  in  itself  would  be  an  atrocioi.s  murder,  and  a  (Ij?. 
grace  to  his  name  forever.  His  good  counsel  was  lost.  The  party 
went  up  the  river.  On  being  asked,  at  their  return,  what  had  becnme 
of  the  Indians  ?  They  coolly  answered  that  "  They  had  fallen  over- 
board into  the  river  !"  Their  canoe,  on  being  examined,  was  found 
bloody,  and  pierced  with  bullets.  This  was  the  first  blood  which  was 
shed  in  this  war,**  and  terrible  was  the  vengeance  which  followed. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  the  party  hearing  that  there  was  an 
encampment  of  Indians  at  the  mouth  of  Captina,  went  down  the  river 
to  the  place,  attacked  the  Indians  and  killed  several  of  them.  In  this 
affair  one  of  Cresap's  party  was  severely  wounded. 

The  massacre  at  Captina  and  that  which  took  place  at  Baker's,  about 
forty  miles  above  Wheeling,  a  few  days  after  that  at  Captina,  were  un- 
questionably the  sole  causes  of  the  war,  1774.  The  last  was  perpotra- 
ted  by  thirty-two  men,  under  the  command  of  Daniel  Greathouse.  The 
whole  number  killed  at  this  place,  and  on  the  river  opposite  to  it  was 
twelve,  besides  several  wounded.  This  horrid  massaci'  vas  effected 
by  an  hypocritical  stratagem,  which  reflects  the  dec..rs*.  dishonor  on 
the  memory  of  those  who  were  agents  in  it. 

The  report  of  the  murders  committed  on  the  Indians  near  Wheeling, 
induced  a  belief  that  they  would  immediately  commence  hostilities,  and 
this  apprehension  furnished  the  pretext  for  the  murder  above  related, 
The  ostensible  object  for  raising  the  party  under  Greathouse,  was  that 
of  defending  the  family  of  Baker,  whose  house  was  opposite  to  a  large 
encampment  of  Indians,  at  the  mouth  of  Big  Yellow  Creek.  The 
party  were  concealed  in  ambuscade,  while  their  commander  went  over 
the  river,  under  the  mask  of  friendship  to  the  Indian  camp,  to  ascertain 
their  number;  while  there,  an  Indian  woman  advised  him  to  return 
home  speedily,  saying  that  the  Indians  were  drinking,  and  angry  on 
account  of  the  murder  of  their  people  down  the  river,  and  might  do 
him  some  mischief.  On  his  return  to  his  party  he  reported  that  the 
Indians  were  too  strong  for  an  open  attack.  He  returned  to  Baker's 
and  requested  him  to  give  any  Indians  who  might  come  over,  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  as  much  rum  as  they  might  call  for,  and  get  as  many 
of  them  drunk  as  he  possibly  could.  The  plan  succeeded.  Several 
Indian  men  with  two  women,  came  over  ihe  river  to  Baker's,  who  had 
previously  been  in  the  habit  of  selling  rum  to  the  Indians.  The  men 
drank  freely  and  became  intoxicied.  In  this  state  they  were  all  killed 
by  Greathouse,  and  a  few  of  his  party.     I  say  a  few  of  his  party,  for 

•  The  murder  at  Balltown  took  place  in  1772. 


1774.      Cla 

it  is  bill  juslii 
number  had  a 
protested  agai 
by  far  the  ra; 
they  did  not, 
by  the  human 
known. 

The  Indians 
canoe  with  tw 
Indians  were 
second  and  lar 
arms ;  but  ia 
house,  were  re 
the  greater  nu 
A  great  numbe: 
damage  to  the 
Indian  men  wh 
The  woman 
parly,  when  in 
The  massacr 
prehended  the 
Logan.* 

This  accour 
Colonel  Zane, 
diirer.s  somewh 
present,  we  gii 
neer  relative  to 

This  country 
make  a  setdeme 
Kenaway  appoi 
descend  the  riv 
Indians  had  do 
alarming,  vvhicli 
arrived  at  the  ap 

A  small  parti 
lire  J  upon  by  th( 
(-•amp.  This  anc 
iiiiliaiis  were  dei 
determined  to  ex 
ts  we  had  every 

*  Soe  Doddridge's 
t  See  on  tlie  whoh 


1774  1774.       Clark'' s  account  of  the  murder  of  Logan'' s  family .         125 

it  is  but  justice  to  state,  that  not  more  than  five  or  six  of  the  whole 
number  had  any  participation  in  the  shinghter  at  the  house.  Tlic  rest 
protpstecl  againsi  it,  as  an  atrocious  murder.  From  their  number,  being 
by  far  the  majority,  they  might  have  prevented  the  deed  ;  but  alas  ! 
they  did  not,  A  little  Indian  girl  alone  was  saved  from  the  slaughter, 
by  the  humanity  of  some  one  of  the  party,  whose  name  is  not  now 
known. 

Tlie  Indians  in  the  camps,  hearing  the  firing  at  the  house,  sent  a 
canoe  with  two  men  in  it  to  enquire  what  had  happened.  These  two 
Indians  were  both  shot  down,  as  soon  as  they  landed  on  the  beach.  A 
second  and  larger  canoe  was  then  manned  with  a  number  of  Indians  i 
arms ;  but  in  attempting  to  reach  the  shore,  some  distance  below  the 
house,  were  received  by  a  well  directed  fire  from  the  party,  which  killed 
the  greater  number  of  them,  and  compelled  the  survivors  to  return. 
A  great  number  of  shots  were  exchanged  across  the  river,  but  without 
damage  to  the  while  parly,  not  one  of  whom  was  even  wounded.  The 
Indian  men  who  were  murdered  were  all  scalped. 

The  woman  who  gave  the  friendly  advice  to  the  commander  of  the 
parly,  when  in  the  Indian  camp,  was  amongst  the  slain  at  Baker's  house. 

The  massacres  of  the  Indians  at  Captina  and  Yellow  Creek,  com- 
prehended the  whole  of  the  family  of  the  famous,  but  unfor*"jnate 
Logan.* 


s,  would 
vonld  be 
ind  a  tli?. 
he  party 
I  become 
len  over- 
as  found 
hich  was 
ed.  I 

e  was  aa 
tbe  river 
,     In  this 

r's,  about 
were  un- 
perppira- 

ise.  The 
to  it  was 

s  effected 

shonor  oa 

^heelin», 

ilies,  and 

e  related, 

was  that 

to  a  large 

Ik.     The 

ent  over 

ascertain 

to  return 

angry  on 

might  do 

that  the 

Baker's 

er,  in  the 

as  many 

Several 

who  had 

'he  men 

II  killed 

)ariy,  for 


This  account  by  Doddridge  is  confirmed  by  the  evideuce  of 
Colonel  Zane,  whose  deposition  is  given  by  JefTerson  ;t  but  as  it 
diiFers  somewhat  from  that  of  George  Rogers  Clark,  who  was  also 
present,  we  give  part  of  the  letter  written  by  the  last  named  pio- 
neer relative  to  the  matter,  dated  June  17,  1798. 

This  country  was  explored  in  1773.  A  resolution  was  formed  to 
make  a  settlement  the  spring  following,  and  the  mouth  of  the  Little 
Kenaway  appointed  the  place  of  general  rendezvous,  in  order  to 
descend  the  river  from  thence  in  a  body.  Early  in  the  spring  the 
Indians  had  done  some  mischief.  Reports  from  their  towns  wore 
alarming,  which  deterred  many,  About  eighty  or  ninety  men  only 
arrived  at  the  appointed  rendezvous,  where  we  lay  some  days. 

A  small  party  of  hunters,  that  lay  about  ten  miles  below  us,  were 
iireJ  upon  by  the  Indians,  whom  the  hunters  beat  back,  and  returned  to 
camp.  This  and  many  other  circumstances  led  us  to  believe,  that  the 
hidians  were  determined  on  war.  The  whole  parly  was  enrolled  and 
determined  to  execute  their  project  of  forming  a  settlement  in  Kentucky, 
IS  we  had  every  neeessa  v  store  that  could  be  thought  of.     An  Indian 

*  Soe  Doddridge's  Notes,  p.  226. 

*  Sec  on  the  whole  subject,  Appendix  to  Jefferson's  Notes. 


126 


l'l>'rk\'  .Irrnunf. 


1774, 


1771. 


town  callrd  tlie  Tlorselicad  Bottom,  on  thn  Sriolo  and  near  its  moiuh, 
lay  nearly  in  our  way.  Tho  determination  was  to  cross  the  connirv 
and  surprise  it.  ^VIlo  was  to  coniniaiul  ?  was  the  question.  'I'lifre 
were  hut  few  among  us  that  had  ex|)erience  in  Indian  warfare,  and  thrv 
were  sueh  that  we  did  not  choose  to  be  commanded  by.  We  knew  of 
Capt.  Cresap  being  on  the  river  about  fifteen  miles  above  us,  with  some 
hands,  settling  a  plantation  ;  and  that  he  had  concluded  to  follow  us  lo 
Kentucky  as  soon  as  fie  had  fixod  there  his  people.  We  also  knew  t'ls! 
he  had  !)cen  experienced  in  a  formei  war.  He  was  proposed  ;  aii'l  it 
was  uiKiniinously  agreed  to  send  for  him  to  command  the  party.  .Me*. 
scngers  were  despatched,  and  in  half  an  hour  returned  with  Cresnp, 
He  had  heard  of  our  resolution  by  some  of  his  hunters,  that  had  falle!; 
in  willi  ours,  and  had  set  out  to  come  to  us. 

We  nt)w  thought  our  army,  as  we  called  it,  complete,  and  •':■ 
destruction  o^  the  Indians  sure.  A  council  was  called,  and,  in  ir- 
astcHiishmcnt,  our  intended  Commander-in-chief  was  the  person  !!i ' 
di.-^suaded  us  from  the  enterprise.  He  said  that  appearances  were  vny 
suspicious,  but  there  was  no  certainty  of  a  war.  That  if  we  made  ih^ 
atteiiipt  proposed,  he  had  no  donbt  of  onr  success,  but  a  war  would,  :i! 
any  rate,  be  the  result,  and  that  we  should  be  blamed  for  it,  and  perli;!;'> 
juKtly.  Bui  if  we  were  determined  to  proceed,  lie  would  lay  aside  ;i!I 
considerations,  send  to  his  camp  for  his  people,  and  share  our  fortiinr". 

He  was  then  asked  what  he  would  advise.  His  answer  was,  il,  • 
we  should  return  to  Wheeling,  as  a  convenient  post,  to  hear  what  w^^ 
froinjT  forward.  That  a  few  weeks  would  determine.  As  it  was  car'v 
in  the  spring,  if  we  found  the  Indians  were  not  disposed  for  wnr,  u  • 
should  have  full  time  to  return  and  make  our  establishment  in  Iv^n 
tucky.  This  was  i^'optcd  ;  and  in  two  hou.  the  whole  were  undo: 
way.  As  we  ascended  the  river,  we  met  Kill-buck,  an  Indian  cli''. 
with  a  small  party.  We  had  a  long  conference  with  him,  but  receivt . 
little  satisfaction  as  tr  the  disposition  of  tlie  Indians.  It  was  observ  I 
that  Cresap  did  not  come  to  this  conference,  but  kept  on  the  oppo-ie 
side  of  the  river.  He  said  that  ho  was  afraid  to  trust  himself  with  i!: 
Indians.  That  Kill-buck  had  frequently  attempted  to  waylay  his  fallifr. 
to  kill  him.  That  if  lie  crossed  tho  river,  perhaps  his  fortitude  mi;:'.! 
fail  him,  and  that  he  might  put  Kill-buck  to  death.  On  our  arrivil  a! 
Wheeling,  (the  country  being  pretty  well  settled  thereabouts,)  t';? 
whole  of  the  inhabitants  appeared  to  be  alarmed.  They  flocked  to  m:: 
camp  from  every  direction  ;  and  all  that  we  could  say  could  not  kir;i 
them  from  under  our  winjjs.  We  oflTcred  to  cover  their  neiixliborhiii' 
with  scouts,  until  further  information,  if  they  would  return  to  tli  ; 
plantations  ;  liut  nothing  would  prevail.  By  this  time  we  had  fje' ' 
be  a  formidable  party.  All  the  hunters,  men  witliout  families,  etc..  ii 
that  quarter,  had  joined  our  party. 

Our  arrival  at  Wheeling  was  soon  known  at  Pittsburffh.     The  \vho<3 


of  that  count 

Dr.  Connollj 

of  tfie  Distric 

inessaife  addr 

apprehended ; 

days  ;  as  niesi 

determine   the 

iiiition    to    qui 

shc^uld  be  car( 

we  lay  in.      J] 

second  cxpres 

aniongst    us  ; 

Indians,  that  \ 

with    the   part; 

inliabitants  coi 

the  epoch    of 

planted,  a  con 

Indian  traders 

was  had,  and 

evening  two  s( 

The  next  d:i 

keeping  the  ad 

Til!  y  were  clu 

buttle  ensued  ; 

taken  prisoner 

qiKUitity  u[  am 

camp,   a   resoli 

Ljgan's  camp  ( 

about  five  niilo!- 

impropriety   of 

conversation  wi 

agreed  that  thos 

iiig,  and  their  p 

all  their  stufT  w 

-cut  had  been  ii 

the  river  from  I 

resolution    we 

camped,  and  tot 

It  was  two   d 

iVom  the  mannei 

iler.     From  Loi 

on  the  river,  it  i 

ilcstruction  of  hi 

'  I.ouii,villc  Liter; 


1 1\. 


1771. 


Cl(irk\'i  .'Ic count. 


1-27 


hf're 


in  K  ". 
'ere  unilf: 
an  •■li'. 

roceivr. 
ohsorv-'. 

opnn-i'£ 

with  \\\' 

lis  fatlifr. 

udc  mi:r':'- 

arrivil  - 

lUtS,)     t'lP 

ved  to  oi;r 
not  ki>"? 

n  to  th'': 
ad  ^'1"'  '" 
IS,  etc..  :i 

■'he  \vho:«: 


of  that  t'onntry,  at  that  time,  hoing  under  tlie  jiirisdirtinn  of  Virginia, 
Dr.  Connolly  had  heen  appointed  hy  Dniiinnri'  ('a[)taln  C'onunaiidant 
of  the  District  \vhi(di  was  oaUed  Wat  gnsta.  TIf,  h'arning  of  ns,  sent  a 
nii'ssa<fo  addressed  to  the  party,  lettinjr  us  know  that  a  war  was  to  be 
appreliended;  and  requesting  that  we  wnuhl  keep  our  position  for  a  few 
davs  ;  us  messages  had  heen  sent  to  tlie  Indians,  and  a  few  (hiys  would 
deterinine  the  doubt.  Tlie  answer  lie  got,  was,  that  we  hail  no  incli- 
nation to  quit  our  quarters  for  some  time.  Tliat  dnrii  g  our  slay  we 
.■<|i()uld  be  careful  that  the  enemy  did  not  harass  the  neighborliood  that 
we  lay  in.  JJut  Iiefore  this  answer  could  reach  Pittsburgh,  he  m m  a 
second  express,  addressed  to  Capt.  Cresap,  as  the  most  indue  tial  man 
amongst  us  ;  informing  him  that  the  messages  had  returned  fioni  the 
Indians,  that  war  was  inevitable,  and  Iiegging  him  to  use  his  indncncc 
with  the  party,  to  get  them  to  cover  the  country  by  scouts  uiild  the 
inhabitants  ctiuld  f(jrtify  themselves.  The  reception  of  this  Iclter  was 
llie  epoch  of  open  hostilities  with  l!ie  Indians.  A  new  post  was 
planted,  a  council  was  called,  and  the  letter  read  by  Cresap,  all  the 
Indian  traders  being  summoned  on  so  important  an  occasion.  Action 
was  had,  and  war  declareil  in  the  most  solemn  manner :  and  the  same 
evening  two  scalps  were  brought  into  the  camp. 

The  next  day  some  canoes  of  Indians  were  discovered  on  the  river, 
keeping  the  advantage  of  an  island  to  cover  themselves  from  f)ur  view. 
Tin  y  were  chased  fifteen  miles  down  the  river,  and  driven  ashore.  A 
'latile  ensued  ;  a  few  were  woundetl  on  both  sides  ;  one  Indian  only 
taken  prisoner.  On  examining  their  canoes,  we  found  a  consideriible 
quantity  of  anmiunition  and  other  warlike  stores.  On  our  return  to 
camp,  a  resolution  was  adopted  to  march  the  next  day,  and  attack 
Ljgan's  camp  on  the  Ohio  about  thirty  miles  above  us.  We  did  march 
about  five  miles,  and  then   hulled   to  t..ke  some  refreshment.     Here  the 


iiu 


t'u 


propriety  of  executing  the  projected  enterprise  was  argued.  The 
iiversation  was  brought  forward  by  Cresap  himself.  It  was  generally 
agreed  that  those  Indians  had  no  hostile  intentions — as  they  were  hunt- 
in<r,  and  their  pai'.y  were  composed  of  men,  women,  and  diildren,  with 
all  their  stufl'  with  them.  This  we  knew  ;  as  I  myself  and  others  pre- 
sent had  been  in  their  caiVip  about  four  weeks  past,  on  our  descending 
the  river  from  Pittsburgh.     In  short,  every  person  seemed  It)  detest  the 


resolution    we    had    set  out  with 


\\' 


0   returned   in  the  evenin<r,  ile 


de 


■limped,  and  took  the  road  to  Redstone. 


It 


was 


two   days  after   this   that   Logan's  family  were  killed.     And 


iiom  the  manner  in  which  i<  was  done,  it  was  viewed  as  a  horrid  inur- 
lier.  From  Logan's  hearing  of  Cre.ap  being  at  the  head  of  this  parly 
oil  the  river,  it  is  no  wonder  that  he  suppo-ed  he  had  a  hand  in  the 
Jtsiruclion  of  his  family.* 

■  Loui^\illc  Lit(."rir.-y  Ncv.;i  Letter,  'piuleil  in  IlesiJcriaiij  Fcbruarv.  1S39.     {>.  :70'J. 


128 


Conduct  of  WhitC'Eycs. 


1774. 


In  relation  to  the  murders  by  Greatliouse,  tlicrc  is  also  a  van- 
anc(;  ill  the  ti'stiinony.  Henry  Jolly,  who  was  near  by,  and  whose 
slatenieiit  is  published  in  an  article  by  D:.  Ilildreth,  in  Silliman's 
Journal  for  January,  1837,  makes  no  mention  of  the  visit  of  Groat- 
house  to  the  Indian  camp,  but  says  that  five  men  and  one  woman 
with  a  child  came  from  the  caiup  across  to  Baker's,  that  three  m 
the  five  were  made  drunk,  and  that  the  whites  finding  the  othir 
two  would  not  drinii,  persuaded  them  to  fire  at  a  m^rk,  and  when 
their  [jfuns  were  empty  shot  them  down  ;  this  done,  they  next  mur- 
dered the  woman,  and  tomahawked  the  three  who  were  intoxj- 
catcd.  The  Indians  who  had  not  crossed  the  Ohio,  ascertaining 
what  had  taken  place,  attempted  to  escape  by  descending  the 
river,  and  having  passed  Wheeling  unobserved,  landed  at  Pipe 
Creek,  and  if  was  llien,  according  to  Jolly,  that  Crcsap's  attack 
took  place ;  he  killed  only  one  Indian.*  But  whatever  may  have 
been  the  precise  facts  in  relation  to  the  murder  of  Logan's  family, 
they  were  at  any  rate  of  such  a  nature  as  to  make  all  concerned 
feel  sure  of  an  Indian  war;  and  while  those  upon  the  frontier 
gathered  hastily  into  the  fortresses,!  an  express  was  sent  to  W'il- 
liamsburgh  to  inform  the  Governd'  of  the  necessity  of  instant  pre- 
paration. The  Earl  of  Dunmore  at  once  took  the  needful  steps  to 
organize  forces ;  and  meanwhile  in  June  sent  Daniel  Boone  and 
Michael  Stoner  to  conduct  into  the  settlements  the  surveyors  and 
others  who  were  lingering  upon  the  banks  of  the  Kentucky  and 
Elkhorn,  a  duty  which  Mas  ably  and  quickly  performed.  The 
unfortunate  traders  among  the  Indians,  however,  could  not  thu? 
be  rescued  from  the  dangers  which  beset  them.  Some  of  thorn 
fell  the  first  victims  to  the  vengeance  of  the  natives.  One,  near 
the  town  of^  White-Eyes,  the  Peace  Chief  of  the  Delawares,  vai 
murdered,  cut  to  pieces,  and  the  fragments  of  his  body  hung  upon 
the  bushes  ;  the  kindly  chief  gathered  them  together  and  buried 
them  ;  the  hatred  of  the  murderers,  however,  led  them  to  disin- 
ter and  disperse  the  remains  of  their  victim  anew,  but  the  kindness 
of  the  Delaware  was  as  persevering  as  the  hatred  of  his  brethren, 
and  again  he  collected  the  scattered  limbs  and  in  fi  secret  place 
hid  thcin.l 

Ii  being,   under  the   circumstances,  deemed  advisable,  by  the 

•  See  Am.  Pioneer,  i.  12  to  24.  Am.  Archives,  4th  Series,  i.  4fi7.  See  also  Hordrr 
Warfare,  112,  note,  wlicre  the  discrepancies  of  evidence  are  stated  ,  also  Jacob's  Lifeol 
Cresap. 

t  Border  Warfare,  114.  ^  He^kewelder's  Narrative,  132. 


17'1. 

Virginians  tr 

an   army  wa 

inidfT  Colon 

Capliiia  Cret 

tn  niarcli  aga 

'.'iiin.      The  I 

liitviiig  been 

sued  l()i-  j)L'ac 

thcni  were  st 

ptscd  purpo!> 

tlic  treaty  wh: 

that  tlie  iiativ 

forecs,  (ji(.  Vi 

and  then   ret, 

prisoners  to  V 

i/itJMiidafing  t 
Tlu-  l),;hnv 
^Mit  to  all  his 
llif  Shawanes^ 
to  do  all  they 
went  so  far  a 
i^eance  of  the 
Creek   and   C 
PiUsburgh.ll 
on  the  Ohio 
suddenly  uj)on 
Indians  were  1 
in  repayment 
nnd   returning 
listen  to  the  L 
>f  Dunmore  or 
ind  when,  al)r 
iluctod   the  trr 
'mrgh,  Connol 
in,   and  wlu 
who  had  been 
'Waylay  and  kil 
was  slain. ^     Ii 

'  Border  Warfare 
'  Am.  Arcliivcs,  ■ 
;  Do.  do.  [ 

9 


1774. 


177-4. 


Cnnnnlhj  (dfac/iS  friendly  In(l!(iHS. 


129 


Vir'Mniiiiis  to  assiiiiu'  llic  ofH  iisivr,  as  soon  as    it  could  1)c  donr, 

an   ariii\  was   f^^atlicrt'il  at   A\'lH'tliiig,  wliicli    some    liiin'   in   .Inly, 

lliidci'   Colonel    McDonald,    descended    the    Ohio   to    the   nioinli    of 

Caplina  (,'reek,  or  as  some  say  I'ish  Creek,  whence  it  was  proposed 

to  march  against  the  Indian  town  of  Wappatoniica  on  the  Mnskin- 

'.'Uiii.     The  march  was  successfidly  p.ccomplished,  and  the  Indians 

hiivin^  heen   fiustrated    in    an  expected   surprise  of  the    invaders, 

sued  lor  ])eace,  and  gave  five  of  their  chiefs  as  lioslages.     Tx.'o  of 

them  were  set  free,  however,  l)y  Colonel  McDonald,  for  the  jn'o- 

[Mised   pur[)ose  of  calling  the  heads  of  the  tribes  together  to  ratify 

the  ti'caty  which  was  to  })ut  an  end  to  warfare;  but  it  being  found 

that  the  natives  were  merely  attempting  to  gain  time  and    gather 

forces,  the  Virginians  proceedt'd  to  destroy  their  towns  and  crops, 

and  then   reti'cated,    carrying   three   of  the    chiefs  with   them    as 

prisoners  to  Williamsburg.*     13ut  this  invasion  did  nothing  toward 

intimidating  tlu;  red  men. 
'i"hc  Delawares  were  anxious  for  peace  ;  Sir  Williaui  Johnson  sent 

"lit  to  all  his  coj)per  colored  ilork   orders  to  keep  still  :f  and  even 

the  Shawanese  were  prt'vailed  on  by  their  wise  leader.  Cornstalk, 

to  do  all  they  could  to  preserve  friendly   relations  4  indeed  tiiey 

went  so  far  as   to   secure  some  wandering  traders  from   the  ven- 

(ijeance  of  the  Mingoes,  whose  relatives  had  been  slain  at  Yellow 

Creek   and   Captina,    and   sent  them   with  their  property  safe   to 

Pillsburgh.jj     13ut  Logan,  who   had    been  turneil   by  the  murders 

on  the  Ohio  from  a  friend   to   a  deadly  foe   of  the  whites,  came 

suddenly  upon  the  Monongahela  settlements,   and  while  the  other 

Indians  were  hesitating  as  to  their  course,  took  his  thirteen  scalps 

in  repayment  for  the  heads  laid  low  by  Cresap  and  Greathouse, 

and   retiirning  home,   expressed   himself  satisfied,   and    ready  to 

listen  to  the  Long-Knives.§     But  it  was  not,  apparently,  the  wish 

>f  Dtmmore  or  Connolly  to  meet  the  friendly  spirit  of  the  natives, 

!;ul  when,  about  the   10th  of  June,  three  of  the  Shawanese  con- 

luoted   the  traders  who   had  been   among   them,  safidy  to  Pitts- 

')urgli,  Connolly  had  even   the  menniu-ss  to  aftt'inj)t   first  to  seize 

lit-ni,  and  when   foiled    in   this   bv   Colonel    Croghan,  his  un(dc, 

who  had  been   alienated  by  liis  tyranny,  he  sent  men   to  watch, 

]iy  the   ■    waylay  and  kill  them  ;  and  out'  account  says  that  one  of  the  three 


was 


slain. 'i      Indeed,  the  character  devtdoped    by  this  i 


nan,  w 


rhih 


'  Ronier  Wiirlare,  1  l.J.     Doildridsrc,  2U.     Am.  Arcliivos,  •Itii  Series,  i.  122. 

'  Am.  Arcliivcs,  -Itli  Serifs,  i.  2^)1  to  28S. 

:  Do.  do.  [  Do.  do.  §  D.i.  42S.  %  Do.  449. 


1 


1:30 


(iim'nd  Lnvis  inarches  down  h'cnhawa. 


1771, 


foiiiiniuidanl  of  Fdil  DuiiiiKur,  was  siidi  as  tf)  excite  uiiiviis;;' 
dt'testiUioM,  and  at  last  to  draw  down  iijxni  his  patron  tlie  rcpniDt 
of  liord  Dartinoulh/  He  seized  in'operty,  and  iiit[)risoni'd  whit. 
men  wilhout  warrant  or  propriety  ;  and  W(;  may  he  assure(|,  in 
many  cases  heside  (hat  just  mentioned,  treated  tlie  nati\('S  with  ;i;i 
utter  disregard  oi"  jusiice.  It  is  not  then  suri)risin<2;  tliat  Indiai, 
attacks  occurred  ah)n<r  the  frontiers  from  June  to  Se[)teml)er;  nm, 
on  tlie  other  hand,  need  we  wonder  that  the  Virf;inians  (au;iuii>>i 
Aviiom,  in  distinction  from  the  people  of  Pennsylvania,  the  wii; 
was  carried  on,)  hecame  more  and  more  excited,  and  ea<^er  t" 
rei>ay  the  injuries  received. 

To  put  a  slo])  to  these  devastations,  two  large  1)odies  of  tronii. 
were  tratherin^i  in  Virginia;  tlie  one  from  the  southern  and  westcni 
jiart  of  the  Slate,  ui'.der  C-eiieral  Andrew  Lewis,  met  at  Ciiinp 
I'nion,  now  Lewisburg,  Grcenbriar  county,  near  the  far-faiiicd 
While  Sulphur  Springs;  —  -  tlu'  other  from  the  northern  and  easliii. 
counties  was  to  be  under  the  command  of  Duninort.'  himself,  aii'! 
descending  the  Ohio  from  Fort  Pitt,  was  to  meet  Lewis'  army  ;r 
the  mouth  of  the  (iieat  Kenhawa.  The  force  under  Lewis,  amount- 
ing to  eleven  hundred  men,  commenced  its  march  upon  the  (it!i 
and  r2th  of  September,  and  upon  the  Gtli  of  October  reached  tin 
spot  agreed  upon.  As  Lord  Dunmore  was  not  there,  and  as  otlm 
troops  were  to  follow  down  the  Kenhawa  under  Colonel  Christirui. 
General  I^ewis  despatched  runners  toward  Pittsburgh  to  inform  ilif 
Commander-in-ctdef  of  his  arrival,  and  proceeded  to  encamp  a" 
the  }H)int  where  the  two  rivers  meet.  Here  he  remained  until  the 
Dill  of  October,  when  despatches  from  the  Governor  reached  liin' 
informing  him  that  the  plan  of  the  campaign  v.-..,  altered,  that  \v 
(Dunmore)  meant  to  proceed  directly  against  the  Shawanese  town'' 
of  the  Scioto,  and  T^c^wis  was  ordered  at  once  to  cross  the  Oli'/^ 
and  meet  the  oilier  army  b.efore  those  towns.  But  on  the  vcn 
day  wh  n  this  movement  should  have  been  executed,  (Octobir 
lOlh,)  the  Lulians  in  force,  headed  by  the  able  and  brave  Chii! 
of  the  Shawanese,  Cornstalk,  appeared  before  the  army  of  Virgin- 
ians, determined  then  and  there  to  avenge  past  wrongs  and  crippl' 
vitally  the  power  of  the  invaders.  Delawares,  L"oquois,  Wyan- 
dots,  and  Shawanese,  under  their  most  noted  Chiefs,  aiiioni.' 
whom  was  I^ogan,  formed  the  army  opjiosed  to  that  of  Lewis,  anil 
with  both  the  struggle  of  that  day  was  one  of  life  or  death.  Sooi. 
after  sunrise  the  presence  of  the  savages  was  discovered ;  General 

*  Am.  Ardiivcs,  4th  Series,  i,  771. 


i  I  I  \. 

ricuiing  to 

this  i)!  once 

L(  wis  was 

left   without 

regiment   c( 

iKKiii  Colon 

(it  Isaac  S!i 

then    Tiieutc 

iiiid  the  bat 

uig  and  yet 

party,  when 

Hank  of  the 

which  runs 

mouth.     Til 

<»('  the    Lidi; 

ilescended  t 

word  to  Le\ 

iiig,  where 

iiiained  unti 

on  towards  t 

under  his   c 

(^hristian,   p 

hope  of  anni 

tants  for  all 

country    Dur 

li'<f(Miefl  to  I 

should    be   h 

the  Shawanc 

not  obey,  noi 

rreck  near  A 

upon  the  vill 

viow  is.|]     Ai 

i'ound,  tliouu 

The  Com  11 

■•  liDrilor  Warl 
\im:-iiMii  Ar(,-liiv( 

■'■  r.onlcr  Warfi. 

'  Witli  flinii  \v; 
.'viiicriciin  i'loinici 

I!  Whittlesey's 


1771, 

I  wlii!. 
ircil,  ii. 
wilh  an 
Ilnli'ai. 
kt;  imr, 
(au;aiiiv5 
tlic  wa; 

if  trnnpv 

t    Cwiii]' 

ir-fiuiid! 

1  cvisIit:. 

■^flf,  ani! 
iinny  ;i' 

ainouiit- 
tlu'  Gih 

c'hed  tht 
as  other 

'lirisliaii. 
bnn  \\v' 
on  nip  a' 

\inli1  tin 
icd  Iiini 
that  Ik- 
0  town*' 

hv  wr- 
Octobtr 
V  Cliiil 
Vii'gin- 
fi'ippl'' 
Wyan- 
aiiioiii. 


WIS,  aiii; 


\ 


1 


,    Soon 
General 


^71. 


Sot  tic  of  Point   Plva^anf. 


y.n 


T,c\vi<  ordcicd  (lilt  Ills  l)r()llit'i'  rolnncl  Cliarli'S  TiCwis  rmd  Colniicl 
Flcmin|j;  to  reconnoitre  the  <^roiind  where  tliey  had  been  seen; 
this  at  once  l)rought  on  the  en|^agenient.  In  a  sliorl  lime  Colonel 
Lewis  was  killed,  and  Colonel  Fleming  disabled;  the  tioojis,  thus 
left  without  Commanders,  waveicd,  hut  Colonel  I'ield  with  his 
regiment  eoming  to  the  rescue,  the}  a^jain  stood  lirm;  —  aliout 
iKKin  Colomd  Field  was  killed,  and  (.'aptain  Fvan  Shelby,  (I'aiher 
ot  Isaac  Shelby  Governor  of  Kentucky  in  after  time  and  who  was 
tjien  fjeutenant  in  his  father's  company,)  took  tlie  connnand  ;  — 
and  the  battU-  still  continued.  It  was  now  drawina;  toward  even- 
ini^  and  yet  the  contest  rau:;ed  without  d'-cided  success  for  either 
party,  when  General  Lewis  ordered  a  body  of  men  to  gain  the 
Hank  of  the  enemy  by  means  of  Crooked  Creek,  a  small  stream 
which  runs  intf)  the  Kenhawa  about  ff)iir  hundred  yards  above  its 
Diouth.  This  was  successfully  done,  and  the  result  was  the  retreat 
<)(■  the  Indians  across  the  Ohio.*  Lord  Dunmore  meanwhile,  had 
descended  the  river  from  Fort  Pitt,  ami  was,  at  (he  time  he  sent 
word  to  Lewii;  of  his  change  of  [)lans,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hock- 
ing, where  he  built  a  block-house,  called  Fort  Gower,  and  le- 
niained  until  afler  the  battle  at  the  Point. f  Thence  he  marched 
on  towards  the  Scioto,  while  Lewis  and  the  remains  of  the  army 
under  Ins  ccnninand  strengthened  by  the  trooj)s  under  Colonel 
Christian,  pressed  forward  in  the  same  direction,  elated  by  the 
liope  of  annihilating  the  Indian  towns,  and  punishing  the  inhabi- 
tants for  all  tin  y  had  done.  But  before  reaching  the  enemy's 
country  Dunmore  was  visited  ])y  Chiefs  asking  for  peace ;  |  he 
listened  to  their  request,  and  appointing  a  place  where  a  frcnty 
should  be  held,  sent  or(l(n"s  to  Lewis  to  stop  his  march  against 
the  Shawanese  towns;  which  orders,  however,  that  ofUcer  did 
lint  obey,  nor  was  it  till  the  Governor  visited  his  camp  on  Congo 
Creek  n(>ar  Westfall,  th.at  he  would  agree  to  give  ii})  an  attemj)! 
iipnn  (lie  village  of  Old  Chillicothe,  which  stood  where  Wi'stfall 
now  is. II  After  (his  visit  by  Dunmore  General  Lewis  Cv\\  himself 
I'oimd,  though  unwillingly,  to  prepaic  for  a  bloodless  retreat. 
The  Commander-in-chief,  however,  remained  for  a  time  at  Fort 


"  liordcr  Wariaro,   l-.j.      Dodiliiilijc,   230.  —  Aiiioric;in    l^iuiiccr,  i.   3S1.     Lcttnrs   m 
\iii(  riiMii  Arcliivos,  fourth  series,  i.  SOS,  IS,  ice.  kc.  Thatcher's  lives  ol"  Indians,  ii.   ',G'-. 

•I-  Korder  Warllue,  1G3. 

'  With  thriu  was  tme   Elliott,  probably  Matthew  Kliiott.  so  noted  in  (TOO  to  1795 

.'iinerican  I'ioirecr,  i.  IS. 


C  Whittlesey's  Discourse,  1S40— p.  21. 


1 


132 


^Iffhbivil  vf  Joint   Cihuon,  Esqvirt'. 


177;',. 


(.'Iiaili)tlc,  upon  Sij)j)(i  Cri.'ck,  ahoul  I'inlii  miles  iVotn  the  lr»\v[i  u\ 
Wc'sHall  on  the  Siioto.*  'I'licic  Ik  iiu't  Cornstalk  who,  Ixinir 
.Natisfifd  of  the  I'lililil)  ol'  aii}  riirllicr  slniggli-,  was  (leU'riiiimd  Im 
liialvi'  peace,  and  ariantrcd  willi  the  Governor  Ihc  preliminaries  di 
a  trcaly;  and  Irom  this  point  Crawford  was  .>.enl  ayainst  a  town  ni 
the  iMin^^oes,  who  slill  continued  hos'ilc,  and  look  several  prison- 
ers who  wt're  carried  to  \'ir«4inia,  and  were  sldl  in  conlinenu'nt  in 
February,  1775. f  It  was  at  this  time  though  not  at  Camp  Char- 
lolle,  for  he  would  not  go  there,  that  Logan  deli\'ered  liis  celt  - 
hrated  speech.  In  lelation  to  this  sjieech  or  message,  tlie  gc  iiii- 
iaenoss  of  which  has  been  cpn'stioned,|  it  may  hi;  woilli  while  Id 
record  here  the  evidence  of  .John  Tiihson,!!  to  whom  it  Avas  given 
hy  Logan,  and  wlmse  statement  being  luidispuled  seems  1o  placi- 
the  matter  beyond  cavil. 

,lUcn;h(m}i  cniinfi/,  SS.  > 
Stale  of  Pennsylvania.  5 

Hel'orvj  nic,  tlic  suljjseriber,  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  and  for  said 
county,  personally  appeared  John  (iibson,  l']:?quirc,  an  Associate  Judge 
of  llic  sani.i  comity,  who  being  duly  sworu,  deposeth  and  sailli,  that  in 
the  year  177'1,  he  acconipa""od  T<ord  Duumore  on  the  expeditioii 
against  the  8hawanese  an(i  other  IniHaus  on  the  Sci  ita  ;  that  on  their 
;urival  wiUiin  fifteen  miL;s  of  tlie  towns,  they  were  met  by  a  flag,  and 
a  white  man  by  the  name  of  El'iotl,  who  informed  Lord  Dunnioie  that 
the  Chiefs  of  the  Shawanese  had  sent  to  request  his  Lordship  to  halt 
his  army  and  send  in  some  person,  who  understood  their  language : 
tliat  this  deponent,  at  the  request  of  Lord  Dunmore  and  the  whole  ot 
tjje  officers  will)  him,  went  in  ;  that  on  his  arrival  at  the  towns,  Logan, 
the  Indian,  ctiUie  to  where  diis  deponent  was  sitting  with  die  Cornstalk, 
t.nd  the  other  Cliiefs  of  the  JShawanesc,  and  asked  him  to  walk  out  with 
him;  tliat  they  went  into  a  copse  of  wood,  where  they  sal  down,  when 
Logan,  after  shedding  abundance  of  tears,  delivered  to  him  the  speech, 
nearly  us  related  by  IMr.  Jefferson  in  his  Notes  on  the  Slate  of  Virginia; 
that  he  ihe  deponent  told  liim  then  tluil  it  was  not  Colonel  Crcsap  who 
had  muulered  his  rehaions,  and  tlnit  although  his  son  Captain  Michael 
Cresap  wa:<  v.'ilh  the   party  who  killed  a    Sliawano?e   Chief  and  otiici 

"  Amoric;>n  I'ionror,  i.  3.U. 

t  Aincrirnii  Avliivcs,  fourth  prrios,  i,  1212.      Border  Warlhro.   137. — Ainprirnii  A'- 
caives,  I'oiirth  .series,  ii.  11S9. 

♦  Sec,  very  latt'lv,  lirown's  History  of  tiiiiiois,  p.  25;  also,  American  Pioneer,  i.  vol 


Indt 


|.  This  gcntlciiiaii  was  (nomiii;il)  Secretary  of"  Indiana  Territory  under   (lencral  liar' 
son.     Sen  account  l»y  John  -Tohiison,  in  Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  ii.  305. 


1   /   /  .',. 

Indiinis,  ye 
■();ik(r's  ncn 
nrnt  on  lii>< 
that  the  mm 
cause  of  the 

Sworn 
h(fore  me, 

Thus  in  . 
I.ngan's,  or 
to  hiinl  sou 
niiieh  to  llh 
(lid,  as  no  < 
the  (iovern 
cxcejit  by  si 
contest  of  h 
naluridly  ret 
wish  to  noti 
pii/./cles  by  i 
<;al  Society 

In  1S.31,  a 
Mr.  Curtis,  o 
hocking,  and 
remains  of  a 
river,  as  it  is 
cieariiig  of  sc 
had  been  fouii 
red  bullets  ha 
twenty-five  n 
ground  had  I 

*  American  Pii 

+  American  Ai 

I  When  Lord 
Konhawa,  a  few 
These  wen;  disrr 
iiavc  returned  to 
Init  the  Uevohit 
peace  of  Fort  Ch 
them,  tliought,  as 
was  not  the  iinivt 
fourth  series,  ii.  1 

I;  E.xpedition  of 

5  An  eminent  ( 


/  /.). 


177'). 


Closi'  iif  (ho  irar  ii'i,'/i  Ihc  liKliun  tilhrs. 


1  'X] 


,ogan, 


Tiuli;iiis,  vol  lie  wns  not  present  when  lii.s  rrlalions  wvrc  Uilli'l  :U 
lliKcr's  iicMi-  tlio  iiKiiitli  tif  Yellow  Creek  on  tlir  Oliio  ;  tli.i  this  depo- 
iiPiit  on  liis  return  to  eanip  delivered  the  speech  to  fiord  Dimmore  ;  and 
lliat  the  mnrd(Ts  perjietrated  as  aliove,  were  eonsidered  as  ullitiiaiely  the 
cause  of  the  war  of  1771,  roninionly  called  Cresaj)'s  war. 

JOHN  (MHSON. 
Sirorn    ami   st/hscribrd   the    Xth    of  /ipril,   1800,  of  Pift.shftrqh, 
In/ore  7ne,  Ji:r.  Hakkr.* 

Tliiis  in  NovcinluT  Avas  iho  war  of  HT  1,  known  as  Dunniorc's, 
Ln'4;in's,  (»r  Crcsap's  war,  tcrniinali'd  ;  llic  Sliawancsc  aL,'r<M'in<^  not 
fo  limit  south  of  the  Ohio,  nor  molest  travellers,  f  It  was  very 
miifli  to  the  -lissalisfaction  of  the  Virginians  tliat  it  ended  as  it 
did,  as  no  efheient  blow  had  heen  struck,  and  as  the  coiidnct  of 
the  (lovernor  could  not  well  he  explained  hy  the  frontier  nicii 
except  by  supposino;  liini  to  act  with  reference  to  the  expected 
cont(!st  of  Knii,Iand  and  her  colonies,  a  motive  which  the  colonists 
naturally  regarded  as  little  less  than  treasonable!  And  here  we 
wish  to  notice  a  statement  "iven  as  a  curious  instance  oflu.Morical 
pu/zles  by  Mr.  Whittlesey,  in  his  address  before  the  Ohio  Ilistori- 
eal  Society,  delivered  ii\  1841,  at  page  28.  || 

In  1S31,  a  steam  boat  v,as  detained  a  few  iiours  near  the  house  of 
Mr.  Curtis,  on  the  Ohio,  a  short  distance  above  the  mouth  of  the  Ilock- 
hocking,  and  (ieneral  Clark§  came  ashore.  lie  inquired  respecting  the 
remains  of  a  Fort  or  encampment  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hockhocking 
river,  as  it  is  now  called.  He  was  told  that  there  v/as  evidence  of  a 
Clearing  of  several  acres  in  extent,  rnd  that  pieces  of  guns  and  muskets 
had  been  found  on  the  spot ;  and  also,  that  a  collection  of  several  hund- 
red bullets  had  been  discovered  on  the  bank  of  the  Hockhocking,  about 
twenty-live  miles  up  the  river.  General  Clark  then  stated,  that  the 
ground  had  been  occupied  as  a  camp  by    Lord    Dunmore,  who  came 

•  Amorican  Pioneer,  p.  IS. 

+  Amorican  Archives,  fourth  series,  i.  1170. 

f  When  Lord  Dunmore  retired  tie  Infl  an  hundred  men  at  the  month  of  the  Oreat 
Kcnliuwa,  a  few  at  Fort  Dunnioro  (Piltslmrgli,)  and  some  at  Fort  Fincastle  ( Wliceiiiif^.) 
Tliosc  were  dusinisst'd  as  tlie  jirob-jject  of  renewed  war  ceased.  Lord  Dunmore  was  to 
Have  returned  to  rittsl)urgli  in  tlie  spring,  to  meet  tlic  Indians  and  form  a  definite  [leace, 
Init  the  Revolutionary  movements  prevented.  Tlie  Mingoes  were  not  [)arties  to  the 
peace  of  Fort  ('harlotte. — (American  Arciiives,  ii.  11S9.)  The  frontier  men,  or  many  ol" 
tiuMn,  tliought,  as  ve  liave  said,  that  Dunmore's  conduct  was  outrageous,  hut  that  such 
was  not  the  universal  feeling  in  Virginia  may  be  seen  hy  reference  to  American  Archives", 
fourth  series,  ii.  170,  3U1.  iic. 

Ii  Expedition  of  Lord  Dunmore,  from  p.  28,  to  '29. 

f  An  eminent  citizen  of  ^lissouri,  a  brother  of  General  George  Rogers  Clark,  of  Ky. 


i;{i 


lliilHi'  of  Lvjiii^ton  on  (Jiv   WUk  of  ,  Ijtrii. 


it  r,>. 


Jm.'). 


down  ilic  Kciiliawa  wiili  IIOO  iiicii  in  iIk;  spring  of  177r»,  wiili  ih. 
t'xpc('l;i(ion  of  In  alii);,'  willi  ilic  Inilians  here.  Tlic  (^liii'fs  not  iiialuii^ 
tlifir  a|)i)i'araMec,  lln!  inarcli  wast  foiitinucd  up  tin;  iiv(  r  iwcnly-fiM' or 
lliiriy  inilcH,  whcrt'  an  express  from  V'ir;,'inia  overlook  tliP  party.  'I'll,' 
cveniiiii;  a  council  was  held  and  lasicd  V(!ry  laic  ul  iiiglil.  In  tlic  niorii" 
ini;  llie  lrooj)s  wore  disliandcd,  and  iinniediiUdy  rc(jUcst(Ml  lo  cidisi  in 
llic  llritisli  ••••crvicc  for  a  staled  period.  The  eonlenU  of  ihe  de.spa'ilnM 
had  not  transpired  wlicn  this  proposition  was  made.  A  major  of  miliiia 
by  the  name  of  McCarly,  made  an  harrangue  lo  the  men  ajrainst  enlist- 
ing, which  Hccms  to  huvc  been  done  in  un  ehxiuent  and  elleclual  niui- 
ner.  lie  referrinl  lo  ihu  condition  of  the  public  mind  in  the  colonic, 
and  th(!  j)robal)ilily  of  a  revolution,  which  musl  soon  arrive.  lie  repre- 
sented the  suspicious  circumslances  of  ihe  express,  which  was  siill  ;i 
secret  lo  the  troops,  and  that  ap|)eara!jces  juslilied  the  conclusion,  lliii'. 
they  wen;  rccjuired  lo  enlist  in  a  service  ugainsl  their  own  counlryuicn, 
their  own  kindred,  iheir  own  homes.  The  consequence  was,  that  hn; 
few  of  the  men  rc-cnlistcd,  and  the  majority,  choosing  the  otalor  as;. 
leader,  made  the  best  of  their  way  to  Whci.ig.  The  news  brouijlii 
oul  by  llie  courier  proved  lo  be  an  account  of  tl:o  openinij  combat  of  ilic 
Revolution  at  Lexington,  Massachusetts,  April  20,  ITTT).  Genera. 
Clark  slated  that  himself  (or  his  I)rolher,)  was  in  the  expedition. 

Lord  Dunmore  is  said  to  have  returned  to  Virginia  by  way  of  iht 
Kenhawa  river. 

Tliere  are  very  few  historical  details  sustained  by  better  authority 
than  the  above  relation.  Desirous  of  reconciling  this  statement  will; 
history,  1  addressed  a  letter  to  General  Clark,  requesting  an  explanation, 
but  his  death,  which  happened  soon  after,  prevented  a  reply.* 

This  we  know  cannot  be  true  in  the  form  in  which  it  is  stnted. 
The  battle  of  Lexington  was  on  April  IDtli;  on  April  21st  liOnl 
Dunmore  removed  ti\e  powder  I'roni  the  public  storehouse  at 
Williamsl)urg  on  board  a  King's  vessel,  and  was  thenceforward 
at  Williamsburg.  June  .5th  he  informs  the  Assembly  that  lit: 
had  meant  to  go  West  and  look  after  Indian  matters,  but  had  been 
too  busy.f  It  is  one  of  many  instances  showing  how  sceptical  wt 
should  be  wliere  a  single  person  tesiif,es,  and  especially  from 
memory. 

Among  those  Avho  had  been  eno;aii;(d  in  Dunmore's  wur,  ii> 
scouts  or  sokliers,  were  J)aniel  Hooiie,  James  Ilarrod,  and  other> 
of  the  early  explorers  of  Kentucky ;  after  the  peace  these  natural!} 
turned  their   attention   atrain  to  the   rich  \ 


-T 


-y 


*  Lord  Dunmore 
+  Auicrican 


s  K.\|)oilitiun,  ])p.  28,  29. 
lives,  tourlh  scries,  ii.  D.bS),  Sec. 


iSlinlii'     ilp|)l 
\\\\i<\\    lir  (I 

Noiili   ('am 
|ii'i>Mii    in 
w  1 1 M  M I  hull' 
ambition, 
work  of  prn 
ari'oiMlt    of 
hood's, I    it    i 
Iii«;  slalemci 

"  His  f.ithi 
nicnl  of  Null 

This  son  \ 
read  or  write 
mclic  also,  b 

lie  then  ol 
tnol  (I  lo  the 
plead  as  a  la^ 
superior,  or 

l']ven  iheri 
as  in  Weslmi 
his   superior 
ap|)lause. 

lie  was,  at 
pliant  ;  nor  d 
single  enemy 

lu  short,  u 
to  the  bench, 
North  Caroli 

Kven  in  lli 
to  increase. 

ISui  having 
train  of  expe 
his  extensive 
than  any  one 

IJni'er  pret 
lo  the  Cherol 
tiiv:,t   (only 

*  This  was  on( 
Sketches,  i.  219. 

f  For  an  aceoi 

t  This  seems  t 


I7;,v 


]**■'. 
I  /.). 


Transylvanid  hint!   Coiiipfiny  Jointrtl. 


i.r> 


Th 


UliiHlC    il|>|»flU'S     lo     llil\(      hl'l'tl     aillnlin     ll|,.     |i|>,t     |(i     rt'-CllIlT     till  in, 

wliirli  \\r  dill  in  iIm-  .service  ot  a  new  Land  Conijiany  r<)iinci|  in 
N<»iili  Carolina,  called  the  Trans) hania  Conipan}. '  'I'lic  cliici' 
pciMin  in  lliis  association  was  Colonel  Uichard  Henderson,  of 
wliiiiii  little  is  known  except  tlial  lie  was  a  man  ol  capacitv  and 
anilniion.  Dr.  Snivtli,  an  llnylislmian  who  in  I'/Sl  pnhlished  a 
work  ot  professed  travels  in  the  Cnited  Stales,  j^ives  the  following; 
account  ol"  hin),  l)nf  as  Smyth's  work  is  full  of  palpalde  false- 
hoods,! it  is  not  in  onr  power  to  say  how  much  truth  there  is  in 
his  sialenieiits  rospectini^  the  founder  of  Transylvania. 

"  Mis  failier  still  alive,  a  poor  man,  whose  rosidonre  is  in  the  h(  I  le- 
niciil  of  N'lilhush,  where  he  waa  at  this  time  on  a  visit. 

This  son  was  grown  up  to  niaturiiy  hcforc  he  had  hccn  taujjlil  lo 
road  or  write,  and  he  acquired  tho.se  rudiments  of  education,  and  arith- 
mctic  also,  l)y  hln  own  iuilefalif,'ahh'  indu.slry. 

ilc  tiicn  ohtained  tht;  interior  oliici!  of  c(uislal)l(! ;  from  that  was  pro- 
moid  to  the  ollice  of  under-sln.'rill";  after  this  he  procur'^d  a  license  to 
plcail  as  a  lawyer,  in  the  infi  rior  or  county  courts,  and  soon  after  in  the 
superior,  or  highest  courts  of  judicature, 

I'lvcu  tlierc,  where  oratory  and  clocjuence  is  as  brilliant  and  powerful 
as  in  Westminster  Hall,  he  soon  became  distinguished  and  eminent,  and 
liis  superior  genius  shone  forth  with  great  splendor,  and  universal 
applause. 

He  was,  at  the  same  time,  a  man  of  pleasure,  gay,  facetious,  and 
pliant ;  nor  did  his  amazing  talents,  and  general  praise,  create  Iiim  a 
single  enemy. 

In  short,  while  yet  a  very  young  man,  he  was  promoted  from  the  bar 
to  the  bench,  and  appointed  Associate  Chief  Judge  of  the  province  of 
North  Carolina,  with  a  salary  adequate  to  the  dignity. 

Even  in  this  elevated  station,  hi^;  reputation  and  renown  continued 
to  increase. 

lUit  having  made  several  large  purchases,  and  having  fallen  into  a 
train  of  expense  that  his  circumstances  :ind  finances  could  not  sup()ort, 
Ills  extensive  genius  struck  out  on  a  bolder  track  to  fortune  and  fame 
than  any  one  Iiad  ever  attempted  before  him. 

IJiu'er  pretence  of  viewing  some  back  lands,  he  privately  went  out 
lo  the  Cherokee  nation  of  Indians,  and,  for  an  insignificant  considera- 
tio!:,t   (only    ten  wagons    loaded  with    cheap    goods,   such    as  coarse 

*  This  was  one  of  several  such  coinpanics;  see  Patrick  Henry's  deposition  in  Hall's 
Siictchcs,  i.  2-19. 

I  Tor  an  account  of  Snijth"s  work  see  the  I'rcfacc  to  this  Voluinc. 

i  'I'liis  seems  to  be  filsc  ;  see  Butler's  Kentucky,  "^nd  edition  ;  introduction,  Ixvi.  note. 


]3G     Land  bargain  hy  Colonel  JV.  Hart,  with  the  Chcrokccs.    177'. 

woolens,  trinkets,  fire-arms,  and  spiriluoiis  liquors. j  made  a  purt-liast 
Iroiii  the  cliii'fs  of  'he  nation,  of  a  vast  tract  of  territory,  equal  in  extern 
to  a  kingdom;  anil  in  the  excellence  of  climate  and  soil,  extent  of  \\i 
rivers,  and  beautiful  elegance  of  situations,  inferior  to  none  in  the  uiii. 
verse.  A  domain  of  no  less  tliun  one  hundred  miles  square,  situated  on 
the  back  or  interior  pait  of  Virginia,  and  of  North  and  South  CaroHiia; 
compreliendinij  llie  river  Kentucky,  Cherokee,  and  Ohio,  besides  a 
variety  of  inferior  rivulets,  delightful  and  charming  as  imagination  can 
conceive. 

This  transaction  he  kept  a  profound  secret,  until  such  lime  as  he 
obtained  the  final  ratification  of  the  wlude  nation  in  ''orm.  Then  he 
immediately  invited  settlers  from  all  the  provinces,  oflering  tlteni  laiul 
on  the  most  advantageous  terms,  und  proposing  to  them  likewise,  to 
form  a  legislature  and  government  of  their  own  ;  such  as  might  be  most 
convenient  to  their  particular  circumstances  of  settlement.  And  lie 
instantly  vacated  his  scat  on  the  bench.'* 


Colonel  tloiulerson  in  company  with  Colonel  Nathaniel  Hart,  o, 
as  Morohead  says,  Colonel  Hart  alone, f  haviiifij  heard  of  the  vahi- 
ahle  lands  upon  the  Kentucky  river,  (probably  from  Boone  who 
had  been  acquainted  with  the  Hart  family  before  his  visit  to  ilu 
West ;  t )  in  the  course  of  1774  paid  a  visit  to  the  Cherokees  to 
ascertain  if  they  would  be  willing  to  sell  their  title  to  tiie  reij;ion 
which  was  desired.  Finding  that  a  bargain  might  be  made,  a 
meeting  was  arranged  with  the  Chiefs  of  the  nation,  to  be  iield  at 
the  Sycamore  Shoal  on  the  Wataga  branch  of  the  Holston  river, 
in  March  1775. 

At  this  meeting  Daniel  Boone  was,  by  the  desire  of  the  Tran- 
sylvania proprietors,  present,  to  aid  in  the  negotiation  and  deter- 


•  Morchcad's  Address,  p.  1/57. 

t  Diitlor,  spcond  odit'.oii,  Introduction,  Ixvi. — Morrhoad,  150. 

\  Tliis  appears  in  the  tbllo-ving  extract  of  a  letter  from  Colonel  Thomas  Tlart,  late  of 
Lexington,  Kentucky,  to  Captain  Nathiiuiel  ji'art,  dated  Grayru-lds,  August  3,  17S0. 

"  I  (iliserve  what  you  say  respecting  our  losseu  by  Haniel  Uoone.  [Hoone  had  lipni 
robhed  iy\'  funds  in  part  l)elongiug  to  T.  and  .N.  Han,]  I  had  heard  of  the  niisfortuiic 
soon  alYcr  it  hapjiencd,  l)Ut  not  of  my  iicing  a  partaker  before  now.  I  feel  for  the  pcMf 
people  who  perhaps  are  to  lose  even  tlieir  pre-eni]itions  :  but  I  must  sav,  I  feel  more  tV' 
Uoone,  whose  (-harac^ter,  1  am  told,  suH'ers  by  it.  Much  degenerated  must  the  p<  <iplc- 
of  this  age  be,  when  amongst  them  arc  to  be  found  men  to  ccnsurt;  and  blast  the  rcpntn- 
tion  of  a  |)erson  so  just  and  upright,  and  in  whose  l)reast  is  a  seat  of  virtue  too  piir>  'o 
admit  of  a  thought  so  basi^  and  dishonoralile.  I  have  known  Ro(nie  in  times  of  old,  >vlicii 
poverty  and  cbstrcss  had  him  fast  by  the  hand  :  and  in  these  wretched  circumstani  ;s,  I 
have  ever  found  him  n(  \  noble  and  generous  soul,  despising  everything  mean;  and 
therefore,  I  will  fr(  "ly  gr.uit  him  a  discharge  for  wliatever  sums  of  mine  he  might  hoc 
been  possessed  of  at  the  lime,"' — Morehead,  lO.")  note. 


I 


I  ID. 

milling  flic 
ftiilli  willi  a 
iVdiu  the  SL't 
\\vi\-  about  t 
but  as  he  \va 
]\Iarc]i,  aiul 
must  liave  It 
tonlv   phirc ; 
Boniio  (lid    II 
action   the    s( 
thousand  poii 
vinrcs  dofinc( 

The  first  m 
month  of  the 
Louisa  river; 
norlfiwardly  fo 
south-east  coiir 
wcslwardly  alo 
which  a  uorth\ 
soiilhwardly  b 
including  all  i 
meanders,  to  th 

The  other  de 
where  the  court 
said  river,  as  it 
thence  westwar 
lish  miles  easti 
direct  course  tc 
the  top  ridge  of 
ridge  to  the  plai 

This  transfe 
constant  polic> 
would  recogni 
and,  as  much 
Company  was 
Dominion,  Go^ 
plftcd,  proi)are 
Rii'hard  Hend( 
tence  of  a  pun 

'  Il;ill,  i.  2")!.    s 
•Kentucky  Chenoca 


'■.,  / 


J 


N' 


^'- 


^      / 


N 


n.  'hr' 


7 


\J 


1775. 


(h-(mt  hy  Chernkecfi. 


137 


ininiiig  the  bounds  of  llu- proposed  purcliaso.  Tills  done,  lie  set 
forth  with  a  purfy,  Wfll  aniu'd  and  equipped,  to  mark  out  a  road 
from  the  settlement,  throutjli  the  wilderness,  (o  the  lands  which 
were  about  to  be  colonized.  IJoone  does  not  say  when  he  started, 
hut  as  he  was  within  fifteen  mili-s  of  JJoonesboro'  on  the  2t)lh  of 
March,  and  the  grant  from  the  Cherokees  is  dated  the  17th,  he 
must  have  left  the  Council  before  the  final  action  of  tlie  Indians 
took  place;  indeed,  Henderson  says  (April  lOth  to  'iOth)  that 
Bnono  did  not  know  of  the  purchase  with  certainty.  V>\  that 
action  the  southern  savages,  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  ten 
thousand  pounds  sterling,  transferred  to  the  Company  two  pro- 
vinces defined  as  follows : 

The  first  was  defined  as  "  IJeginning  on  the  Ohio  river,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Cantuckey  Chenoee,  or  what,  by  the  Engbsh,  is  called 
Louisa  river;  from  thence  running  up  the  said  river,  and  the  most 
norifiwardly  fork  of  the  same,  to  the  head  spring  thereof;  thence  a 
south-east  course  to  the  top  of  the  ritlge  of  Powell's  mountain  ;  thence 
westwardly  along  die  ridge  of  die  said  mountain,  unto  a  point  from 
which  a  nordiwest  course  will  hit  or  strike  the  head  spring  of  die  most 
southwardly  branch  of  Cumberluiid  river,  thence  down  said  river, 
including  all  its  waters,  to  t'le  Ohio  river,  and  up  the  said  river,  as  it 
meanders,  to  the  beginning." 

The  other  deed  comprised  a  tract  "  beginning  on  the  Ilobston  river, 
where  die  course  of  Powell's  mountain  strikes  the  same;  thence  up  the 
snid  river,  as  it  meanders,  to  where  the  Virginia  line  crosses  the  same; 
thence  westwardly  f\long  the  line  run  by  Donaldson,  to  a  point  six  Eng- 
lish miles  eastward  of  the  long  island  in  said  Holston  river ;  thence  a 
direct  course  towards  the  mouth  of  (he  Great  Canaway,  until  it  reaches 
the  top  ridge  of  Powell's  mountain  ;  thence  westwardly  along  the  said 
ritlge  to  the  place  of  beginning."* 

This  transfer,  however,  was  in  opposition  to  the  aacient  and 
constant  policy,  both  of  England  and  Virginia  ;  neither  of  v.hich 
would  recognize  any  pr'vate  dealings  for  land  with  the  natives; 
and,  as  much  of  the  region  to  be  occupied  by  the  Transylvania 
Company  was  believed  to  be  within  the  bounds  cf  the  Old 
Dominion,  Governor  Dunmore,  even  before  tlie  bargain  was  com- 
pleted, prepared  his  proclamation  warning  the  world  against  "  one 
Richard  Henderson  and  other  disorderly  persons,  who,  under  jire- 
U'lKc  of  a  purchase  from  the  Indians,  do   set  up  a  claim  to  the 

*  II:ill,  i.  1')\.     Soo  aldo  Uutlor,  501.    Butler,  instead  of"  Cantuciiey  Cliciioco/' has 
■  Kentucky  Chenoca." 


138 


Booncshoro''  conuacvccd. 


17 


lo. 


1775. 


lands  ol' till'  crowu,'"  Tliis  \y,i\)v\-  is  dated  Liil  lour  days  later  tli;i:. 
the  ti-.aty  ol'  Wata^ra.*  When  Colonel  Henderson  and  his  'S;i>. 
orderly"  assoeiates,  thereibre,  set  Ibrth  early  in  A})ril  I'or  their  i.  w 
colony,  granted  hy  the  llrst  nanu-d  <lee(l,  eloiids  beset  theii'  |i;iil,, 
Vir<i;inia  threatened  in  their  rear,  and  belbre  them,  the  Mi.n.; 
of  Booic's  pioneers  soiled  the  i'resh  leaves  of  the  yoiin*:^  wiwui. 
floweis.  Upon  \\\v.  2()th  or  "ioth  oi'  iMareli,  an  attack  had  hi n, 
made  u])on  those  iirst  invadi-rs  of  the  forests,  in  wliich  two  ot'tlicjr 
number  were  killed,  and  one  or  two  others  wounded :  repuKu! 
but  not  (h'feated,  llie  savaj^es  watched  tlieir  opportunity,  iin.; 
again  attacked  tlic  little  band  ;  l)ut  being  satisfied  by  these  at- 
tempts,f  that  the  leaders  of  the  whites  were  their  equals  in  Ibnv' 
warfare,  the  natives  offered  no  further  opposition  to  the  march  <■', 
the  Inuiters,  who  })roceeded  to  the  Iventueky,  and  uj)on  the  Iv'; 
April,  1775,  began  the  erection  of  a  fort  upon  tlu!  banks  of  tli.r 
stream,  sixty  yards  south  of  the  river,  at  a  salt-lick.  This  w;- 
Boonesboro'.  This  fort  or  station  was  probably,  when  comp]t:i, 
about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  by  one  hundred  and  liih 
broail,  and  consisted  of  block-houses  and  pickets,  the  cabins  c 
the  settlers  forming  part  of  the  defences  ;J  it  was,  from  negkct, 
not  completed  until  June  14th,  and  the  party,  while  engaged  in  \h 
erection,  appear  to  have  been  but  little  annoyed  by  the  Indians, 
although  one  man  was  killed  upon  the  4th  of  April.  'I'o  fli^ 
station,  while  yet  but  half  complete,  Henderson  and  his  compim- 
ions  came  the  20th  of  April, ||  following  the  road  marked  out  U 
Boone.  Of  his  journey,  and  the  country  itself,  some  parts  of  a 
letter,  published  entire  by  Judge  Hall,  will  give  a  distinct  pictun. 
and  are  better  than  any  abstracts. 

Boonesborough,  June  12th,  17.55. 

*  *  *  No  doubt  but  you  have  felt  great  anxiety  ince  the  rercip: 
of  my  letter  from  Powell's  Valley.  At  tliat  time  things  wore  a  gloomy 
aspect ;  indeed  it  was  a  serious  matter,  and  becanio  a  littL?  more  s^o, 
after  the  d;  te  of  the  letter  than  before.  That  afternoon  I  wrote  thf 
letter  in  Powell's  Valley, §  in  our  marcli  this  way,  we  met  about  t'l 
people  reluming,  and  in  about  four  days  the  number  was  little  short  n: 

*  Ainnrican  Arcliives,  Fourth  Series,  174. 

t  Sen  Uoonc's  Narrative,  and  his  letter  in  Hall's  sk"tclicsj  i.  254.     They  do  not  agre 
entirely. 

\  Sec  plan  of  the  fort,  Hall's  Sketches,  i. 

U  Hendersou'E  Letter,  Hall  li,  269. 

§  Ajinl  bth. 


Argiimc 


ion 

on  rctiirning,  ; 

fe  irs.     Eight  i 

u^•.  or  to  folio 

boy  ami  lad,  at 

jonrncy  with  ti 

real  anxiety. 

strange  bells  v 

look  or  inquire 

or  some  disasir 

witli  our  packs 

and  give  assurai 

our  being  on  tli 

.sold  to  us  or  nc 

people's  in   bin 

our  comine:. 

The  general 
meeting,   was   o 
every  eflbrt  agai 
camp  ;  some  he; 
sity  of  returnini 
ill  too  strongr  a 
nothing  to  thanl 
Mine  on,  tlioiKrl 
mg  company. 
age  and  undaun 
whose   example 
made  a  shift  to  r 
alicr  like,  treated 
It  soon  became 
pale  faces  and  a 
in  great  quiet,  n 
indolence.     *■ 
of  the  dispositior 
when  we  arrived 
lentive  on  the  sci 
Hidsborough.     i 
to  make  it  tolera 
and  unto  this  ds 
applications  of  C 
ourselves.     * 
'"  'engih,  on  the 
tiifferent  lots;  s( 

'  A  messenger  seni 


177.^. 


lie  ii  derso  11"*  s  Ldhr. 


I3f> 


Indians. 

To  ilib 

nompaii- 

out  li) 

larts  of  ^1 

picture. 


100.  ArfTHinonts  and  porsuasions  wore  needless  ;  they  seemed  rc.-;olved 
on  icturiiinif,  and  travelled  with  a  prf;cipitaiion  that  truly  bespoke  their 
fcivs.  Eight  or  ten  were  all  that  we  could  prevail  cm  to  proceed  with 
ii:<.  or  to  follow  after  ;  and  thus,  what  we  before  had,  counting  every 
I)()V  and  lad,  amounted  to  about  40,  with  which  number  we  pursued  our 
journey  with  the  ulniost  dilij^ence,  for  my  own  part,  never  under  more 
rcil  anxiety.  *****  Every  group  of  travellers  we  saw,  or 
strange  bells  which  were  heard  in  front,  was  a  fresh  alarm  ;  afraid  to 
look  (ir  incpiire,  lest  Captain  Boone  or  his  company  was  amongst  them, 
or  some  disastrous  account  of  their  defeat.  The  slow  progress  we  made 
wiili  our  packs,  made  it  absolutely  necessary  for  some  person  to  go  on 
ami  give  assurance  of  our  coming,  especially  as  they  had  no  certainty  of 
our  being  on  the  road  at  all ;  or  had  eveit  heard  whether  the  Indians  had 
sold  to  us  or  not.  It  was  owing  to  Boone's  confidence  in  us,  and  the 
people's  in  him,  that  a  stand  was  ever  attempted  in  order  to  wait  for 
our  coming.  #         *         »         #         *  k         *         »  # 

The  general    panic   that  iiad   seized   the  men  wc   'vero   continually 
meeting,  was  contagious  ;  it  ran  like  wild  fire  ;   and,   notwidistanding 
every  efTort  against  its  progress,  it  was  presently  discovered  in  our  own 
camp  ;  some  hesitated  and  stole  back,  privately  ;  others  saw  the  neces- 
sity of  returning   to  convince   iheir  friends  that   they   were  still  alive, 
in  too  strong  a  light  to  be  resisted;    whilst  many,  in  truth,  who  have 
notliing  to  thank  but  ihe  fear  of  shame,  for   the  credit  of  intrepidity, 
came  on,  though  their  hearts,  for  jomc  hours,  made  part  of  the  desert- 
ing company.     In  this   situation  of  affairs,  some  few,  of  genuine  cour- 
age and  undaunted  resolution,  served   to  inspire   the  rest ;   by  help  of 
wh.ose   example,  assisted   by  a   litUe  pride   and  some  ostentation,  we 
made  a  shift  to  march  on  with  all  the  appearance  of  gallantry,  and,  cav- 
alier like,  treated  every  insinuation  of  danger  with  the  utmost  contempt. 
It  soon  became  habitual ;  and  those  who  started  in  the  morning  with 
pale  faces  and  apparent  trepidation,  could  lie  down  and  sleep  at  night 
in  great  quiet,  not  even   possessed  of  fear  enough  to  get  the  better  of 
indolence.     *         ♦         #         *         *     Tq  give  you  a  small  specimen 
of  the  disposition  of  the  people,  it  may  be  sufficient  to  assure  you  that 
when  we  arrived  at  this  place,  we   found  Captain  Boone's  men  as  inat- 
tentive on  the  score  of  fear,  (to  all  appearances,)  as  if  they  had  been  in 
Hillsborough.     A  small  fort  which  only  wanted  two  or  three  days'  work 
to  make  it  tolerably  safe,  was  totally  neglected  on  Mr.  Cock's  arrival  ;* 
and  unto  this  day  remains   unfinished,  notwithstanding   the   repeated 
applications  of  Captain  Boone,  and  every  representation  of  danger  from 
ourselves.     »         *         #         *     Our  plantations  extend  near  two  miles 
in  lengdi,  on  the  river,  and  up  a  creek.     Here  people  work  in  their 
liifferent  lots ;  some  without  their  guns,   and  others  without  care  or 


*  A  messenger  sent  ahead  of  tlie  main  body. 


110 


IIrn(Icrs()ii\s  Letter 


In.-. 


cautidii.     Ti  \i  in  vain  for  lis  to  ^;iy  any  thing  more   alioiit  llic  in  f". 
it  cannot  'lo  dono  l)y  words.      *  *  *  *      Om-  company  i;.- 

dwiii  lied  fro!  1  about  eighty  in  nnmhcr  to  about  fifiy  oihl,  luid  I  biliiv 
in  a  few  days  will  be  considerably  less.  Amongst  these  I  have  no: 
heard  one  person  dissatisfied  with  llie  country  or  terms;  but  gn,  a^ 
ihcy  say,  merely  because  their  business  will  not  admit  of  longer  delay, 
The  fact  is,  that  many  of  them  are  single,  worthless  fellows,  and  want 
to  get  on  the  other  side  of  Mie  mountains,  for  the  sake  of  saying  they 
have  been  out  and  returned  safe,  together  with  the  probability  of  gcitin>T 
a  nriithful  of  brc.ul  in  exchange  for  theii"  news.     *  *         * 

We  are  seated  at  the  mouth  of  Otter  Creek  on  the  Kentucky,  abuyi 
150  miles  from  the  Ohio.  To  the  west,  about  50  milcf  from  us,  are 
two  settlements,  within  six  or  seven  miles  one  of  the  ether.  Tluro 
were,  some  time  ago,  about  100  at  the  two  places  ;  thougJi  now,  per 
liaps,  not  more  than  00  or  70,  as  many  of  them  arc  gone  up  the  Ohio 
for  their  families,  &c.  ;  and  some  returned  by  the  way  we  came,  w 
Virginia  and  elsewhere.  *  *  *  On  the  opposite  side  of  ihe 
river,  and  north  from  us,  about  40  miles,  is  a  settlement  on  the  crou.i 
lands,  of  about  10  persons;  and  lower  down,  towards  the  Ohio,  on  tie 
same  side,  there  are  some  other  settlers,  how  many,  or  at  what  place,  I 
can't  exactly  learn.  There  is  also  a  party  of  about  10  or  12,  with  a 
surveyor,  who  is  employed  in  searching  through  tlie  country,  and 
laying  off  officers'  lands;  they  have  been  more  than  three  weeks 
within  ten  miles  of  us,  and  will  be  several  weeks  longer  ranging  up  ami 
down  the  country.  *  *  *  *  Colonel  H^rrod,  who  governs 
the  two  first  mentioned  settlements,  (and  is  a  very  good  man  for  our 
purpose.)  Colonel  Floyd,  (the  surveyor)  and  myself,  are  under  solemn 
engagements  to  communicate,  with  the  utmost  despatch  every  piece  oi 
intelligence  respecting  danger  or  sign  of  Indians,  to  each  other.  In 
case  of  invasion  of  Indians,  both  the  other  parties  are  instantly  to  marc:. 
and  relieve  the  distressed,  if  possible.  Add  to  this,  that  our  country  is  so 
fertile,  the  growth  of  grass  and  herbage  so  tender  and  luxuriant,  that  it  is 
almost  impossible  for  man  or  dog  to  travel,  wit'-  ut  leaving  such  sign  tliit 
you  might,  for  many  days,  gallop  a  horse  on  the  trail.  To  be  serious,  i; 
is  impossible  for  any  number  of  people  to  pass  through  the  woods  with- 
out being  trae'ked,  and  of  course  discovered,  if  Indians,  for  our  hunters 
all  go  on  horseback,  and  could  not  be  deceived  if  they  were  to  come  on 
the  trace  of  footmen.  From  these  circumstances,  I  think  myself  in  a 
great  measure  secure  against  a  formidable  attack ;  and  a  few  skulkers 
could  only  kill  one  or  two,  which  would  not  much  alfect  the  interest 
of  the  company.*  »#*»»» 

Upon  the  23d  of  May,  the  persons  then  in  the  country,  vcro 
called  on  by  Henderson  to  send  representatives  to  Boonesboro',w 

•  Hall's  Sketches,  ii.  260  to  271. 


1775. 

agft'c  upon  a 
duct  of  the  ii 
lii'iiic,   wi'  fii 

IV])|C>ClltL'(l, 

Jaiiics  Ilarnx 

ill  ('nnsL'([ii('nr 

;iN()  headed  h 

111  1775  ;   and 

LoLfiiii,  who  i-- 

soil,  was   hiiih 

witli  file  India 

'11 1 e  laljors 

■?s  Wu'  Transyl 

"f  Kentucky,  ; 

were  present  s( 

Iroiii  the  banks 

vasl  elm,  whiK 

.:^  a  carpel  Ibi 

liiiil   been   askt 

iil'ered  an   acid 

nlect  a  lew  p; 

times. 

Our  peculiar  e 
■'ides  with  diflicu 
threatens  our  eon 
t3  us  an  union  of 
so  essential  to  th 
tiiubi  remain  amc 
tvcr  laws,  you  n 
f'  «cr  is  original] 
i-ipartial  and  ben 
>^  -^ee  them  enfc 
^^i^i  lis  and  dcsir( 
f'f  e'loosinir  dele-r 
'  f:i  Tor  that  purpc 
''^rry  them  into  e? 

^^y,  gentlemen 
f"!  of  the  qu(3stioi 
>''•'">!'  that  it  is,  ai 
'' •'  liiws  should  be 

J^nty  can  nev( 


1 


/  I .,', 


I  r.). 


Ifendcrao)) 'x  Leo-islature. 


Ill 


laiiy  iiL> 
I  hclii.'v 
have  no: 

lit     i^O,    ai 

rer  delay, 
ami  \\:\]\\ 
yiniT  iluy 
of  gCUlll^ 


;ky,  abijiii 
Jill  us,  ;ire 
r,     Tlure 
now,  per. 
the   Ohn 
2  came,  lo 
idc  of  the 
the  crow  a 
liio,  on  the 
lat  place,  1 
12,  with  3 
iintry,  anil 
ree   weeks 
ing  up  and 
ho  governs 
an  for  oi;r 
tier  solemn 
ry  piece  01 
other.    In 
to  mate;; 
)untryisso 
|t,  that  it  is 
th  sign  that 
serious,  it 
[oods  with- 
lur  hunters 
[o  come  on 
lyself  in  3 
l\v  skulkers 
he  interest 


ns 


W't 


■[>r\rr  upon  a  foi'in  of  govcriuiu'iit,  and  to  make  laws  for  the  con- 
duct  of  till'  inhahitanls.  From  the  journal  of  this  primitivi'  Icgis- 
liiiiiic,  wt'  fmil  that,  hcsidcs  Booiii'shoro',  tlirit-  srttli  nit.'iits  wltl' 
iL'nifsi'iitL'd,  \\/.:  Ilarrodsbiirgh,  which  had  hrcii  founded  h^ 
Jaiiies  Ilarrod  in  1771,  thoui^ii  afterwards  for  a  tinu'  ahandoneil, 
in  conseiiuence  of  Dunmore's  war;  the  ]io!ling-s})riiig  setllement, 
plso  headed  by  James  Ilarrod,  who  had  returned  to  the  west  earl} 
in  1775  ;  and  St.  Asaj)h,  in  Lincoln  county,  where  Heiijamin 
Lou;;iii,  who  is  said  to  ha^c  crossed  the  mountains  with  lleiider- 
snn,  was  building  liiinself  a  ;tation,  well  known  in  the  troubles 
with  the  Indians  wliich  soon  followed. 
The  labors  of  this  first  of  Western  legislature's  were  fruitless, 
the  Transylvania  colony  was  soon  transformed  into  the  county 
Kentucky,  and  yet  some  notice  of  them  seems  proper.  There 
re  present  seventeen  representatives ;  they  met  about  fifty  yards 
from  the  banks  of  the  Kentucky,  under  the  budding  branches  of  a 
vast  ehii,  while  around  tlieir  feet  sprang  the  native  white  clover, 
;;n  a  carpet  for  their  hall  of  legislation.  When  God's  blessing 
hail  been  asked  by  the  Rev.  John  Lythe,  Colonel  Henderson 
clt'cred  an  address  on  behalf  of  the  Proprietors,  from  which  we 
nloct  a  few  paragra})hs  illustrative  of  the  spirit  of  the  men  and 
times. 

Our  pefuiliar  circumstances  in  this  remote  country,  surrounded  on  all 
sides  with  difTiculties,  and  equally  subject  to  one  common  danger,  which 
threatens  our  common  overthrow,  must,  I  think,  in  their  efTecls,  secure 
t)  us  an  union  of  interests,  and  consequently,  that  harmony  hi  opinion, 
so  essential  to  the  forming  good,  wise,  and  wholesome  laws.  If  any 
il'ubl  remain  amongst  you  wi'.li  respect  to  the  force  or  efficacy  of  wliat- 
tvcr  laws,  you  now,  or  hereafter  make,  be  pleased  to  consider  tlial  all 
[fi  wcr  is  originally  in  tiic  people  ;  therefore,  make  it  their  interest,  by 
liMilxirlial  and  beneficial  laws,  and  you  may  be  sure  vf  tluir  iiicliiiation 
t)  see  them  enforced.  For  it  is  not  lo  be  supposed  that  a  people, 
:.nxi  lus  and  desirous  to  have  laws  made,  —  who  approve  of  the  metliod 
icf  clioosing  delegates,  or  representatives,  to  meet  in  general  Coiivcii- 
;i  for  that  purpose,  can  want  the  necessary  and  concomitant  virtue  to 
li'nry  them  into  execution. 

Nay,  gentlemen,  for  argument's  sake,  let  us  set  virtue  f)r  a  moment 
[o't  of  the  question,  and  see  how  the  matter  will  then  stand.  You  must 
lahnil  that  it  is,  and  ever  will  be,  the  interest  of  a  large  majority  that 
[l.e  laws  should  he  esteemed  and  held  sacred;  if  so,  surely  this  large 
jority  can  never  want  inclination   or  power  to  give  sanction   and 


14-2 


Ilcndc 


rson  s  t 


Speech. 


1 


1 1,). 


efTuiapy  to  those  very  laws,  which   advance  their  interest  and  sfciir'^ 
their  properly.  #«»#»• 

Among  the  many  objects  that  mnst  |)rfsent  themselves  for  your  cm;- 
sidrratioii,  tlie  first  in  order,  must,  from  its  importiince,  he  that  of  c<\::. 
hlisIiinjT  Conrls  of  Justice,  or  tribunals  for  the  punishment  of  such  r- 
may  offend  airainst  the  laws  you  are  about  to  ncdce.  As  this  law  \vi,! 
be  the  chief  corner  stone  in  the  ground-work  or  basis  of  our  constim. 
tion,  let  us  in  a  particular  maii.ier  recommend  the  most  dispassiomii; 
attention,  while  you  take  foi  your  guide  as  much  of  the  spirit  anl 
genius  of  the  laws  of  England,  as  can  be  interwoven  with  those  of  ilii< 
country.  We  are  all  Englishmen,  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same,  our- 
selves and  our  "ithers  •  ive,  for  many  generations,  experienced  llie  i:.- 
valuable  blessn  ..  •  lat  most  excellent  constitution,  and  surely  ut 
cannot  want  moi  •  ;^  '.  >  ■    ,iy  from  so  noble  an  original. 

Many  things,  lu  uiot,  crnvd  u\)on  your  minds,  and  seem  equiil'y 
to  demand  your  attention;  i-ui,  lext  to  that  of  restraining  vice  and  in.- 
morality,  surely  nothing  can  be  of  more  importance  than  cstabli-!,;;;. 
some  plain  and  easy  method  for  the  recovery  of  debts,  and  dctPiiiiii- 
ing  matters  of  dispute  with  respect  to  property,  conlrncls,  iorls,  i:;;, 
ries,  &c.  These  things  are  so  essential,  that  if  not  strictly  attciKii' 
to,  our  name  will  become  odious  abroad,  and  our  peace  of  sliort  ;i!  1 
precarious  duration,  it  would  give  honest  and  disinterested  person^ 
cause  to  suspect  that  there  was  some  colorable  reason  st  least,  for  the 
unworthy  and  scandalous  assertions,  together  with  the  groundless  i:- 
sinuations  contained  in  an  infamous  and  scurrilous  libel*'  lately  piinu! 
and  published,  concerning  the  settlement  of  this  country,  the  aiitli.r 
of  which  avails  himself  of  his  station,  and  under  the  specious  \r.\- 
tence  of  proclamation,  pompously  dressed  up  and  decorated  in  ;:: 
garb  of  authority,  has  uttered  invectives  of  the  most  nialignaiU  k;i. '• 
and  endeavours  to  wound  the  good  name  of  persons,  v.huse  moral  cl;  • 
racter  would  derive  little  advantage  by  being  placed  in  comp;ii;-  ' 
with  his,  charging  them  amongst  other  things  equally  untiuc,  willt  : 
design  "of  forming  an  asylum  for  debtors  and  other  persons  of  i!c 
perate  circumstances;"  placing  the  proprietors  of  the  soil  at  the  Ir^' 
of  a  lawless  train  of  abandoned  villains,  ajjainst  whom  the  reirnl  "■ 
thnrity  ouffht  to  be  exerted,  and  every  possible  measure  taken  to  p'i' 
an  immediate  stop  to  so  dangerous  an  enterprise. 

I  have  not  the  least  doubt,  gentlemen,  but  that  your  conduct  in  tii' 
convention  will  manifest  the  honest  and  laudable  intentions  of  the  \'rc- 
sent  adventurers,  whilst  the  conscious  blush  confounds  the  will ' 
calumniators  and  ofTicioiis  detractors  of  our  infant,  and  as  yet.  li"' 
communit ,'. 

*  Governor  Duiimore's  Proclamation. 


177:'). 

\<'.\t  to  tlic 

i'liiiit'ut    of   p 

rsliililishini;;'  ai 

it  !■<  iipparcnf, 

ddViicr',  llie  di 

nifist  imniinen 

s;iv;i!Te  Indi.ins 

of  our  wealdic 

destructive  and 

at  this  time  of  i 

into  execution 

'I'licre    are   i 

ami  (icmand  re( 

only  support  t 

country  would 

remain  of  iis   ( 

Tl;is,  together  ' 

nrss  of  huntin, 

number  of  wild 

liirs,  is  appropr 

od  in  our  seltlet 

escape  your  not 

To  tiiis  the  1 
'i\  slaliiin'  (],(.j| 
'lu'  Pi'oprictor, 
jiiaiscwoilliy 

'II   M'Ssioil     Ull'Ci 
111  IK'  InJIowili"' 

iii.l;'  cihiics;  a 
ill,:;'  .swearing  ai 
'iliachiiiciil ;  a 
'I"'  'ini;;-!',  iiupr 
fii  a(Kliii(,ii  to  I 
l'''iv(l  a  Coiiip; 
I  ™plf  and  owi 
''\frt'  these — 

l^t.     That  the 

•'M.     That  the 

■•'■i'^iinmient,  pro 

••"'^  may  call  to<r( 

'  Sro  Butler's  Ken 


« 

our  cur,- 

of  c<\-'- 

sddi  ■'-- 

h\\\  w'i'i 

Cdiistiui- 

plril  p.nl 

iC  of  llll< 

>me,  our- 
rd  llu'  i:.- 
surely  W'^ 


177.'). 


Transylvmiia  organized. 


1  in 


[nar.t,  IvH'" 


Noxt  to  the  ost:il)IisIiinont  of  courts  or  Irilmnrils,  as  well  for  tlir  puii- 
i>liiiiriit  of  pul)lif  DfrciulcTs  as  ilio  recovering  of  just  (l('l)ls,  tliat  of 
r«t;i'i!ifliin5  anil  rr^uliiting  a  militia,  scpuis  of  tlio  jjroatcst  importanro  ; 
it  i>!  apparent,  that  without  some  wise  institution,  resppctiti^r  our  mutual 
(IcfiMiee,  the  dilTerent  towns  or  settlements  are  every  day  exposed  to  the 
niest  imminent  dansrer,  and  liable  to  he  destroyed  at  the  mere  will  of  the 
vivMi^e  Indians.  Nothinir,  1  am  petsuadrd,  hut  their  entire  ifriioranee 
of  our  weakness  and  want  of  order,  has  hitherto  preserved  us  from  the 
(iestruetive  and  rapacious  hands  of  cruelly,  and  given  us  an  opportunity 
at  this  lime  of  forming  .secure  defensive  plans  to  ho  supported  and  carried 
into  execution  hy  the  authority  and  sanction  of  a  well-digested  law. 

'i'licre  are  sundry  other  things,  highly  worthy  your  consideration, 
mill  liemaiul  redress;  such  as  tlu  wanton  destruction  of  our  game,  the 
only  support  of  life  amongst  .nany  of  us,  and  for  want  of  which  the 
country  would  he  abandoned  ere  to-morrow,  and  scarcely  a  prohahilily 
reiiiaiii  of  its  ever  hecoming  the  habitation  of  any  Christian  people. 
This,  together  with  the  practice  of  many  foreigners,  who  make  a  busi- 
ness 0^  hunting  in  our  country,  killing,  driving  off,  and  lessening  the 
miinher  of  wild  rattle  and  other  ofamo,  whilst  the  value  of  the  skins  ani^ 
furs,  is  appropriated  to  the  benefu  of  persons  not  concerned  or  intercst- 
0(1  in  our  settlement:  these  are  evils,  I  say,  that  I  am  convinced  cannr* 
e?pape  your  notice  and  attention.* 

To  this  tlu-  roproscnlalives  of  the  infant  Commonwealth  replied, 

iiv  slalinji;  Iheir  readiness  to  eomply  with   the   recommendations  of 

;!ir  Proprietor,  as  beinj^'  just  and  reasonable,  and  proceeded,  with 

[)iaise\voilhy  dilijjfence,  to  pass   the   ne(;essary   acts.     They  were 

in  session  three   working   days,  in   which  time,   they  enacted   the 

niiu'  following  laws; — one  ibr  establishing  courts  ;  one  for  })iinish- 

iiig  I  linns;  a  third  lor  regulating  the  nulitia;  a  fourth  for  jumish- 

iiig  .swearing  and  Sabbath-breaking;  a  fifth  providing  for   writs  ot 

-lUai'liinent ;  a  sixth   fixing  fees;  and  three   others  for  preserving 

'die  range,  improving   the   breed   of  hoi\ses,  and   preserving  game. 

Ill  adilition  to  these   laws,  this  working  House  of  Delegates  pre- 

paivil  a  Compact,  to    be    the    basis    of  i-elationship    between   the 

|.toplf  and  owners  of  Tran.sylvania:  some  of  its  leading  articles 

''ViTc  these — 


1st.     That  the  election  of  delegates  in  this  colony,  be  annual, 
'>!il.     That  the  convention  may  adjourn  and  meet  again  on  their  own 
•uljourinncnt,  provided,  that  in  cases  of  great  emergency  the  proprie- 
Jis  may  call  together  the  delegates  before   the  lime  adjourned   to,  and 


Si>c  Bmlur's  Kentucky,  p.  508. 


Ill 


/mlidiis  (iiiil  Urilish. 


177: 


!i  iiiajdiiiy  docs  not  allcnd,  llioy  may  dissolve  ihcm   and  call  n  iirw 

Olio. 

;}(1,  'Chat  to  prcvrnt  disspntion  and  delay  of  I)ii?iinr.«<i,  one  pmprir- 
tor  sliall  act  for  tlio  wludf ,  or  some  one  didcifated  by  lliem  for  that  jmr- 
poso,  will)  sliall  always  reside  in  tlu-  colony. 

4 ill.  'I'lial  tliero  bo  a  perfect  reliirions  freedom  and  j^etieral  tolernlinn 
— Provided  that  the  pro|)ai»ator8  of  any  doctrine  or  tenets,  widely  tend- 
ing to  the  subversion  of  our  laws,  shall  for  bucIi  conduct  be  ameniiMe 
to,  and  punishable  by  the  civil  courts. 

5lli.  'I'liat  the  judges  of  ^Superior  or  Supreme  Courts  be  appointcil 
by  the  proprietors,  but  be  supj)orled  by  the  people,  and  to  them  \x 
ans\veral)le  lor  iheir  mal-conducl. 

Dili,  'i'hal  the  judges  of  the  inferior  courts  be  recoinmendcd  by  i!ie 
people',  and  approved  of  by  the  proprietors,  and  by  them  commissiout  tl. 

lOlh.  That  all  civil  and  military  ofTioers  be  within  the  aj)pointiiioi;: 
of  the  proprietors. 

11  til.  That  the  ofTice  of  Surveyor  (Jcneral,  belong  to  no  person  in 
icrested,  or  a  partner  in  this  purchase. 

12th.  That  the  legislative  authority,  after  the  strength  and  matnriiy 
of  the  colony  will  permit,  consist  of  three  branches,  to  wit:  the  dele- 
gatos  or  representatives  chosen  by  the  people,  a  council  not  exceeding 
twelve  men,  possessed  of  landed  estate,  residing  in  the  colony,  and  tlio 
proprietors. 

17tli.  That  the  convention  have  the  sole  power  of  raising  and  ap- 
propriating all  public  monies,  and  electing  their  treasurer.* 

On  the  27th  oi"  May  this  L(  gislaturo  acljourncd  to  meet  again 
ii})oii  the  first  Thurstlay  of  the  next  September, — though  wc  d" 
not  hear  that  it  ever  did  so. 

From  the  tiine  of  the  unpopular  treaty  of  Camp  Charlotte,  tlu 
western  people  had  been  apprehensive  of  extensive  injury  to  tlii 
.Ameriean  frontiers  from  the  Indians,  instigated  by  agents  rearliinu' 
them  through  Canada,  whenever  the  expected  outbreak  with  Eii;:- 
Jund  look  place.  Nor  was  it  long  before  the  Americans  in  \\.' 
north  .^aw  the  dangers  to  be  feared  from  the  action  of  the  Iiullaip, 
iniluciict  J  by  the  British  and  early  in  April,  1775,  the  Provincial 
Congress  of  Massachusetts  wrote  to  the  Reverend  Samuel  lvi;k- 
land,  then  a  missionary  among  the  Oneidas,  informing  him,  that, 
haviiiLi  heard  that  the  English  were  trying  to  attach  the  Six 
Nations  to  their  interest,  it  had  been  thought  proper  to  ask  ilu 
several  tribes,  through  him,  to  stand  neutral.  Steps  were  als' 
taken  to   secure   the  co-operation,   if  possible,  of  the  Penobsco' 

*  See  Butler's  KeiilucKj,  p.  514. 


1775. 

uid  Stockbri 

they  never  r 

vinces  and  o 

Americans.  ' 

and  fry  to  br 

Rut  the  In 

Sir  William  i 

to  whom  thej 

had  died   sm 

lefi  under  (h 

son-in-law,  w 

Jolmson,  Sir 

honors.     Hot] 

of  England  ^\ 

This  trio,  acti 

along  the  Mo 

nians,  the  wh 

attempt,  open 

Kirkland  to  b 

that  he  might 

faith,  and,  thr 

the  war  was  st 

his  position. 

Nor  were  II 
the  address  of 
in  which  they 
iinnalural  a  qi 
tention  the  Icc 
to  disturb,  if 
son  was  in  dr 
attempt  was  ni 
while  he,  on  h 
ing  out  to  then 
the  dangers  to 
their  rights  int 
So  stood  m^ 
%.  1775. 
^oon  amounted 
loittees,  resolu 
•submit  to  any 

'  Stone,  vol.  i.  pp 

10 


n 


177,-) 

II    ;i   new 

'  proprif- 
ihat  [iiir- 

tolrrntinn 
Icly  lend- 
amenuMe 

appoiiiti'il 
(hciii  Lu 

led  by  lie 
nissioihil. 
poiiitiiKi;: 

person  in 

1  maturity 
:  the  (Iclf- 
exccodin: 
y,  and  the 

ig  and  ap- 

eet  ai,'ai:i 

rlotti",  tlu 
ury  tn  tin 
;  rcacliin- 
,vil]i  Eiii;- 
IS  in  tl.' 
.■  Indian^, 
Provincial 
lucl  Ki;k- 

liin,  tlia;. 
the   Six 

o  ask  tlif 
.vero  als' 

.'enobsco' 


1775. 


The  British  and  Indians. 


145 


and  Stnrkbridgc  Indians;  llic  latter  of  wlioni  ropliod,  that,  fhouRh 
tliry  ni'ver  rnnld  uiidcrsland  what  the  (|iiarrtd  hctwrcn  the  l*ro- 
vinf<'s  and  old  Knfifland  was  about,  yet  they  would  stand  hy  the 
Americans.  They  also  oircred  to  "  I'eid  tlu;  mind"  the  Irotjuois, 
and  try  to  hrinj;  them  over.* 

Rut  the  Iro(juois  wore  not  to  l)e  easily  won  over  i)y  any  means. 
Sir  William  Johnson,  so  Ion<;  the  Kin«f's  agent  amoni^  them,  and 
to  whom  they  looked  with  the  eonfidence  of  children  in  a  lather, 
had  died  siiddc'idy,  in  June,  1774,  and  the  wild  men  had  been 
It'll  und<*r  the  influenee  of  Colontd  Guy  Johnson,  Sir  William's 
son-in-law,  who  succeeded  him  as  Sujnrintendent,  and  of  John 
Jolirison,  Sir  William's  son,  who  succeeded  to  liis  estates  and 
honors,  IJoth  these  men  were  Tories;  and  their  influence  in  favor 
of  pjipland  was  increased  by  that  of  the  celebrated  Joseph  Hrant. 
This  trio,  aclin<j;  in  conjunction  with  some  of  the  rich  old  royalists 
alonti;  the  Mohawk,  opposed  the  whole  movement  of  the  Rosto- 
nians,  the  whole  spirit  of  the  Philadelphia  Congress,  and  every 
attempt,  open  or  secret,  in  favor  of  the  rebels.  Believing  Mr. 
k'irkland  to  be  little  better  than  a  W^hig  in  disguise,  and  fearing 
that  be  might  alienate  the  tribe,  in  which  he  was,  from  their  old 
faith,  and,  through  them,  influence  the  others,  the  Johnsons,  while 
the  war  was  still  bloodless,  made  strong  efforts  to  remove  him  from 
his  position. 

Nor  were  the  fears  of  the  Johnsons  groundless,  as  is  shown  by 
ihe  address  of  the  Oneida  Indians  to  the  New  England  Governors, 
in  which  they  state  their  intention  of  remaining  neutral  during  so 
unnatural  a  quarrel  as  that  just  then  commencing.  But  this  in- 
tention the  leading  tribe  of  the  great  Indian  confederacy  meant 
to  disturb,  if  possible.  The  idea  was  suggested,  that  Guy  John- 
son was  in  danger  of  being  seized  by  the  Bostonians,  and  an 
attempt  was  made  to  rally  about  him  the  savages  as  a  body-guard: 
while  he,  on  his  part,  wrote  to  the  neighlioring  magistrates,  hold- 
ing out  to  them,  as  a  terror,  the  excitement  of  the  Indians,  and 
the  dangers  to  be  feared  from  their  rising,  if  he  were  seized,  oi 
their  rights  interfered  with. 

So  stood  matters  in  the  Mohawk  valley,  during  the  month  of 
^lav.  1775.  The  Johnsons  were  srntherino:  a  little  army,  which 
soon  amounted  to  five  hundred  men ;  and  the  Revolutionary  com- 
mittees, resolute  never  to  yield  one  hair's  breadth,  "  n(!ver  to 
submit  to  any  arbitrary  acts  of  any  power  under  heaven,"  were 

'  Stone,  vol.  i.  pj).  55-58. — Sparks'  Washington,  vo!.  iii.  pp.  1i>L»,  496. 

10 


146 


.^mrrirnns  srvli  fitdinn  atllanrcx. 


1775 


(Iciintmcin^  CoIcmhI  (iiiy's  cniKliicf  as  "  aiMtrnry,  illrpjnl,  opprr^!. 
sivr,  and  iiiiwiiriaiilaMf."  ♦'  Walrh  liiin,"  wrofj-  Wasliinj^lon  t" 
(iftural  S('lMi}lcr  in  .Iimc  ;  and,  cmu  hrUnv  llial  order  was  (j;ivt'n, 
wlial  willi  llic  'rr)(m  coiinly  iniii  al)ov«'  liini  on  tin-  river,  and  tin 
wli(dc  Provincial  lorci-  l)tl<»\v  him,  he  was  likely  to  he  wdl 
wafehed.  Finding  hinisell'  llins  lettered,  and  leelinj;  it  to  he  tim, 
to  take  sonw  dec'ided  ste|),  the  . Nnperinlendent,  early  in  .luiif, 
befjan  to  mov»!  w«'stward,  accompanied  hy  his  dependents  and  iIk 
jjroat  hody  of  the  Mohavk  Indians,  who  remained  firm  in  the 
lirifish  interests.*  Jle  nuved  tirst  to  Kort  Slanwiv,  (alterw:inl< 
Fort  Schnyler,  near  tli"  present  town  r  *'  Home,)  and  then  went  nn 
to  Ontario,  where  lie  arrived  early  in  .Inly,  and  held  a  (\m!Trr'^< 
with  thirteen  hnndred  and  forty  warriors,  whose  old  attarhmm' 
was  then  and  there  reiiewed.  Joseph  Brant,  h(>  it  noted,  diirini: 
all  this  time,  was  aclint;  as  the  Sni>erintendent's  secr(>tary. 

All  of  tlie  Six  Nations,  except  the  Oneidas  and  Tusraroras, 
miiiht  now  he  deemed  in  alliance  with  the  Hrilish.  Those  trilns 
ciiielly  thronL!;h  the  exertions  of  Mr.  Kirklanil,  were  preveiiln! 
from  K'""rt  ^^''^'  '''^'  o'li<-'i"S)  •^•>'l  npon  the  "2Slh  of  June,  at  (jcr- 
nian  Flats,  t>ave  to  the  Americans  a  pleilii;e  of  neutrality. f 

While  the  members  of  the  Northern  Confederacy  were  tliih 
divided  in  their  attachments,  the  Delawares  of  the  upjier  Ohm 
were  hy  no  means  unanimous  in  their  oj)ini()ns  as  to  this  puzzliii!: 
family  (piarrel  which  was  comin<]j  on;  and  ('onc;ress,  haviiif;  hem 
informed  on  the  first  day  of  June,  that  the  western  Virrjiiiiaii' 
stood  in  fear  of  the  Indians,  with  whom  Lord  Dunmorc,  in  hi« 
small  way,  was,  as  they  thouj^ht,  tamperin<j:,|  it  was  deterniim'! 
to  have  a  Congri'ss  called  at  Pittshurp:;!!,  to  explain  to  the  pnn' 
red  men  the  causes  of  the  sudden  division  of  their  old  enemip'^. 
;ind  try  to  persuade  them  to  keep  peace.  This  Congress  did  no' 
meet,  however,  until  October.  || 

Nor  was  it  from  tlie  northern  and  western  tribes  only,  that  lios- 
lilities  were  feared.  The  Cherokees  and  their  neighbors  wen 
mnch  dreaded,  and  not  without  cause  ;  as  they  were  then  lts< 
under  the  control  of  the  whites,  than  eitlier  the  Iroquois  or  Dela- 
wares, and  might,  in  the  hope  of  s^ccuring  their  freedom,  be  ltd 
to  unite,  in  a  warfare  of  extermination  against  the  Carolinas.  We 
find,  accordingly,  that  early  in  July,  Congress  having  determined 
to  seek  the  alliance  of  the  several  Indian  nations,  three  dcpart- 


•  Stone,  vol.  i.  p.  77 

i  Old  Journals,  vol.  i.  p.  7S. 


t  Stone,  vol.  i.  p.  81. 
H  Ik'ckcwcldor's  Narratiii,  p.  13iJ. 


1775. 

1,1,'iits  were  l< 
,\iid  all  north 
Schuyh-r,  Oli 
middle  depar 
lie   looked   to 
southern  dep; 
over  which  c( 
tlic  South  Car 
k-ccp  a  close 
iiid  upon  the 
tlicy  were  to 
stirring  up  tlw 
li)  si'fk  to  kc« 
were  also  pre 
leiiipt  was  nui 
America,  hy  ( 
loo  heavy  Ibr 
tlie  pack  is  n 
rliin  remonstr 
llie  father,   an 
.ilinost  broken 
he  will  carry 
the   matter  cl 
judge  from  Ih 
he  savs,  the   '. 
Indeed,  he  gi 
tive,"  which 
preserve  I  to  i 

The  first  c 
iiorthtuii  depa 
in  August. 
Colonel  Stone 
sent  the  Six  ? 
immediat(!ly  a 
was  slight. 

The  next  f 

*  Old  Jonrnals 

tVol.  i.  p.  115 

•peech  to  the  Iroci 

IS  given  fuJly  and  i 

I  pp.  91-101.     J 


177'). 


1775. 


Jlmericnns  treat  with  Indians. 


117 


iiK'iits  wen-  formed  ;*  a  iiorlluTii  one,  including;  llie   Si\   Niilions 
Aiitl  iill  iiorlli  iiiid  casl   of  them,  to   (ho  cliiir^c  of  wliicli   (icmTiil 
SclmyliT,   Oliver  VVolcott,  atid   three   others,  were   appointed  ;    a 
riii(l(Me  (h'partineiit,  iiieludiiii^  the    Western   Indians,  who  were  to 
1)1'   looked  to  hy  Messieurs   I'Vankhn,  Henry,  and  Wilson;  and  a 
southern  <U-partnient,  inehidin^  all   the  trilies  south    of  Kentucky, 
nver  whi.h  eonnnissioners  were  to  presich*  utuh-r  tlie  appointment  of 
the  South  Carohna  Coiineil  of  Safety.    These  <'omiiiissioners  were  to 
k'ft'i)  a  close  watcli  upon  tlie  nations  in  their  several  (h-partments, 
iti'l  upon  the  Kini^'s  Superintendents  amon^jj  them.     These  ollicors 
they  ^s•ere  to  sei/e,  if  tlie}  hr.d   reason   to  think  them  en^atjfed   iti 
slirrinjj;  up  the  natives  against  the  colonies,  and   in  all  ways  were 
to  seek  to  keep  ihose  natives  (piiet  and  out  of  the  contest.      Talks 
were  also  i)repared  to  send  to   the  several   trihes,  in  whicli  an  at- 
iciupt  was  mach'   to   illustrat*;  the  relations   hetween  lOn^land   and 
America,  hy  comparin}:;  the  last  to  a  cliild  ordered  to  carry  a  pack 
loo  heavy  for  its  stn-n^tii.     Tlu"   hoy  (•ompiains,  and,  tor  answer, 
tlie  pack  is  made  a  little  heavier.     Af^ain  and  a<rain  the  poor  ur- 
rliin  remonstrates,  hut  the  had  servants  misrepresent  tin-  matter  to 
the  father,   and  the   hoy  p;ets  ever  a  heavier  hunh'n,  till  at   last, 
.ilinost  hroken-harked,  he  throws  oil'  the  load  alto<rcther,  and  says 
lie  will  carry  it  no  lonpjer.     This  alh-jijory  was  int«'nded  to  make 
the   matter  clear  to   the  pack-carryinp;  red    men,  and,  if  we   may 
iu(l<.;e  from  Heckewehh^r's  account,  it  answered  tlie  jiurpf)se  ;  for, 
he  says,  the   Delawares  reported   the  wliole   story  vi'ry  correctly. 
Indeed,  he  <^ives  their  report  u})on  the  l.'JTth  l)age  of  his  <'  Narra- 
tive," which   report  agrees   very   well   with   the  original   speech, 
preserve  I  to  us  in  the  Journals  of  the  Old  Congress.} 

The  first  conference  held  by  the  commissioners,  was  in  the 
iiortluuii  department,  a  grand  congress  coming  together  at  Albany 
ill  August.  Of  this  Congress  a  full  account  may  be  found  in 
Colonel  Stone's  first  volume. |  It  did  not,  liowevcr,  fully  repre- 
sent the  Six  Nations,  and  some,  evt^n  of  those  wiio  were  present, 
iinmediat(dy  afterwards  fserted  to  the  British  ;  so  that  the  result 
was  slight. 

The  next  conference  was  held   at   Pittsburgh  with   the  western 


'  Old  Journals,  vol.  i.  p.  113,&c. 

t  Vol.  i.  p.  115.  See  also  in  Carey's  Museum,  for  January,  1789,  p.  SS  to  91,  the 
ipcech  to  the  Irociuois,  at  I'hiluiltjlphia,  delivered  July  13,  1775;  in  thin  the  pack-proverb 
IS  jjivcn  fuJIy  and  very  well. 

'  pp.  91-101.     Appendix  Iv.-xxxi. 


148 


Indians  unite  urith  Britiah. 


illi 


17fi2. 


indians.  This  was  in  Ocloljer,  and  was  atteiuloil  b)  the  Dchi- 
vvanis,  Sent'cas,  and,  perhaps,  some  ol'  the  Shawanese.  '[\ 
Dehjware  nation  were,  as  we  have  already  said,  divided  in  thiii 
views  loufliing  the  Americans.  (Jne  of  tlieir  chieftains,  Captaiii 
White-Kyes,  a  man  of  liigli  character  and  cU^ar  mind,  of  couni^'e 
such  as  becanie  the  leader  ol  a  race  whose  most  coinujon  virliit^ 
were  those  ol  the  wild  man,  and  of  a  Ibrbearance  and  kindncvv 
as  unusual  as  learlessness  was  frequent,  among  his  people, — tiiiv 
true  man  was  now,  as  always,  in  favor  of  peace;  and  his  inllueiid 
carried  with  him  a  strong  parly,  liut  ihere  were  others,  again, 
who  longed  for  war,  and  wished  to  carry  tiie  whole  nation  over  U, 
the  IJrilish  interest.  These  were  led  by  a  cunning  uud  able  niati, 
called  Caj)tain  I'ipe,  who,  withoul  the  energy,  moral  daring,  and 
unclouded  honesty  of  his  opj)om.'nl,  had  many  qualities  admiiabl) 
suited  to  win  and  rule  Indians.  13etween  ihest;  two  men  tiitu 
was  a  division  from  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution  tdl  the  deaih 
of  While  Eyes.  At  the  J'illsburgh  Coid'erence  the  Peace  Chid, 
as  he  was  called,  was  present,  and  thi-re  asserted  his  freedom  ol 
the  Six  Nations,  who,  through  their  emissaries  })resent,  tried  t" 
bend  the  Delawares,  as  they  had  bei-ii  used  to  do.  llis  bold 
denial  of  the  claim  of  the  Iroquois  to  rule  his  pecple,  was  seized 
upon,  by  some  of  the  VVar-Parly,  as  a  pretext  for  leaving  tht 
Muskingum,  where  While  Eyes  lived,  and  wilhdrawing  toward 
Lake  Erie,  into  the  more  immediate  vicinity  of  the  English  and 
Iheir  allies. 

The  Shawanese  and  llu'ir  neighbors,  nieantime,  had  taken  coun- 
sel with  Cluy  Johnson  at  Oswego,  and  might  be  considered  as  lu 
league  widi  the  king.  Indeed,  we  can  neither  wojider  at,  iiui 
blame  these  bewildered  savaues  for  leauuinti  themselves  with  aii\ 


r.i)wer  (t^uind  those  actual  occupants  of  their  hunting-grounds, 
who  were,  here  and  there  in  Kentucky,  building  block-houses  and 
clearing  corn-llelils.  Against  lho';e  block-houses  and  their  build- 
ers, little  bands  of  red  njcn  continually  kept  sallying  forth,  Mip- 
plii;d  with  ammunition  from  JKlroil  and  ihe  other  western  pu>l.i, 
and  incited  to  exertion  by  the  well  known  stimulants  of  whiskty 


df 


ami  nne  clothes 


11 


owt 


ever,  ii  is  harui>  correct  lo  say,  inai  ilus  was  done  m  i  t  lo, 
though  the  arrangements  were,  beyond  doubl,  made  in  that  year. 
(/ol.  Johnson  having  visited  Montreal,  immediately  after  the  coiui- 
cil  with  the  Shawanese  and  others  at  Oswego,  lor  the  purpose  (-'1 


"nncIuJinfj  w 
roursp. 

Hut   althnu 
posed  to  Fndi; 
it  (lid  not  pre 
the  settlcnKMi 
in  the  follow! I 
of  Kentucky, 
his  own  wit'e 
distinction  in 
Hogan;  their 
than  twenty  ol 

At  the  close 
filling  with  otr 
(visted  as  to  I 
lunds  of  projir 
now  settlers  \\( 
nin  by  means  i 
inant,  and  the 
rtcre  well  calci 

North  of  th« 
iny  knowledgi 
'li'llc  Riviere  d 

Our  readers  ■ 
'ian  Froderi<'k 
1758,  and  woi 
nni,  thinking 
tribes,  journeyp 
•hat  stream,  a  I 
hnuso.*  The  r 
'Tossed  the  mn 
•vtldcr,  who  W( 
Mntcd  to  his  Ii 
'nd  and  write, 

"111.  The  chi 
'III'}  feared  \\v  1 
'hildren,  he  wa 
Hid  flien  a  fort  1 
Hid  ihcy  l)i>  dri 
f'"st  replied  lh:i 


1775 


17fi2. 


Moravians  settle  in  West. 


149 


.  The 
in  thcii 
Ciij)taiii 

.  virtiii'v 
Liii(lia>v 
e, — tliiv 

lillui'Uli 

,  aj^'aiii, 
over  to 
le  man, 
n<^,  ami 
liniiahK 
.'11  tlim 
le  (Jeaili 

D    Chill, 

'(loin  III 
tried  i" 

[is    hdlil 

S    Sfi/Ad 

ing  tilt 

luwaiii 

isli  ami 

couii- 

us  ili 

at,  1101 

til  aii\ 

•uund^, 

sc's  and 

ijuild- 

1,     Ml|)- 

liiskf) 

i'l'iJ, 
year, 
;  couii- 
)().S0  t'l 


'•nnclndiniT  with  the  "Rrifisli  governor  and  p;rnora1  npon  his  ftituro 
ronrso. 

]]u\  altlionpfb  tlir  danfrrrs  of  the  posts  more  iinmcdiatrly  rx- 
pnscd  to  Indian  invasions,  wore  undcrslfjod  ])oth  East  and  W(>st, 
it  (lid  not  prevent  emit^ration.  Tn  June,  177."),  IJoone  had  soujrht 
tlic  sfltleiiKMits  onec  more,  in  order  to  remove  his  family;  and 
in  the  followinfi^  Seplemher,  with  four  females,  the  fearless  mothers 
,it"  Keiilueky,  re-crossed  the  mountains.  These  fo\ir  women  were 
Ills  own  wife,  Mrs.  Medary  whose  husl)and  aOerwards  attained 
distinction  in  the  battle  of  the  Blue-licks,  Mrs.  Denton  and  Mrs. 
Hojran;  their  husbands  and  children  came  with  them,  and  more 
than  twenty  other  men  able  to  bear  arms,  were  also  of  the  party. 

At  the  close  ol"  177.5,  then,  the  country  alon<;  the  Kentucky  was 
fillinp;  with  etni>j;rants,  althouc^h  doubt  and  dissatisfaction  already 
tvisfed  as  to  Henderson's  purchase,  and  especially  as  to  holding 


lands  of 


prop 


n 


etors,  and  beiiifr  troverned  by  th< 


\;" 


>y 


•m 


many  o 


f  the 


new  settlers  not  beinfr  itrnorant  of  the  evils  brought  on  Pennsylva- 
nin  by  means  of  the  Projirietary  rule.  Rut  hop<»  was  still  predom- 
iiant,  and  the  characters  of  Harrod,  Floyd,  Logan  and  tlie  Harts 


were  well  calculated  to  inspire  confidence. 

North  of  the  Ohio  during  that  year,  little  was  doing  of  which 
ny  knowledge  has  reached  us:  but  one  settlement  beyond  the 
Hclle  Hiviere  deserves  our  notic('. 

Our  readers  will  remember  the  calm  and  bold  Moravian,  Chris- 
Frederick  Post,  who  journeyed  to  the  IJig  Ik'aver   Creek  in 


'lan 


\1')H,  and  won  the  Delawares    to 


peace 


This   same    man,    in 


17r»l,  thinking  the  true  faith  might  be  planted  among  tliose  western 
tribes,  journeyed  out  to  the  Muskingum,  and,  upon  the  banks  of 
'hat  stream,  about  a  mil(>  from  Reaver's  Town,  built  liimse'f  a 
house.*     The  next  season,  that  is  in  the  spring  of  17fi2,  he  again 


I'rossed  the  mountains  in  com 


pany 


with  the  well-known   Hecke- 


vcldcr,  who  went  out  as  Ids  assistant.     The  Indians  having  con- 

Miitcd  to  his  living  among  them,  and  teaching  their  children   to 

ad  and  write,  Post  prepared  to  clear  a  few  acres  whereon  to  raise 

'>n\.     The  chiefs  hearing  of  this  called  him  to  them,   and   said 

'ln'\  feared  lu;  hail  changed  his  mind,  for,  instead  of  leaching  their 

hildren,  he  was  clearing  land  ;  which  if  he  did,  others  might  do, 

iiid  llien  a  fort  be  built  to  protect  them,  and  then  tlu;  land  claimed, 

■Hid  they  1)(>  driven  ol!',  as  had   always,  they  said,  been  the  ca.se. 

'^"st  r('j)lied  that  a  teacher  must  live,  and,  as  In;  did   not  wish  to 

•  lleckwcldcr's  Narrative,  p.  6i). 


150 


Zeisberger  Jounds  Shocnbrun. 


Ill -2 


1775 


be  a  burden  on  them,  be  proposed  to  raise  bis  own  food.  Thl 
reply  tbe  Indians  considered,  and  lobl  biin,  tbat,  as  be  eUiimed  ti 
be  a  minister  of  God,  just  as  tbe  F'rencb  priests  did,  and  as  tliosi 
latter  locked  fat  and  comely  tbougb  tbey  did  not  raise  corn,  it  wa> 
probable  tbat  tbe  Great  Spirit  would  take  care  of  bim  as  be  did 
of  tbem,  if  be  wisbed  bim  to  be  bis  minister;  so  tbey  could  onK 
give  bim  a  garden  spot.  Tbis  Captain  Pipe  stepped  off'  for  him. 
and  vvitb  tbis  be  bad  to  sbift  as  well  as  be  could. 

Tbese  proceedings  were  in  1762,  and  wbile  tbey  sbow  tjie  per- 
fect perception  wbicb  tbe  Indians  bad  of  tbeir  dangers,  and  of  tV 
Englisb  tactics,  explain  most  clearly  tbe  causes  of  tlu?  next  yoar'> 
war. 

Post  continued  to  till  bis  little  garden  spot  and  teacb  bis  India: 
disciples  tbrougb  tbe  summer  of  1702,  and  in  tbe  autumn  accDin- 
panied  King  Beaver  to  Lancaster,  in  Pennsylvania,  wbcre  a  fruit- 
less treaty  was  concluded  with  tbe  wbites.  Returning  from  tjn^ 
treaty  in  October,  be  met  H(;ckcwelder,  wbo  luid  been  warned  In 
his  red  friends  to  b-ave  tbe  country  before  war  came,  and  \va< 
forced  back  upon  the  settlements. 

From  tbis  time  until  tbe  autumn  of  1767,  no  Moravians  visited  tlii 
West.  Then,  and  in  tbe  following  spring,  Zeisberger  went  to  tli^ 
Alleghany,  and  there  esta])lisbed  a  mission,  against  tbe  will,  how- 
ever, of  tbe  greater  part  of  tbe  savages,  wbo  saw  nothing  but  rvi 
in  tbe  white  man's  eye.*  Tbe  fruits  would  not  ripen,  tbe  dc 
would  not  stay,  tbey  said,  wbcre  tbe  wbite  man  canu'.  Hut  7j:\<- 
berger's  was  a  fearless  soid,  and  be  worked  on,  despite  threats  arni 
plots  against  bis  life ;  and  not  only  b^dd  bis  place,  but  even  con- 
verted some  of  tbe  leading  Indians.  Among  tbese  was  one  wlr 
had  come  from  the  Big  Beaver,  for  tbe  purpose  of  refuting  tin 
Moravians;  and  tbis  man  being  influential,  the  missionaries  wlv 
in  1770  invited  to  come  to  Big  Beaver,  wbitbcr  tbey  went  in  Apri; 
of  tbat  year,  settling  about  t'venty  miles  from  its  mouth.  Nor  diii 
the  kindness  of  the  Indians  stop  here.  'I'be  Delawares  of  tbe  Muv 
kingum,  remem1)ering  perhaps  what  Post  )^ad  done  among  thiir 
ten  years  liefore,  invited  tbe  Cbrislian  Indians  of  Pennsylvania  t' 
come  and  live  on  tbeir  river;  and  in  tliis  invitation  tbe  Wyandot- 
joined.  Tbe  proposition  was  long  considered,  and  at  last  agroci 
to;  and,  on  tbe  3d  of  May,  1772,  Zeisberger,  witb  twenty-sevm 
of  bis  native  disciples,  founded  Sboeid)run,  upon  tbe  Muskin<,niiii> 
—  the  first  true  Cbristian  settlement  made  witiiin  tlie  present  Statt 

*  Heckew  >lUcr'8  Narrativv,  j*.  98. 


of  Ohio,  and 
frontier  m-cn 
ner.     To  thi 
tian  Indians 
removed.     'J 
jured,and,  w 
Pittsburgb  n 
and  laboring 
It  was  tow 
tence,  1775, 
whose  names 
if  successful] 
deeply.     Dr. 
iiad  met  and 
warils  corresj 
HO   j)rominen 
continued  at 
revolutionary 
acquaint<'d  w 
naturally  beci 
of  tbe   north- 
forces    were 
after  ravagiii 
Dunmore   in 
visited   ]3osto 
soti'di,  in   the 
bearing  one  ; 
the  true  ones, 
Dunmore  bim 
He  ami  bis  c( 
the  doubtful  v 
where  tbey  w 
'jrick.     There 


person  were 
having  been  i 
instructions  w 


•  See  on  the  who 
-an  Stale  rapers, 

t  American  Arc 


1 


177-2 

[1.  Tlii. 
^iincil  ti 

as  tliosi 
n,  it  was 
s  he  (lid 
lukl  niiK 

for  him. 

Uic  per- 
id  of  tiif 
xt  yt'ar'> 

is  India: 
ti  acciiiii- 
L'  a  fiui;- 
from  lli:^ 
ariuMl  l)\ 
and  \va> 

nsited  tlii 
cnt  to  lh' 
•ill,  li'tw- 

rr  hilt  cvi 

thf   «l.>- 

Hut  7.^\<- 

ircats  aiii: 

veil  con- 

otic  \v}i' 

utiiiir  till 

rics  \\r\' 

,t  in  Apri 

Nor  dii"' 

r  th.'  Mii<- 

ong  tlic'ir 
>dvani;i  t'- 
Wyand'^t^ 
ist  a^jrc'i 
nty-scvri: 
iskiuj^Hin. 
icnt  Si;i'' 


1775 


Coiinolly^s  Plot, 


151 


of  Ohio,  and  the  beginning  of  lliat  -whlfh  was  destroyed  by  the 
frontier  uien  ten  years  afterward,  in  so  rruel  and  cowardly  a  man- 
ner. To  this  settlement  in  the  course  of  the  next  year,  the  Chris- 
tian Indians  of  the  Susijueliannali,  and  those  of  the  Big  Beaver, 
removed.  Though  endangered  by  the  war  of  1774,  it  was  not  in- 
jured, and,  when  our  llevolutirn  began,  was  the  only  point  beyond 
Pittsburgh  north  of  the  river  where  the  English  were  dwelling 
and  laboring.* 

It  was  towards  the  close  of  this  last  year  of  our  colonial  exist- 
tence,  1775,  that  a  plot  was  discovered,  which  involved  some 
whose  names  have  already  appeared  upon  our  pages,  and  which, 
if  successful,  would  have  influenced  the  fortunes  of  the  West 
deeply.  Dr.  John  Connolly,  of  Pittsbingh,  (he  whom  Washington 
iiad  niet  and  talked  with  in  1770,  and  with  whom  he  liad  after- 
wards corresponded  in  relation  to  western  lands,  and  who  })layed 
so  prominent  a  part  as  commandant  of  Pittsburgh,  where  he 
continued  at  least  through  1774, )t  was,  from  the  outset  of  the 
revolutionary  movements,  a  Tory ;  and  being  a  man  extensively 
acquainted  with  the  West,  a  man  of  talent,  and  fearless  withal,  he 
natmally  became  a  leader.  'I'his  man,  in  1775,  planned  a  union 
of  the  north-western  Indians  with  British  troops,  which  combined 
forces  were  to  be  led,  utider  Ids  command,  from  Detroit,  and, 
after  ravaging  the  few  frontier  settlenieiils,  weic  to  join  liord 
Dutimore  in  eastern  \  irginia.  To  forward  his  platis,  Coiniolly 
visited  Boston  to  see  General  C«;igc ;  then,  having  ri'turned  to  tlie 
soulh,  in  the  fall  of  1775,  he  K:ft  Lord  Dunmor*,'  for  the  West, 
bearing  one  set  of  instructions  upon  Ids  person,  and  another  set, 
the  true  ones,  Uiost  artfully  concealed  under  the  direction  of  Lord 
Dunuiore  himself,  in  his  saddle,  secured  by  tin  and  waxed  cloth. 
He  and  his  comrades,  among  whom  was  Dr.  Smyth,  the  author  of 
the  doubtful  work  already  quoted,  had  gone  as  far  as  Hagerstown, 
where  they  were  arrested  upon  suspicioti,  and  sent  back  to  Vrv.d- 
crick.  There  they  were  searchi'd,  and  the  papers  upon  C'onnolly's 
person  were  found,  seized,  and  sent  to  Congress.  Washington 
having  been  informed  by  one  who  was  presetit  when  the  ge.iuine 
instructions  were  concealed  as  above  stated,  wrote  twice  on  the 


•  Sot"  on  till!  whole  sutj'n'ct  oPlhc  Moravian  Missions,  Ilcckeweldor's  account  in  Amori 
-an  Stale  I'apcrs,  vi.  379  to  391. 

t  Aiiitrican  Arcb.vos,  fuiirtli  scries,  i.  1179. 


152 


Indiana  hifcst  Kentucky. 


1776. 


subject  to  thf!  proper  aullinrities,  in  order  to  lead  to  tlieir  discov- 
ery, but  we  do  not  lea  n  that  lliey  were  ever  found.  Connollj 
himself  was  eonfined,  and  remained  a  close  prisoner  till  1781, 
complaining  much  of  his  hard  lot,*  but  finding  few  to  pity  him.f 


1776. 


In  the  annals  of  Kentucky,  this  year  is  remarkable,  first,  for  tht 
recognition  by  Virginia  of  the  Transylvania  colony,  as  a  jurtci 
the  Old  J)ominion  ;  and  ser'ondlv,  for  such  a  rcmewal  of  hostilivi.  :. 
a.s  drove  many  who  had  come  to  make  the  West  their  hosiie,  Itu  li 
over  the  mountains  again.  During  the  last  six  months  of  n.'5, 
and  the  first  half  iif  1770,  the  norllicrn  savages,  as  has  bt  i  n  ^^ited, 
had  in  a  great  mcasi-re  ceased  their  excursion  :  Jigiiinsl  {'h<  na- 
ders  of  their  hunting  grounds.  Not,  however,  be^'\i''o  they  I'ld 
given  uj)  the  contest  ;  tliey  were  preparing,  in  ecnn<^ction  with  the 


British    agents  in   the    nortl.-\rs' 
against  the  frontier   stations,   aii'l 


feel 


inir    o 


f  th 


e    in 


iiabit 


)r 


.f 


to   act   with  deadly  efliciency 
.;  !.   "ccms  to  have  been  the 


ms. 


V  rom    a,f    I'ar 


period  in  the  revolutionary  war,  the  use  of  the  Ijidians  had  been 
contemplated  by  both  parties  to  the  struggle.     It  had  been  usual, 

t  Ainrri<'aii  ArcJiivoK,  'Itli  sfrirs,  iv.  f)17,  wlicro  ronnolly's  commission  and  srvcral 
letters  aro  (fiv(>n  ;  do.  ili.  1000,  •.vlioic  IiIm  ox.uniiiatioii  is  to  t)r  found  ;  also  sro  indojt  ofliiith 
vols.  Sue  also  Sparks'  Washwi|,'ti.ii,  iii,  197,  21i,  212,  26i),  271.  Hordcr  Warfare,  13;). 
Old  .(oiiriials,  iii.   :t(i,  121.  122,  12.5,  US').     The  whole  story  is  in   the    report  of  the 


iiiittec  o 


f  (■ 


iliiircss,   o 


111    journals,  iii.  121.     Sec  also  .Smyth's  account  of  the  affair  in 


the 


2nil  vol.  of  his  work.  p.  24,'J. 

*  After  the  revolution,  Connolly  was  a  mischief  maker  in  Kentucky.     He  appears 
h.ivo   licen  one  of  the  (-arlii'st  f\j)lorors  (»f  the  West,  and  Ml    1770,  proposed    a  |)riiviii(e 


to 


tin-  1  won 


1''  have    inelided 


if  Kenluclty  between  the  Cnmlierland  or  Shawaiiee  rivrr, 
\  lino  dnv.ii  from  above  its  fork  to  the  fall.'i,  and  the  Ohio.  (Sparks' Washinfiton,  li 
aai.)  lie  allerwards  caused  to  be  surveyed,  patented,  and  advertised  for  sale,  in  .\pril, 
li'.'S, ')i'  (,'roiind  u|)on  'vhiih  Louisvilh;  was  built.  (American  Archives,  fourth  scrits. 
\\''Mt,.r.t  «;arlai  d.  February,  iS4tJ,  p.  08.)     See  years  1780,  1781,  and  1789. 


]  I  10. 

in  the  contest 
and  fi'W  seen 
the  red  men. 
evidence,  tha 
produced  by 
colonists  and 
Diuunore's  w 
abominable  si 
took  the  first 
qiip.rrel  of  mot 
which  we  mt 
ofrcss  to  the  Ir 
hear  the  Brili; 
they  a.sk  the  .S 
June  following 
asked  theni.  to 
Virginia  IIousi 
been  belbrehai 
seem,  then,  th 
had  applied  to 
therefore,   boti 
same  course. 
(luring  1775,  a 
iittciiipf  to  keep 
the  commissior 
But  F^ngland  '' 
iiotli  used  to  in 
it  would  seem, 
watrasH  havinii 

*  Horder  Warfare 

t  Tlie  Hicts  h(!ret 
ii<  letter,  and  ("resn 
,iriili;ilile  eauso  of  t 
ii'iivcd  at  the  day  is 
!iiili;iri  war  by  the  V 
«:is  tirinked  by  the 
'oodings,  from  the  [ 
luurtli  series,  ii.  301 

j  .Sparks'  Wnshhi 
\  Aiiicricau  Archi 
^  Sparks"    Il''a»/iii 

1  Also  known  as 
'■lie  modes  of  spellii 


^ 


1776, 


]  I  lO. 


Indians  incline  to  .Americans. 


153 


f  n/5, 

1     :'at('(l, 

'  iva- 
vy  !--.(] 
kviUi  tlic 

en  ihc 
early 


in  till'  contests  bctwccui  llie  I'^rcnch  and  F'nglisli,  as  wo  liave  s<>on; 
and  few  seem  to  liave  deemed  it  possible  to  avoid  alliances  with 
(he  red  men.  It  has  been  suggested,  but  we  know  not  on  what 
evidence,  that  the  oiigin  of  Dunmore's  war  was  the  evil  feeling 
produced  by  British  envoys,  who  anticipated  a  struggle  witlj  the 
colonists  and  were  acting  thus  early.*  We  do  not  believe  this: 
Dunmore's  war  is  easily  explained  without  resorting  to  any  such 
abominable  supposition  ;t  but  there  is  cause  to  think  that  iMigland 
took  the  first  steps  that  were  taken  to  eidist  the  Indians  in  the 
quarrel  of  mother  and  daughter.  The  first  mention  of  tlie  subject 
which  we  meet  with  Is  in  the  address  of  the  Massachussets  Con- 
gress to  the  Irocpiois,  in  April,  1775.  In  that  they  say,  that  they 
hear  (he  British  are  excitin;;  the  savajjes  against  the  colonies  ;  and 
they  ask  the  Six  Nations  to  aid  ihem  or  stanil  {piiet.|  And  in  the 
June  following,  when  James  VVooil  visited  the  western  tribes,  and 
asked  lluMi  to  a  council,  which  he  did  under  the  direction  of  the 
Virginia  House  of  Burgesses,  lie  found  that  Govi'rnor  Carlton  had 
Li  fii  beforehand,  and  oU'ered  ihe  alliance  of  England.  ||  It  would 
seem,  then,  that  even  before  the  bailie  of  Lexington,  both  })arties 
had  applied  to  the  Indians,  and  sought  an  alliance!.  In  tin;  outset, 
therefore,  both  parties  were  of  the  same  mind  and  {)ursued  the 
"■ame  course.  The  Congress  of  the  United  Colonies,  however, 
during  1775,  and  until  the  sununer  of  1770,  advomtv.d  merely  the 
nttempt  to  keep  the  Indians  out  of  the  contest  enliichj^  and  instructed 
the  commissioners,  appointed  in  the  several  departments  to  df)  so. 
But  ^^lg!and  was  of  another  mind.  Promises  and  tiireals  wvxc 
lioth  used  to  induce  the  savages  to  act  with  her,§  though,  at  first, 
it  would  seem,  to  little  purpose,  even  the  Canada  tribe  of  Caghna- 
wajrasll  havint;  offered  their  aid  to  the  Americans.     When  Biitain, 


•  nordcr  Warfare.  107,  111. 

•f-  Tlio  facts  iHTotoforo  stated  in  relation  to  Connolly's  prnrral  romiiirt,  and  osporially 
iiJ  letter,  and  ("res:i[)'s  assertion  tliat  his  proceedings  were  in  otiedience  to  it,  were  the 
priilialile  cause  of  llie  suggestions  referred  to.  That  Dunmore's  course  was  not  disap- 
iirovcd  at  the  day  is  clear,  wc;  thiiilj,  from  this,  that  lie  wa.s  thanl^ed  for  his  conduct  ofthe 
liili.iM  w,irl)y  the  Virginia  (Ninventioii,  !i<  aded  l)y  Uiiiulolph,  \Vnsliin<^tiin,  tlie  l.ces,  &(' 
«:is  tli.inlvcd  hy  th(;  House  of  BiirgeKses  also  ;  and  received  an  address  |)raising  his  pro 
■ff'ilinps,  from  tlic  peo[)Ie  of  wi  stern  V'irgiiiia.  (Kinca.stlc  County.) — Aninrican  Archives, 
I'mrlli  series,  ii.  301,  170. 

J  S|);irlxs'  Wdxhingttm,  vol.  iii.  p.  ■lO.'j.  t  Ihid.,  p.  55, 

,  Aiiicricaii  Archives,  fiiurth  serien,  iv.  110 

^.  Sparks'    Waghini^tou ,  vol.  iii.  p.  .05. 

1  .Mso  l<ii()wn  as  the  Seven  Nations  and  Seven  Castles  of  Canada.    There  is  no  end  to 
■Jie  modcsi  of  Bpciiing  the  name  '  Caghnawagas.' 


^ 


154 


Briiish  offer  hounlksjor  scalps. 


1770,  1770. 


however,  became  vi(^t(  i.ous  in  the  North,  und  particularly  ut'ii- 
the  batlie  of  the  Cedars,  in  May,  177G,  tlie  wild  men  bej^aii  n 
think  oi  holding  to  her  side,  tlieir  policy  b'-ing,  most  justly,  in  al 
quarrels  of  tiie  wliiles,  to  slick  to  the  strongest.  Then  it  was,  ii; 
June,  177G,  that  Congress  resolved  to  do  what  Waahinirlon  hwi 
adviscil  in  the  previous  .■lj)rlf,  that  is,  to  employ  the  savages  i:; 
active  warfare.  Upon  the  19th  of  Ajjril  the  Commander-in-rhiti 
wrote  to  Congress,  saying,  as  the  Indians  would  soon  be  engaged. 
either  for  or  against,  he  would  suggest  that  they  be  engaged  ti: 
the  colonies;*  upon  the  3(1  of  May,  the  report  on  this  was  con^iii- 
fcred  ;  up(»n  the  2r>th  f)f  May,  it  was  resolved  to  be  highly  expudi- 
ent  to  engage  the  Indians  for  the  American  service  ;  and,  upon  tli> 
3d  of  Jiuie,  the  Ceneral  was  empowered  to  raise  two  thousand  t- 
be  em])loyed  in  Canada.  I  pon  the  17th  of  June,  WashingUi; 
was  authorized  to  emi)loy  them  where  he  pleased,  and  to  nil: 
them  rewards  for  prisoners  ;  and,  ujion  the  8th  of  July,  he.  \v,i^ 
emi)owered  to  call  out  as  many  of  the  Nova  Scotia  and  neighbor- 
ing tribes  as  he  saw  fit.f 

Such  was  the  course  of  proceeding,  on  tlie  part  of  tlie  coloniov 
with  regard  to  tlie  employment  of  the  Indians.  'I'he  steps,  at  tin 
time,  were  secret,  but  now  the  whole  story  is  before  the  woijii 
Not  SI.,  however,  with  regard  to  the  acts  of  England  ;  as  to  tliciii 
We  have  but  few  of  the  records  placed  within  our  reach.  Om 
thing,  liowevcr,  is  known,  namely,  lit,  while  the  colonies  ollnv 
their  allies  of  the  wo(jds  rewards  {'or  prisoncrsy  some  of  the  Hriibi. 
agents  gave  them  money  for  scalps^ — a  proceeding  that  ciiiiii' 
find  any  justification. 

In  accordance  with  the  course  of  policy  thus  pursued,  the  iioiiL- 
western  tribes,  already  angered  by  the  constant  invasions  of  tlui; 
territory  by  the  hunters  oi  \  irginia  and  Carolina,  and  easily  aocrv 
sible  by  the  lakes,  were  soon  enlisted  on  the  side  of  England  ;  am 
liad  a  Pontiac  been  alive  to  lead  them,  might  have  (lon«^  much  mis- 
chief. As  it  was,  during  the  summer  of  177G,  their  stragiilln.' 
parties  so  filled  the  woods  of  Kentucky,  that  no  one  outside  oi  .. 
iort  felt  safe.  But  we  can  give  no  better  picture  of  tlie  fear  an.i 
anxiety  that  prevailed,  than  is  given  in  the  following  iett(  r  iron 
Colonel  Floyi.l,  written  at  the  time . 

•  S[nrk8'   fVafhiniston,  vol.  iii.  p.  364.     Also,  v.  ^77,  where  the  ▼icws  of  Burke,  <io' 
ernor  I'owtiull,  iind  utherH,  arc  given. 

t  Secrit  JuurnaU,  vol.  1.  j)p.  4;j-47. 

\  JoiFurbOirH  lVrUings,\o\.  i.  p,  i[>Q. 


My  Dear 
wrote  you  I.' 
ment ;  and   I 
ance,  that  thr 
B        have,  I  am  si 
to  mention, 
their  busines 
is  seen  uhno! 
damage  liiey 
llicy  killed  o 
mail  whose  n 
On  tlie  sail 
Miss   Betsy 
Boone — the  t 
grown.     The 
canoe  on  the 
getting?  over  i 
follow  more  1 
their  track  ; 
walkinjT  some 
We  observed 
and  truvelled 
be  less  cuulioi 
trace,  we  ha( 
budalo  path— 
as  they  were 
ttic  prisoners, 
dii-covfred  us, 
us  fired,  and  : 
carrying  any  i 
Mr.  Boone  ar 
move  ofT.     I 
he  shot  dropj 
wiiii  iliick  car 
little  heart-br( 
search.     We 
moccasins,  un 
After  the  girli 
there  were  (»n 
could   speak  { 
.inc.-e  towns, 
iialioti.       Sev 


1770. 
arly  nWi- 

-ly,  ill  ;il 
t  was,  ii; 
Jif/f^/l  //(//; 
ivagcs  i:. 
T-in-cliic! 
ci»f];a^f(l, 

IS  con.Mi!- 
y  i"xj)c(li- 
upon  ill' 
ousaiul  i 
a.sliiiigUi;, 
cl  U)  uil: 
y,  lie.  \\\[' 
ui'i^libor- 

;  colonies, 
•{)s,  at  il.i 
:lie  worlii 
s  to  thciii, 
.(;h.     Out 

I'S  olItTi' 

le  IJriih; 
ut  caiiii' 

ho  noiil- 

IS  ot  till  i: 

i!y  accc- 

and  ;  an' 

uucli  nii^- 

st!'a<j;,u'Ii'ii.' 

side  ot  '■ 

(rar  iin.i 

cttcr  t'nui' 


liurkc,  (.(" 


1770. 


FloyiVs  Lellcr. 


155 


BooNESDOROuon,  July,  21,  1776. 

3fij  Bear  Sir, — The  situation  of  our  country  is  much  altered  sinro  I 
wrote  you  li^st.  Tfin  Indians  seem  determined  to  hreak  up  our  sctdc- 
ment ;  and  I  really  doubt,  unless  it  is  possible  to  give  us  some  assist- 
ance, that  the  greater  part  of  the  people  may  fall  a  prey  to  ihem.  They 
liave,  I  am  saiiofied,  killed  several  whom,  at  this  time,  I  know  not  how 
to  mention.  Many  are  missing,  who  some  time  ago  went  out  about 
tlieir  business,  of  whom  we  can  hear  nothing.  Fresii  sign  of  Indians 
is  sei'ii  almotil  every  day.  I  think  I  mentioned  to  you  before,  some 
(lauiage  they  liad  done  i;t  Lee's  town.  On  the  seventh  cf  this  month, 
they  killed  on'.;  Cooper,  on  Licking  Creek,  and  on  the  fourteentli,  a 
man  whose  natnc  I  know  not,  at  your  salt  spring  on  the  tame  creek. 

On  the  same  day  they  took  out  of  a  canoe  within  sight  of  tliis  place, 

Miss   Hetsy  Callaway,  her   sister   Fraticcs,   and   a  daiightcr  of  Daniel 

Boone — the  two  last  about  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old,  ami  the  oilier 

grown.     The    affair    happened   late  in    the  afternoon.     They   left  the 

canoe  on  the  opposite  fide  of  the  river  from  us,  which   prevented  our 

getting  over  for  some  time  to  pursue  them.     We  could  not  that  night 

follow  more  than  five  miles.     Next  morning,  by  day- light  we  were  on 

tlieir  track  ;  but   they  had  entirely  prevented  our  following  them,  by 

walking  some  distance  apart  through  the  thickest  cane  ihey  could  find. 

We  observed  their  course,  and  on  which  side  they  had  lefi  their  sign — 

and  travelled  upwards  of  thirty  miles.     We  then  supposed  the     .,  >  uld 

be  less  cautious  in  travelling,  atid  making  a  turn  m  order  to  crosb  tlieir 

trace,  we  had  gone  hut  a  fuw  miles  wln'ii  we  found  their  tracks  in  u 

uufl'alo  path — pursued  and  overtook  thorn  ii:  going  about  ten  miles,  just 

as  they  were  kindling  -c  fire  to  cook.     Our  .siudy  had  been  how  to  get 

the  prisoners,  without  giving  the  Indians  time  to  murder  them  after  they 

discovered  us.     We  saw  each  oilier  nearly  at  the  same   time.     Four  of 

us  fired,  and  all  rusheo  on  them,  by  which  they  were   prevented  from 

carrying  any  thing  away  except  one  shot  gun  without  any  ammunition. 

Mr.  Roone  and  myself  had  each  a   preity  fair  shot,  as   they  began  to 

move  o(T.     I  am  well  convinced  1  shot  one  through  the  body.    The  one 

he  shot  dropped  his  gun — mine   had  none.     The   place   was  covered 

with  thick  cane,  and  being  so  much  elated  on  recoverinir  the  three  poor 

little  heart-broken  girls,  we  were  prevented  from  making  any  further 

search.     We  sent  the  Indians  oil  almost   naked — some   widiout  their 

moccasins,  and  none  of  them  with  so  much  as  a   knife  or  tomahawk. 

After  the  girls  came  to  themselves  sufTicienUy  to  speak,  they  lold  us 

there  were  only  five  Indians — four  Shawanese  and  one  Cherokee.    They 

could  speak  good  Knglish,  and  said  they  should  then  go  to  tiie  Shaw- 

Jtic^e  towns.     The  war  dub  we  got  was  like   those  I  have  seen  of  that 

nation.      Several   words  of  their  language,  which  the   girls  retained. 


156 


Crnrffo  T(np;erft  Clark  in  Kentucky. 


1776 


wore  knnwn  lo  be  Slmwanoso,  Tlipy  also  told  tliom  that  llio  Clipro- 
kros  had  killod  or  driven  all  the  people  from  Wataga  and  thereahovit,  and 
tlial  fourteen  Chcrokoes  were  then  on  the  Kentucky  waiting  to  do  mis- 
chief.  If  the  war  becomes  general,  of  which  there  is  the  greatest 
appearance,  our  situation  is  truly  alarming.  We  are  about  finishing  a 
large  fort,  and  intend  to  keep  possession  of  this  place  as  long  as  possihle, 
They  are,  I  understand,  doing  the  same  thing  at  Ilarrodsburgh,  and 
also  on  Klkhorn,  at  the  Royal  Spring.  The  settlement  on  Licking 
Creek,  known  by  the  name  of  Ilinkston's,  has  been  broken  up;  nine- 
teen of  the  settlers  are  now  here  on  their  way  in  —  Hinkston  among  the 
rest.  They  all  seem  deaf  to  any  thing  we  can  say  to  dissuade  them. 
Ten  at  least,  of  our  own  people,  are  going  to  join  them,  which  will 
leave  us  with  less  than  thirty  men  at  this  fort.  I  think  more  than  ihree 
hundred  men  have  left  the  country  since  I  came  out,  and  not  one  has 
arrived,  except  a  few  cabiners  down  the  Ohio. 

I  want  to  return  as  much  as  any  person  can  do  :  but  if  I  leave  the 
country  now,  there  is  scarcely  one  single  man  who  will  not  follow  tlio 
example.  When  I  think  of  the  deplorable  condition  a  few  helpless 
families  are  likely  to  be  in,  1  conclude  to  sell  my  life  as  dearly  as  I  can 
in  their  defence,  rather  than  make  an  ignominious  esrape. 

I  am  afraid  it  is  in  vain  to  sue  for  any  relief  from  Virginia ;  yet  the 
convention  encouraged  the  settlement  of  this  country,  and  why  should 
not  the  extreme  parts  of  Fiucasile  be  as  justly  entitled  to  protection  as 
any  other  part  of  the  country.  If  an  expedition  were  carried  on  against 
those  nations  who  are  at  open  war  with  the  people  in  general,  we  might 
be  in  a  great  measure  relieved,  by  drawing  them  olf  lo  defend  tlieir 
towns.  If  any  thing  under  Heaven  can  be  done  for  us,  I  know  of  no 
person  'vho  would  more  willingly  engage  in  forwarding  us  assistance 
than  yoi.r  lelf.  I  do,  at  the  rctjucst  and  in  behalf  of  all  the  distresred 
women  and  children  and  other  inhabitants  of  this  place,  implore  the  aid 
of  ev(!ry  leading  man  who  may  have  it  in  his  power  to  give  us  relief. 

I  cannot  wiitc.  You  can  better  guess  at  my  ideas  from  what  I  have 
said  than!  can  express  them.* 

I  am  Dear  Sir,  yours,  most  afTectionatcly,  to  my  last  moments. 

To  Colonel  Preston.  J.  FLOYD. 


But,  it  was  not  destinod  tliaf  Kentucky  should  sink  under  hn 
trials.  It  was  during  this  very  sununcr  of  177(),  in(le(;d,  that  the 
<;orner-.stone  of  her  prosperity  was  laid,  and  thn  first  step  taken 
toward  inaking  her  an  independent  cotninonwealth. 

This  was  done  by  (Jleorgc  Rogers  (^lark,  truly  her  founder,  and 
the  most  eminent  of  the  early  heroes  of  the  West.     He  was  horn 

*  See  Morchnad'H  AvlJrcsti,  p.  151. 


^ 


1776 


nine- 


;  yet  the 
yr  should 
.cction  as 
H  against 
0  might 
d  their 
w  of  no 
istance 
lre!?sed 
iho  aid 
liof. 
I  havo 


(1(T  her 

lilt  the 

taken 

IT,  and 
IS  hoTW 


1776. 


Petition  sent  from  Kentucky. 


Vol 


III  St'plember,   1743,  in  AlhcmarU'   county,  Virginia.*     In  «>arly 

hie,  he  hud  been,  like  Washington,  a  surveyor,  iind   more  latel} 

had   servt^d    in    Dunniore's  wtir.     lie    first  visited    Kentucky   in 

177a, t  and  held  iipparently  at  that  time  the  rank  ol'  major.      Re- 

luniiiig  to  Virginia,  in  the  iuituinn  of"  1775,  he  prepared  to  move 

j)<  rinanently  to  the  West,  in  the  following  spring.     Having  done 

this  early  in  1776,  Clark,  whose  views  reached  much  farther  than 

{hose  of"  most  of  the  Pioneers,  set  himself  seriously  to  (;onsider  the 

loiidition  and  prospects  of  the  young  republic   to  wliich  he  had 

.sttached  himself.     Its  advantages  were  too  obvious  to  escape  any 

cyo;  but  the  dangers  of  a  colony  so  far  Leyoiid  the  old  lines  of 

civilization,  and    unconnected    with   any  of  the  elder  provinces, 

v\liile  at  the  same  time  the  title  to  it   svas  in  dispute,  had  not  im- 

luessed  all  iriinds    iis    they    should.     Clark    knew    that    Virginia 

entirely   denied  the    purcnase  of  Ili'iidcrson;   he   knew  also  that 

ileiulerson's  purchase   from  the  Cherokees  was  of  the   sam<    soil 

wliich  Sir  William  Johnson  had  purchased  for  the  king  in  i7G8, 

MMii  the   Inxpiois,  at  Fort  Slanwix;  he  was  sure,  also,  that    the 

Virginia  settlers  would  never  be  ciisy  under  a  proprietary  govern- 

uu'iil,   however  founded ;   and   saw   already  with   his  (juick   eye, 

AJil'-spread   dissatisfaction.     One  of  two   things  he  deemed  the 

frontier  settlements  must  be,  either  an  acknowledged  portion  of 

Virginia,!  and  to  be  by  her  aided  in  their  struggles, — or  an  indc- 

iiident  commonwealth.     These  views  had  been  })arlially  formed 

.1  1775,  probid)ly,  for  we  find  that  by  June  Gth,  1770, ||  they  had 

.!;iliied   sunicient   inirreiu-y   to  cause   the  gathering  of  a  general 

mt.eliiig  at  Ilarrodsburgh,   to  bring  matters  to  an   issue.     Clark 

>vas  not  present  at  the  commencement  of  the  meeting.     Had   he 

.■111,  there  is  reason  to  think   he  would  have  procured  the  clec- 

'  lii  of  envoys   tiuthorised   to  lay   the  whole   business  before    the 

Assembly  of  Virginia,  and   ask   the  admittance  of  Kentucky  by 

'self  into  the  number  of  her  counties.     As  it  was,  he  and  (jabriel 

!'nes  were   chosen   members  of  the  Virginia  Assembly,  iind   the 

'llowing  petition  was  prepared  to  be;  laid  before  that  body. 

•  Duller,  2(1(1  edition,  .IS. 

I  ■  lie  was  wc;<t  oftlu;  mountains  in  1772,  as  Tar  as  tin;  Kciiliuwa  ul  least;  sec  Journal 
I  "I'v.  I\iviil  .loiH  «  ill  Ci-^t's  rinciiiiKili  Mi'-fi'M  viy ,  i.  91'.  In  177),  \\r  w ;  g  on  hi^  v-ii) 
Kt>ritu;ky,  whrn  I)iiniiiore'8  war  broke  out.     Soc  arih'. 

:  So  far  Fincustle  county  hail  been  held  to  includi'  Kentucky,  but  the  inhabitants  had 
"  Mgliib  or  protection  as  cilizcnii  wf  Niryinia,  Marshall,  i.  -17. 

!  Il.itlcr,  introduction,  l.ix.  !<ays  Jun«'  5,  I77t>.  ;  Ilislnry,  3S,  June  6,  177.5;  riironoloj;), 
■  ^",  June  5,  1770  ;  Morehcad,  June  C,  1770  ;  Clark,  lu  Dillon's  Indiana,  ».  128,  sfi)B 
■'m«6, '776. 


158 


Kentucky  Pet U Ion. 


177G. 


To  tlir  honornhh  thr  Cnnvcnthm  of   Virginia — 'T\\c  petition  ol  i|,r 
inliahitatits,  :itul  suiiic  of  llie   iiitomlcd  st'tlltT!*,  of  llial  part  of  Norll; 
Amoricn  now  denominated  Trriiisylviinia,  hiimhiy  slieweth. 
Jf'hcrcas  some  of  your  petitioners  became  adventurers  in  that  couiiirv 
from  the  advanlafreouH   reports   of  llieir  friends  who   first  explored  ii, 
and  others  sinco  allured  liy  the  speeious  show   of  the   easy  terms  on 
which  the  laml  was  to  be  purchased  from  those  who  style  themselvts  lo 
be  proprietors,  have,  at  a  great  expense   and   many  hardships,  fe'.lliii 
there,  under  the  failh  of  holding,'  the  lauds  by  an  indefeasible  title,  wliicli 
those  gentlemen  assured  them  they  were  capable  uf  making.     Hut  you: 
petitioners  have  been  greatly  alarmed  at  the  late  conduct  of  those  gtu- 
tlomcn,  in  advancing  the   price  of   the   purchase  money   from  twenty 
shillings  to  fifty  shillings  sterling  per  hundred  acres,  and  at  the  sniii' 
time  have  increased  the  fees  of  entry  and  surveying   lo  a  most  exorli- 
tant  rate  ;  and,   by  the  abort  period  prefixed  for  taking   up    the  lam!-, 
even  on  those  extravagant  termr,,  they  plainly  evince  their  intentions  f 
risinjr  in  their  demands  us  the  settlers  increase,  or  their  insatiable  ain- 
rice  shall  dictate.     And  your  petitioners  have  been  more  justly  alariiu ! 
:U  such   unaccountable  and   arbitrary  proceedings,  as   they  have  lately 
learned,  from  a  copy  of  the  deed  made  by  the  Six  Nations  with  Si; 
William  Johnson,  and  the  commissioners  from   this  Colony,  at  l"or: 
Stanwix,  in  the  year  17(»S,  that  the  said  lands  were  included  in  the  of- 
sion  or  grant  of  all  that  tract  which  lies  on  the  south  side  of  the  rivrr 
Ohio,  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Cherokee  or  Ilogohege  River,  and  ex- 
tending up  the  said  river  to  Ketluning.     And,  as  in  tiie  preamble  of  .<a.. 
deed,  the  said  confederate   Indians   declare   the  Cherokee    River  lo  bo 
their  true  boundary  with  the  southern  Indians,  your   j)elitioners  iimy. 
with  great  reason,  doubt  the  validity  of  the  purchase  that  those  prnpi  • 
tors   have    made   of  the   Clierokees  —  the  only   title  they  set  up  tot!; 
lands  for  which  they  demand  such  extravagant  sums  from  your  pclitii:.- 
crs,  without  any  other  assurance  for  holding  them  than  their  own  (let! 
and  warrantee  ;  a  poor  security,  as  your  petitioners  humbly  apprchen!. 
for  the  money  that,  among  other  new  and  unreasonable  regulations,  the?? 
proprietors  insist  sliould  be  paid  down  on  the   delivery  of  the  deci! 
And,  as  we  have  the  greatest  reason  to   presume  that  his  majesty,  i' 
whom  the  lands  were  deeded  by  the  Six  Nations,  for  a  valuable  consi- 
deration, will  vindicate  his  title,  and  think  himself  at  liberty  lo  giant  then 
to  such  persons,  and  on  such  lerms  as  he  pleases,  your  petitioners  woiiltl 
in  consequence  thereof,  be  turned  out  of  possession,  or  be  obliged  lo  pur- 
chase their  lands  and  improvements  on  such  terms  as  the   new  graiiic' 
or  proprietor  might  think  fit  to  injpose  ;  so  that  we  cannot  help  rcg:ir  ■ 
ing  the  demand  o(  Mr.  Henderson  and  his  company  as  highly  unjust  aiil 
impolitic,  in  the  infant  state  of  the  settlement,  as  well  as  greatly  injiir- 
ous  to  your  petitioners,  who  would  cheerfully  have  paid  the  considorJ- 


ITTH. 

lion  at  first  slj 
.oiifiriiipd  l)y 
jpi^i.-lalure. 

And,  a«  we 
of  the  united 
iiifaiit  settlemc 
iiid  iinpli)re  to 
lion  of  the  Col 
selves  still  a  p;i 
\vc  may  not  mi 
jTiitN^nien  styli 
oppresi-ive  desi 
<eore  of  men,  ;i 
\\\e  roiinlry  last 
And  that  you 
iloin  shall  judm 
■livided  settlemc 
more  properly 
would  in  your  p^ 
10  espouse  it  ns 
James   Ilarro 
Kohert  Atkinsor 
nerd  VValt(,T,  Hi 
llrownfiehl,  Joh 
lliraham  Vanmi 
Charles  Creerafi 
I'igman,  Simon 
'oley,  Silas   Ha 
Mills,  .leliii    Har 
Thomas   Wilsoi 
•''Hel  Thomas,  / 
Myars,  Peter   P 
Thos.  nalhugh, 
fnin  Davis,    Rei 
Hniise,   John   I) 
Andrew  House, 
net  Neal,  John  i 
Jpiliah    Ashraft, 
i^ebulon  Collins, 
Jiin.,  Andrew  H^ 
^\'illiatn  Parkisoi 

'  ^'te  Hall,  ii.  236. 


177(1 


177n. 


Kmturky  Petition. 


\m 


\    Ol    ll.r 

»f  Norll; 

,  (M)uiitry 
)lort'(l  ii, 
.erins  0:1 
iselvis  U) 
a,  gc'.'viid 
,1c,  wliic;, 
Hul  you; 
hose  gvu- 
in  tweiiiy 
tlic  saiii'' 
st  cxorlii- 
the  lam!-, 
rnlions  1' 
tiablf  ;ivi- 
ly  aliiriiif ! 
lave  lately 
\s  with  Si: 
y,   at  For; 
in  the  cfv 
if  ihc  rivi: 
cr,  and  tv 
ble  of  ;a.. 
liviT  to  b'^ 
oiicrs  iii;iy. 
se  propri 
,  up  to  ih.'  I 
ur  pctiiif'"- 1 
r  own  il't 
iipprchrn'. 
tions,  tliP'- 
the  dcPi' 
majpsiy,  > 
lablc  con^!■ 
giant  tlicr. 
incrs  won!; 
iged  to  pi.  • 
icw  graiiiw 

r  unjust  a"'' 
eatly  injur- 
considi^f'' 


lion  at  first  stipniaird  hy  llio  company,  wlionrvrr  thrir  prant  Iiatl  hccn 
oiifirinpd  l)y  the  crown,  or  oilicrwisc  nuthcniicated  by  iho  siiprem''" 
Iciri.-latiirn. 

And,  a«  we  are  anxious  to  concur  in  every  respect  with  our  brclbren 
of  the  united  Colonicp,  fur  our  just  riglits  and  privileges,  as  far  as  our 
infant  Metlleiiient  and  remote  Hiluation  will  admit  of,  we  humbly  expect 
;iiid  implore  to  be  taken  under  the  protection  of  '.ho  honorable  Coiivcn- 
lion  of  the  Colony  of  Virginia,  of  which  we  cannot  help  thinking  our- 
selves still  a  part,  and  request  your  kind  interposition  in  our  bihiH',  that 
we  may  not  j-uUlt  under  the  rigorous  demands  and  impo.sition.s  of  the 
^tnllcnicn  styling  themselves  proprietors,  who,  the  better  to  ellecl  their 
oppresi-ive  designs,  have  given  tlicm  the  color  of  a  law,  enacted  by  a 
•{.'orc  of  men,  artfully  picked  from  the  few  adventurers  w  ho  went  to  sec 
ihc  country  last  summer,  overawed  by  the  presence  of  Mr.  Ilemhrson. 

And  that  you  would  take  such  measures  as  your  honors  in  your  wis- 
lom  shall  judge  most  expedient  for  restoring  peace  and  harmony  to  ojir 
livided  settlement;  or,  if  your  honors  api)rehend  that  our  case  comes 
more  properly  before  the  honorable  the  fJeneral  Congress,  that  you 
would  in  your  goodness  recommend  the  same  to  your  worthy  d(  legates, 
to  espouse  it  ns  the  cause  of  the  ('olony.     And  your  petitioners,  Ac. 

James  llarrod,  Abm.  Ilite,  Jun.,  Patrick  Dorane,  Halph  Nailor, 
Robert  Atkinson,  Robert  Nailor,  John  Maxf"  Id,  Samuel  Poitingcr,  Har- 
;,ird  Walter,  Hugh  McMillion,  John  Kilpatrick,  liobert  Dook,  I'dward 
lirownficld,  John  Heesor,  Conrad  \\  ooller,  John  Moore,  John  (Corbie, 
\hraham  Vanmctre,  Samuel  Moore,  Isaac  I'ritcherd,  Joseph  (iwync, 
Charles  Creeraft,  James  Willie,  John  Camron,  Thomas  Kenady,  Jesse 
I'igman,  Simon  Moore,  John  Moorel  Thomas  Moore,  Ileiman  Con- 
•ohy,  Silas  Ilarland,  W'm.  Ilarrnd,  T.nvi  llarrod,  John  Mills,  TJijah 
^lills,  Jehu  Ilarland,  TiConard  Cooper,  ^^'illiam  Rice,  Arthur  Iiigrim, 
Thomas   Wilson,  William  Wood,  Joseph   I.yons,  George  Tlland,  ^\i• 

'.ad  Thomas,  Adam  Smith.  Sanniel  Thomas,  Henry  Thomas,  William 
Myars,  Peter  Paul,  Henry  Symons,  William  CafTata,  James  Hugh, 
Thos.  Dathugh,  John  Connway,  William  Crow,  William  FeaN,  Benja- 
min Davis,  Reniah  Dun,  Adam  Neelsnn,  William  Shepliard,  Wm. 
House,  John  Dun,  John  Sim,  Sen.,  John  House,  Simeon  House, 
Andrew  House,  William  Hartly,  Thomas  Dean,  Richard  Owan,  Rar- 
not  Neal,  John  Severn,  James  Hugh,  James  Calloy,  Joseph  Parkison, 
Joiliali    Ashraft,  John   Hardin,    Archibald    Reves,    Moses  'J'homas,   J. 

/.I'bulon  (Jollins,  Thomas  Parkison,  Wm.  Muckleroy,  Meredith  Helm, 

Jun.,  Andrew  House,  David  Brooks,  John  Helm,  Benjamin  I'arkison, 

William  Parkison,  William  Crow.* 

'  Ste  Hall,  ii.  236. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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1.25 


!Sia 


IM 
2.2 


1^  1^ 

t    1^    12.0 


1.4    III  1.6 


V] 


<^ 


/a 


A 


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°'W 


M 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


160 


Clark  gets  jiowder  from   Virginia. 


1776 


177fi. 


Clark  knew  pcn-fcctly  well  that  the  Legislature  of  his  native 
State  would  not  aekriovvledge  the  validity  of  the  election  of  Dcjc- 
gates  from  the  frontiers,  but  hoping  nevertheless  to  eflfect  h^ 
object,  he  and  his  companion  took  the  southern  route  by  the  Cuia- 
borland  Ciap,  ami  after  suffering  agonies  f'-om  "scald  feet,"  a; 
length  reached  their  destination  only  to  learn  that  the  Assemlih 
had  adjourned.  This  of  course  caused  a  delay  in  part  of  tlici: 
proceedings,  but  the  keen-witted  soldier  saw  that,  before  t!,i 
fjCgislalure  met  again,  he  might,  by  proper  steps,  elTect  much  ll;,r 
lie  wished  to;  he  lost  no  time,  therefore,  in  waiting  upon  PalrifL 
Henry,  then  Governor,  and  explaining  to  him  the  capabilities,  tl;. 
dangers,  the  wislu^s,  and  the  necessities  of  the  settlers  in  the  in 
west,  —  asked  for  a  su})ply  of  the  hrst  necessary  of  life,  gun  pow- 
der. The  (lovcrnor  listened  favorably  and  gave  Clark  a  favorabk 
letter  to  the  lOxecutive  Couneil,  being  himself  sick  and  unable  v 
go  witli  him  to  Williamsburg,  the  seat  of  government  at  that  tini. 
But  the  Council  were  very  cautious,  and  while  they  would  hw: 
the  powder  if  Clark  would  he  answerable  for  it,  and  pay  for  i'> 
transportation,  tln^y  dared  not  \nitil  the  Assembly  had  recognize; 
the  Kentucky  stations  as  within  Virginia,  do  more.  Clark  pn- 
scnted,  and  again  presented  the  impossibility  of  his  conveying  tli> 
powder  to  so  great  a  distance,  through  a  country  swarming  wiiL 
foes.  Th(^  Council  listened  patiently  but  dared  not  run  any  risk 
An  order  was  issued  for  the  powder  on  the  terms  proposed,  h\\: 
the  indexible  pioneer  would  have  none  of  it,  and  inclosing  iLi 
order  auain  to  the  Council  told  them  that,  since  Vir<>:inia  woiil. 
not  aid  her  children  they  must  look  elsewhere,  —  that  a  land  iid 
worth  defending  was  not  worth  claiming,  of  course,  —  and  so  lu 
bade  them  good-bye.  These  intimations  were  not  to  be  ovir- 
looked,  the  whole  matter  was  ao;ain  weio;hed  in  the  Council,  aiii: 
probably  the  Governor's  advice  taken,  after  which,  upon  the  '231: 
of  August,  an  order  was  issued  for  placing  the  ammunitinn 
requir(vl  at  Pittsburgh,  subject  to  Major  Clark's  order,  for  the  un 
of  the  inhabitants  of  "Kentucki"* 

One  of  his  obj(>cts  being  thus  in  the  main  accomplished,  Clark 
prepared  himself  to  urge  the  suit  of  the  Transylvania  colonist- 
before  the  Legislature  v/hcu  it  should  meet  in  the  fall,  having  il;  '• 
written  to  his  friends  at  the  west  that  powder  was  waiting  tlum 
at  Pittsburgh,  which  they  must    manage  to  get  down  the  rivi.r 

•  Butler,  second  edition,  488,  gives  the  order. 


When  the 
hand,  and 
lay  beibre 
purchase  i) 
ul  considei 
that  the  sui 
certain  bv 
thai  now  k 
lh>  secoiu: 
before  the  ; 
riatc  were  > 
southern  ro 
their  gun  ] 
Clark's  lett, 
envoys  dett 
fve  hundrec 
When  they 
was  thought 
would   prob 
he  lost,  no   1 
men  the  two 
in  rea(;hin'>- 
since  built, 
tion,  they  co 
hanks   of  th 
convoy.      Oi 
neighborhoo 
ivniained  to 
while  Clarl 
Jones  and  T( 
liut  were   sue 
Blue  Licks, 
weie  defeate 
however,  rer 
th.'nee  which 

'  ^torchcail's  A 
nuclion.  Ixx.  .itid 

^  Clark's  .Tourn 
•;■  130. 


n 


1776 

is    native 

of  Dclr. 
L'ffcct  h< 
the  Cum- 

foct,"  a! 
Asscml)!} 
-t  of  lliii: 
)eforu  111 
much  tlia' 
in  Palrid 
lilities,  ll- 
;  in  tlio  fa: 

gun  pow- 
1  fiivoraljk 

unabk'  % 
t  that  tirar. 
would  Icivi 

pay  for  i'> 
recogni/.ri; 

Clark  pii- 
iivcying  ili' 
Inning  wiiL 
m  any  ri^l^ 
oposed,  1)^:'. 
^closing  ilii 
(rinia  ^voul^ 

a  land  ii' ' 

■  and  so  lu 
to  be  oviT- 
['ouncil,  aiiii 

on  the  -23'; 

|ammuni'i"ii 

for  the  UH 

shed,  Clark 

lia    colonisb 

having  fir' 

laiting  tluni 

ii  tlie  rivir 


1770 


Clark  and  Jones  attacked  by  the  JWitives. 


161 


Wlien  the    Assembly  met,    Messrs.   Clark  and  Jones  on  tlie  one 
jiaiul,  and    Henderson    and  his   friends  on  the  other,  proceeded  to 
lav  bt-tbre  it  the  whole  question  of  proprietorship  in  the   Kentucky 
pinthasi'  from  the  Clierokees.     The  contest   must   have   ijcen  one 
of  considerable  severity,   for  it   was   not  till   Decendjcr  7,  1770,* 
that  the  success  of  the   Dcdegates    appointed   in   June   was    made 
certain  by  the  erection  of  the    region  in  dispute,  together  with  all 
that  now  forms  the  State  of  Kentucky,  into  a  (,'ounty  of  that  name. 
His  second  great  aim  secured,  (and  he  probably  considered  it  so 
before  the  actual  passage  of  the  above  law,)  Clark  and    liis  asso- 
ciate were  on  the  point  of  returning  at  once  to   the   frontier  by  thi' 
southern   route,  as   we   presume,  when  they  fortunately  heard  that 
their  gun  powder   still    lay   at    Pittsburgh.     The   truth    was   that 
Clark's  letter  to  his  western  friends  had  miscarried.     At  once  the 
envoys  determined  to  go  back  by  way  of  the   Ohio  ami   see  their 
fve  hundred  pounds  of  ammunition  safe  to  the  stations  themselves. 
When  they  reached   Pittsburgh  they  learned  that  many  Indians,  il 
was  thought  with  hostile  intentions,  were  lurking  tiiereabouts  who 
would   probably   follow  them  down  the  river ;  but  no  time  was  to 
be  lost,  no  matter  what  dangers  threatened,  so  with  seven  boat- 
men the  two    Delegates  embarked  upon  the    Ohio,  and  succeeded 
in  reaching  safely   Limestone   Creek,  where   Maysville  has   been 
since  built.     Setting  tlieir  boat  adrift,  lest  it  should  attract  atten- 
tion, they  concealed   their  treasure,  as  they  best  (,'ould,  along   the 
banks   of  the   Creek,    ami    started   for    Ilarrodsburg  to  procure  a 
convoy.     On  the  way  they  lieard  of  Colonel  Todd  as  being  in  the 
neisrhborhood  with  a  band  of  men ;  Jones  and  five  of  the  boatmen 
rciuained  to  join   this  parly  and    return   with   it  for  the    powdei', 
while  Clark  and  the   other  two  pushed   forward  to  the   Kentucky. 
Jones  and  Todd,  having  met,  turned  their  steps  towards  the  Ohio, 
but  were   suddenly   attacked  on  the    ibili   of  December,  near  the 
Blue  Licks,  by  a  party  of  natives   who   had   struck  Clark's  trail, 
Were  defeated,  and  Jones   with   two   others   was  killed. f     Clark, 
however,  reached   Ilarrodsburg  in  safely,   and   a  party  was   sent 
tlnnce  winch  brought  the  gun  powder  to  the  forts. 

'  Morcticail's  Address,  5G. — ■Hutlcr  siys  Dctolior. — p.  SO. — December  7,.  in  liia  Iiitrci- 
riuctinii.  lx\. -itid  Ueccnibcr  Otli,  in  Chronology,  p.  27. 

*  Clark's  .Tournal   in  Morehcad,  161.— Also  Clark's  account  in  Dillon's  Indiana,  ICS 

•••no. 


11 


1777. 


r  ^^J^\. 


The  year  1776  might  be  said  to  have  passed  without  any  serious 
injury  to  the  colonists  from  the  various  Indian  tribes,  although  it 
was  clear,  that  those  tribes  were  to  be  looked  on  as  engaged  in 
the  war,  and  that  the  majority  of  them  were  with  the  mother 
country.  Through  the  west  and  northwest,  where  the  agents  of 
England  could  act  to  the  greatest  advantage,  dissatisfaction  spread 
rapidly.  The  nations,  nearest  the  Americans,  found  themselves 
pressed  upon  and  harassed  by  the  more  distant  bands,  and  through 
the  whole  winter  cf  1776-7,  rumors  were  flying  along  the  frontiers 
of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  of  coming  troubles.  Nor  were  the 
good  people  of  New  York  less  disturbed  in  their  minds,  the 
settlers  upon  the  Mohawk  and  upper  Si'squehanna  standing  in 
continual  dread  of  incursion.*  No  incursion,  however,  took  place 
during  the  winter  or  spring  of  1777  ;  though  why  the  blow  was 
<lelayed  is  what  we  cannot  well  know,  until  Great  Britain  has 
magnanimity  enough  to  unveil  her  past  acts,  and,  acknowledgino; 
her  follies  and  sins,  to  show  the  world  the  various  steps  to  thai 
union  of  the  savages  against  her  foes,  which  her  noble  Chatham 
denounced  as  a  "disgrace,"  and  "deep  and  deadly  sin." 

That  blow  was  delayed,  however;"  and,  alas!  was  struck,  at 
length,  after,  and  as  if  in  retaliation  for,  one  of  those  violent  acts 
of  WM'ong,  which  must  at  times  be  expected  from  a  frontier  peoi)h>. 
We  refer  to  the  murder  of  Cornstalk,  the  leading  chieftain  of  the 
Scioto  Shawanese ;  a  man  wdiose  energy,  courage,  and  good  sense, 
place  him  among  the  very  foremost  of  the  native  heroes  of  this 
land.f  This  truly  great  man,  who  was  himself  for  peace,  but  wlio 
found  all  his  neighbors,  and  even  those  of  his  own  tribe,  stirred 
up  to  war  by  the  agents  of  England,  went  over  to  the  American 
fort  at    Point   Pleasant,  at  the  mouth  of  the    Great    Kenhawa,  in 


*  Journal  of  the  Old  Congress. — Stone,  &c. 

t  Sec  SfOTiP,  vo!  i.  p.  IP].— DoJJriJgc's  Indian  War^,  &c. 


1777. 


Cortisfnlk  and  Redluiwk  cnmarcd  and  killed. 


163 


serious 
lOugh  it 
aged  in 

mothei 
rrents  ot 
ii  spread 
■mselves 

through 

frontier? 
were  the 
mds,  the 
nding  in 
)ok  place 
3lo\v  was 

ain  has 
wledging 
to  thai 

Chatham 

ruck,  at 
olent  act? 
peoph\ 
Iiin  of  the 
od  sense, 
of  this 
but  who 
',  stirred 
American 
nhawa,  in 


:ir(lcr  to  talk  the  matter  over  with    Captain  Arbuckle,  who  com- 
jnaiuled    there,   and   with    whom  he  was    acquainted.     This    was 
{■arly  in   the   summer  of    1777.     'Hie    Americans,    knowing   the 
Shawanese  to  be  inclining  to  the  enemy,  thought  it  would  be  a 
good  plan  to  retain   Cornstalk  and   Redhawk,  a  younger  chief  of 
note,  who  was  with  him,  and  make  them  hostages   for  the   good 
conduct  of  their  people.     The  old  warrior,   accordingly,  after  he 
had  finished    liis   statement  of  the  position  he  was   in,   and  the 
necessity  under  which  he   and  his  friends  would   be  of  *'  going 
with  the  stream,"  unless   the   Long-Knives  could   protect  them, 
found  that,  in  seeking  counsel  and   safety,  he  liad   walked  into  a 
irap,  and  was  fast  there.     However,  he  folded  his  arms,  and,  with 
Indian  calmness,  waited  the  issue.     The  day  went  by.     The  next 
morning  came,  and  from  the  opposite  shore  was  heard  an   Indian 
hail,  known  to  be   from   Ellinipsico,  the   son  of  Cornstalk.     The 
Americans  brought  him  also  into  their  toils  as  a  hostagce,  and  were 
thankful  that  they  had  thus  secured  to  themselves   peace;  —  as  if 
inifpiity  and  deception  ever  secured  that  first  condition  of  all  good! 
Another  day  rolled  by,  and  the  three   captives  sat   waiting   what 
time  would  bring.     On   the   third    day,   two   savages  who   were 
unknown  to    the   whites,  shot    one   of  the  white    hunters,  toward 
evening.     Instantly   the    dead    man's    comrades    raised    the    cry, 
"Kill  the  rod  dogs  in  the  fort."     Arbuckle  tried  to  stop  them,  but 
ihey  were  men  of  blood,  and  tlieir  wrath  was  up.     The  Captain's 
own  life  was  threatened  if  he  offered  any  hindrance.     They  rushed 
to  the   house  where  the   captives  were  confined;  Cornstalk   met 
them  at  the  door,  and  fell,  pierced  with  seven  bullets;  his  son 
and  Redhawk  died   also,   less  calmly  than  their  veteran  compan- 
ion, and  more  painfully.     From  that  hour  peace  was    not   to   be 
hoped  for.* 

But  this  treachery,  closed  by  murder,  on  the  part  of  the  Ameri- 
•^ans,  in  no  degree  caused,  or  excuses  the  after  steps  of  the  British 
agents ;  for  almost  at  the  moment  when  Cornstalk  was  dying  upon 
the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  there  was  a  Congress  gathering  at  Oswego, 
under  the  eye  of  Colonel  Johnson,  "to  eat  the  flesh  and  drink  the 
blood  of  a  Bostonian ; "  in  other  words,  to  arrange  finally  the 
measures  which  should  be  taken  against  the  devoted  rebels  by 
Christian  bretliren  and  their  heathen  allies,  f 


'  DotWridgc,  237.— Withes'  Border  Warfare,  151, 
t  Stone,  vol,  i,  p.  186, 


164 


British  q/fer  bounties  for  sculps. 


1775 


In  Kontiifky,  mciinwhilo,  Indian  hostilities  luul  boon  unceasing' 
In   illustration   of  this   we   give   some   passages  from    George   R. 
Clark's  Journal.* 

March  6th,  Thos.  Shores  and  William  Ray  killed  at  the  Shawanesp 
Spring. — 7lli,  the  Indians  allomplod  to  cu  I  off  from  the  fort  a  small 
party  of  our  men  :  a  skirmish  ensued — we  had  four  men  wounded  and 
some  cattle  killed.  We  killed  and  scalped  one  Indian,  and  wounded 
seve.vl — 8lh,  brought  in  corn  from  the  different  cribs  until  the  18ih  day. 
— 9lh,  express  sent  to  the  settlement,  Euenezer  Corn  &  Co.  arrived 
from  Captain  Linn  on  the  Mississippi. —  18th,  a  small  party  of  Indians 
killed  and  scalped  Hugh  Wilson,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  fort,  near 
night,  and  escaped. — 19ih,  Archibald  McNeal  died  of  his  wounds  re- 
ceived on  the  7th  inst. — 28ih,  a  large  party  of  Indians  attacked  the 
stragglers  about  the  fort,  killed  and  scalped  Carrct  Pandergrest,  killed  o\ 
took  prisoner,  Peter  Flin. 

Jlpril  7ih,  Indians  killed  one  man  at  Booncsborough,  and  wounded 
one. — 8ih,  Stoner  arrived  with  news  from  the  settlement. — 24ih.  forty 
or  fifty  Indians  attacked  Booncsborough,  killed  and  scalped  Daniel  Good- 
man, wounded  Captain  Boone,  Captain  Todd,  Mr.  Ilite  and  Mr.  Stoner 
Indians,  't  is  thought  sustained  much  damage. — 29lh,  Indians  attacked 
the  fort  and  killed  ensign  McConnell. 

May  6th,  Indians  discovered  placing  themselves  near  the  fort.  A 
few  shots  exchanged — no  harm  done.— 12lh,  John  Cowan  and  Squire 
Boone  arrived  from  the  settlement. — 18ih,  McGary  and  Ilaggin  sent 
expiess  to  Fort  Pitt. — 23d,  John  Todd  &;  Co.  set  off  for  the  setdement. 
— 23d,  a  large  party  of  Indians  attacked  Booncsborough  fort ;  kept  ;■ 
warm  fire  until  11  o'clock  at  night;  began  it  next  morning,  and  kept  a 
warm  fire  until  midMight,  attempting  several  times  to  burn  the  fort; 
three  of  our  men  were  wounded  —  not  mortally;  the  enemy  suffered 
considerably. — 26th,  a  party  went  out  to  hunt  Indians;  one  wounded 
Squire  Boone,  and  escaped. — 30lh,  Indians  attacked  Logan's  Fort: 
killed  and  scalped  William  Hudson,  wounded  Burr  Harrison  and  Join 
Kennedy. 

Jvnc  5th,  Harrod  and  Elliot  went  to  meet  Colonel  Bowman  &  Co.: 
Glen  and  Laird  arrived  from  Cumberland  ;  Daniel  Lyons,  who  parted 
with  them  on  Green  River,  we  suppose  was  killed  going  into  Logan'? 
Fort.  John  Peters  and  Elisha  Bathey  we  expect  were  killed  cominj 
home  from  Cumberland. — 13th,  Burr  Harrison  died  of  his  woimds  re- 
ceived the  30th  of  May. — 22d,  Barney  Stagner,  Sen.  killed  and  behead- 
ed half  a  mile  from  the  fort.     A  few  guns  fired  at  Boone's. 

*  Sec  also  extractis  from  anotlier  journal  of  the  same  period  in  Cist's  Cincinnati  Misc" 
lany,  ii,  138. 


1777. 

July  9tli 
returned. — 

^lugust  ] 
rounded  ten 
others  ;  the 
gins  died  of 
Logan's  Foi 

Scptcmhc 
Indians  dis( 
seven  men 
were  fired  o 
on  the  spot, 
six  others  v 
yesterday,* 

At  times, 
at  times,  sii 
rjie  horses 
iinoultivatet 
and  from  th 
stations,  unt 
with  one  lit 
through   all 
borne ;  but  i 
tude,  than  t 
less  admirat 
men  like  hit 
with  the  grc 
say  what  wo 
England  be( 
of  the  rebels 
nations  ?     It 
Kentucky,  a: 
Vincennes, 
.struggle, 
r  But,  how{ 
picturesque  ; 
history  durin 
^0  mellowed 
wisely ;  but  tl 

'  Morehead's  . 


1777. 


Condition  of  Kentucky. 


165 


July  9tli,  Lieutenant  liiim  married;  great  merriment. —  lllli,  Ilarrod 
relurncil. — 'i.'Jj,  express  lelurncd  from  Pitlsburgli. 

Jiigust  1st,  Colonrl  Bowman  arrived  at  Boonesborougli.  —  'nh,  sur- 
rouiulcd  ten  or  twelve  Indians  near  the  fort;  killed  three  and  wounded 
others;  the  plunder  was  sold  for  upwards  of  .£70. —  11th,  John  Ilig- 
trins  died  of  a  lingering  disorder. — 25th,  Ambrose  Grayson  killed  near 
Logan's  Fort,  and  two  others  wounded  ;  Indians  esc.ipcd. 

September  Pth,  twenty-seven  men  set  out  for  the  settlement. — 9lh, 
Indians  discovered;  a  shot  exchanged;  nothing  done. — 11th,  thirty- 
seven  men  went  to  Joseph  Bowman's  for  corn,  while  shelling  they 
were  fired  on  ;  a  skirmish  ensued  ;  Indians  drew  off,  leaving  two  dead 
on  the  spot,  and  much  blood;  Eli  (ierrard  was  killed  on  the  spot  and 
six  others  wounded. — 12ih,  Daniel  Bryan  died  of  his  wounds  received 
yesterday.* 


At  times,  the  stations  were  assailed  by  large  bodies  of  savages; 
at  times,  single  settlers  were  picked  off  by  single,  skulking  foes. 
The  horses  and  cattle  were  driven  away ;  the  corn-fields  remained 
imcultivated ;  the  numbers  of  the  whites  became  fewer  and  fewer, 
and  from  the  older  settlements  little  or  no  aid  came  to  the  frontier 
stations,  until  Col.  Bowman,  in  August,  1777,  came  from  Virginia 
with  one  hundred  men.  It  was  a  time  of  suffering  and  distress 
through  all  the  colonies,  which  was  in  most  of  them  bravely 
borne ;  but  none  suffered  more,  or  showed  more  courage  and  forti- 
tude, than  the  settlers  of  the  West.  Their  conduct  has  excited 
less  admiration  out  of  their  own  section  than  that  of  Marion,  and 
men  like  him,  because  their  struggles  had  less  apparent  connection 
with  the  great  cause  of  American  independence.  But  who  shall 
say  what  would  have  become  of  the  resistance  of  the  colonies,  had 
England  been  able  to  pour  from  Canada  her  troops  upon  the  rear 
of  the  rebels,  assisted,  as  she  would  have  been,  by  all  the  Indian 
nations?  It  may  have  been  the  contests  before  the  stations  of 
Kentucky,  and  Clark's  bold  incursions  into  Illinois  and  against 
\'incennes,  which  turned  the  oft  tottering  fortunes  of  the  great 
struggle. 

"^  But,  however  we  may  think  of  this  point,  we  cannot  doubt  the 
picturesque  and  touching  character  of  many  incidents  of  Western 
history  during  the  years  from  1777  to  1780.  Time  has  not  yet 
so  mellowed  their  features  as  to  give  them  an  air  of  romance  pre- 
''isely;  but  the  essence  of  romance  is  in  them.     In  illustration,  we 

*  Morehead's  Address,  p.  162. 


166  Jameft  Ray  supplies  llarrodshvrgh.  1777 

will  mention  one  or  two  of  Ihcso  incidents,  familiar  enough  in  tin 
West,  l)ut  slill  worthy  of  repetition. 

One  of  the  eminent  men  of  Kentueky  in  those  and  later  tinn- 
was  General  James  Ray.  While  yet  a  hoy,  he  had  proved 
himself  ahle  to  outiim  the  hest  of  the  Indian  warriors;  and  it  wa- 
when  hut  sevent(>en  years  of  ag(.'  that  he  performed  the  servici 
for  a  distressed  garrison  of  which  we  are  ahout  to  speak.  It 
was  in  the  winter  of  177fi-7,  a  winter  of  starvation.  Ray  lived 
at  Ilarrodshurgh,  which,  like  the  other  stations,  was  destitute  ol 
corn.  There  was  game  enough  in  the  woods  around,  hut  there 
were  also  Indians  more  than  enougii,  and  had  the  sound  of  a 
gun  heen  heard  in  the  neighhorhood  of  a  station,  it  would  liavt 
insured  the  death  of  the  one  who  discharged  it.  Under  these  cii- 
cumstances,  Ray  resolved  to  hunt  at  a  distance.  There  was  oiu 
horse  left  of  a  drove  of  forty,  which  Major  McGary  ha<l  brought 
to  the  West ;  an  oUl  horse,  faithful  and  strong,  hut  not  fitted  li 
run  the  gauntlet  through  the  forest.  Ray  took  this  solitary  uag, 
and  before  day-dawn,  day  by  day,  and  week  by  week,  roele  noise- 
lessly along  the  runs  and  rivers  until  he  was  far  enough  to  lium 
with  safety  ;  then  he  killed  his  game,  and  by  night,  or  in  the  dusk 
of  the  evening,  retraced  his  steps.  And  thus  the  garrison  lived 
by  tlie  daring  labors  of  this  stripling  of  seventeen.  Older  liunter« 
tried  his  plan,  and  were  discovered^  but  he,  by  his  sagacity. 
boldness,  care,  and  skill,  safely  pursued  his  disinterested  and 
dangerous  employment,  and  succeeded  in  constantly  avoiding  tin 
perils  that  beset  him.  We  do  not  think  that  Boone  or  any  one 
ever  showed  more  perfectly  the  qualities  of  a  superior  woodsmah 
than  did  Ray  through  that  winter. 

If  any  one  did,  however,  it  was  surely  Benjamin  Logan,  in  the 
spring  of  that  same  year.  Logan,  as  we  have  seen,  crossed  the 
mountains  with  Henderson,  in  1775,  and  was  of  course  one  of  the 
oldest  settlers.  In  May,  1777,  the  fort  at  which  Logan  lived,  \\v> 
surrounded  by  Indians,  more  than  a  hundred  in  number ;  and  so 
silently  had  they  made  their  approach,  that  the  first  notice  which 
the  garrison  had  of  their  presence  w^s  a  discharge  of  firearms 
upon  some  men  who  were  guarding  the  women  as  they  milked 
the  cows  outside  the  station.  One  was  killed,  a  second  mortall} 
wounded,  and  a  third,  named  Harrison,  disabled.  This  pooi 
man,  unable  to  aid  himself,  lay  in  sight  of  the  fort,  where  his 
wife,  who  saw  his  condition,  was  b/cgging  some  one  to  go  to  his 
relief.     But  to  attempt  such  a  thing  seemed  madness;  for  whoeve- 


1777. 

ventured  fn 

lay  writliiuf 

all  the  shar 

Logan  stoo( 

poor  womaj 

to  remain 

bloody  worl 

restrained  1 

turning  to 

help  nie  in  ' 

run  into  cer 

they  could 

their  heads, 

not  one  of  3 

what's  tlic  o 

Harrison  ?" 

courage,    ag 

was  about  a: 

slightly  oper 

a  tempest  of 

nion  rapidly 

ready  to   dii 

Not  so  his  TV 

sprang  (orwa 

hunting-shirt 

he  lifted  his 

fort  without  i 

But  this  r 

immortal  ver 

jamin  Logan 

still  they  ma( 

of  powder  a 

ing  the  moui 

passed,  thror 

miles  accomf 

waylaid,  and 

much  needed 

was  this  one, 

the  matter  ca 

iiundred  mile 

ters;  and  in  t 


1777. 


Heroism  of  Logan. 


IG 


>  / 


ventured  from  eitlirr  side  into  tlic  open  ground,  where  Harrison 
lay  writhing  and  groaning,  wonhl  instantly  become  a  target  for 
all  the  sharpshooters  of  the  opposite  parly.  For  some  moments 
Logan  stood  it  prttty  wi'll ;  he  tried  to  jjersuaiU;  himself  and  the 
poor  woman  who  was  pleading  to  him,  that  his  duty  recjuired  1dm 
to  remain  within  the  walls  and  let  the  savages  complete  their 
bloody  work.  But  such  a  heart  as  his  was  too  warm  to  l)e  h>ng 
restrained  by  arguments  and  judii-ious  expediiuicy ;  and  sudilenly 
turning  to  his  men,  he  cried,  "  Come,  boys,  who's  the  man  to 
help  me  in  with  Harrison?"  'J'here  were  brave  men  there,  but  to 
run  into  certain  death  in  order  to  save  a  man  whom,  after  all, 
they  could  not  save,  —  it  was  asking  too  much;  and  all  shook 
their  heads,  and  shrunk  back  from  the  mad  ])ro])()sal.  "  Not  one  ! 
jiot  one  of  you  help  a  poor  fellow  to  save  his  scalp?"  "  Why, 
what's  the  good.  Captain  ?  to  let  the  red  rascals  kill  us  wont  help 
Harrison  ?"  At  last,  one,  half  insj)ired  by  Logan's  imi>eluous 
courage,  agreed  to  go;  he  could  die  but  once,  he  said,  and 
was  about  as  ready,  then,  as  he  should  ever  be.  The  gate  was 
slightly  opened,  and  the  two  doomed  men  stepped  out ;  instantly 
a  tempest  of  rifle  balls  opened  upon  them,  and  Logan's  compa- 
nion rapidly  reasoning  liimself  into  the  belief  that  he  was  not  so 
ready  to  die  as  he  had  believed,  bolted  back  into  the  station. 
Not  so  his  noble-hear'ed  leader.  Alone,  through  that  tempest,  he 
sprang  (orward  to  where  the  wounded  man  lay,  and  while  his  hat, 
hunting-shirt,  and  liair  were  cut  and  torn  by  the  ceaseless  shower, 
he  lifted  his  comrade  like  a  child  in  his  arms,  and  regained  the 
fort  without  a  scratch. 

But  this  rescue  of  a  fellow-being,  though  worthy  of  record  in 
immortal  verse,  was  nothing  compared  with  what  this  same  Ben- 
jamin Logan  did  soon  after.  The  Indians  continued  their  siege  ; 
still  they  made  no  impression,  but  the  garrison  were  running  short 
of  powder  and  ball,  and  none  could  be  procured  except  by  cross- 
ing the  mountains.  To  do  this,  the  neighboring  forest  must  be 
passed,  tlironging  with  Indians,  and  a  journey  of  some  hundred 
miles  accomplished  along  a  path  every  portion  of  which  might  be 
waylaid,  and  at  last  the  fort  must  be  re-entered  with  the  articles  so 
much  needed.  Surely,  if  ever  an  enterprise  seemed  hopeless,  it 
was  this  one,  and  yet  the  thing  must  be  tried.  Logan  pondered 
the  matter  carefully;  he  calculated  the  distance,  not  less  than  four 
hundred  miles  in  and  back  ;  he  estimated  the  aid  from  other  cpiar- 
ters;  and  in  the  silence  of  night  asked  wisdom  and  guidance  from 


168 


Logan  goes  for  powder  to  I  In:  Ilolslon. 


177: 


(iod.  Nor  (lid  he  ask  in  vain  ;  wisdom  was  f;ivon  him.  At 
nighf,  willi  Iwo  picked  roiiipaiiions,  lu-  stole  from  the  station, 
every  breath  Imshed.  The  summer  leaves  were  Ihiek  al)ovp 
them,  and  with  the  profoiiTuh'st  care  and  skill,  Loiran  i^uided  his 
followers  from  tree  to  tree,  frf)ni  run  to  run,  nriseen  hy  the  vava'^cs, 
who  dreamed  not,  i)rol)al)ly,  of  so  (lan<i;erons  an  nndertakiiit^', 
Qiiiekly  Init  most  cautiously  pushing  eastward,  walkin<i;  forty  or 
fifty  miles  a  day,  the  three  woodsmen  passed  onward  till  the  Ciuii- 
herland  ranj^'e  was  in  sii^ht;  then,  av()idin<r  the  (lap,  which  thcv 
supposed  would  he  watcluid  hy  Indians,  over  those  ruj^ged  hills, 
where  man  had  never  climbed  before,  tiuy  forced  their  way  wiih 
untiring  energy  and  a  rajjidity  to  us,  degenerate  as  \ve  are, 
uiconceivable.  The  mountains  crossed,  and  the  valley  of  the 
Ilolston  reach(!(l,  Logan  procured  his  ammunition,  and  then  turtud 
alone  on  his  homeward  track,  leaving  his  two  comjmnions,  with 
full  directions,  to  follow  him  more  slowly  with  the  lead  and 
powder.  He  returned  before  them,  because  he  wished  to  revive 
the  hopes  of  his  little  garrison  in  the  wilderness,  numbering  as  it 
did,  in  his  absence,  only  ten  men,  and  they  without  the  means  of 
defence.  He  feared  they  would  yield,  if  he  delayed  an  hour;  so, 
back,  like  a  chamois,  he  sped,  over  those  broken  and  precipitous 
ranges,  and  actually  reached  and  re-entered  his  fort  in  ten  days 
from  the  time  he  left  it,  safe  and  full  of  hope.  Such  a  spirit 
would  have  made  even  women  dare  and  do  every  thing,  and  h) 
his  intluence  the  siege  was  still  resisted  till  the  ammunition  came 
safe  to  hand.  From  May  till  September  that  little  band  was  thus 
beset;  then  Colonel  Bowman  relieved  them.  In  the  midst  of  that 
summer,  as  George  Rogers  Clark's  journal  has  it,  "  Lieutenant 
Linn  was  married — great  merriment!"  This  was  at  Harrods- 
burgh,  near  by  Logan's  station.     Such  was  the  frontier  life! 

It  was  a  trying  year,  1777,  for  those  little  forts  in  the  wilder' 
ness.  At  the  close  of  it,  three  settlements  only  existed  in  the 
interior, — Harrodsburgh,  Boonesborough,  and  Logans  ;*  and  of 
these  three  the  whole  military  population  was  but  one  hundred 
and  two  in  number ! 

Nor  was  it  in  Kentucky  alone  that  the  Indians  were  busy, 
Through  the  spring  and  summer  constant  attacks  were  made  upon 
the  settlements  in  the  neighborhood  of  Wheeling.  At  this  point, 
as  we  have  already  said,  the  Zanes  had  settled  in  1770,  and  here 
in  1774,  Connolly,  or  the  settlers,  by  his  direction,  had  built  a  fort 

*  Sec  Butler,  Marshall,  McClung,  &c. 


1777. 

called  Fori 
'^iiiia.     In  tl 
he    made    b 
wlicle   of    r 
soldiers;    in 
lioslility  fron 
was    called, 
Fort  ITem-y, 
works  at  the 
word  from   I 
the  Musking 
Wheeling  S( 
Fort  Pitt,  in 
Indians    was 
These  news 
where  the  bl 
smoke  was  s 
supposed  to 
creek,  and  t 
thems<'lves  t( 
men,  of  var 
guns,  both  ri 
powder,  as  tl 
out  alarm,  bi 
sent  out  for  \ 
proceeded  s( 
savages,  by  v 
post.  Col.  SI 
but  six  of  the 
These  were 
been  meant  r 
lines,  when, 
painted    wan 
bravely  agaii 
escaped,  and 
the  corn  fiel 

'  George  R.  Cli 
t  American  An 
\  American  Pio 
I  Isaac  Zane  wa 
•^tate  Papers,  xvi. 


1777. 


1777. 


Wfwclinrr  attached. 


H)!J 


iiin.     At 

'  station, 
k  ahove 
ii<lf(l  liis 
sava'^'cs, 
crtakitii:;. 

forty  (ir 
llic  Ciiin- 
ii<'li  tlity 
[i;ctl  liills, 
way  with 
we  arc, 
y  of  tlic 
en  turnt'd 
:)ns,  with 
lead  and 
to  revive 
n\\^  as  it 
moans  of 
liour;  so, 
recipitnus 
ten  (lays 

a  spirit 
,  and  b} 
ion  (.'aiiie 
was  thus 
si  of  that 
ieutenant 
Harrods* 
fe! 

e  vvildor* 
d  in  the 

and  of 

hundred 


rallcil  Fort  Finrasll(!*  the  name  of  the  western  eounty  of  Vir- 
■/niia.  In  this  a  l)Oily  of  m«Mi  was  Icit  by  I.onl  Diinmorr,  when 
he  ma(h'  his  treaty  with  the  ShawaneseJ  and  throiM^h  the 
whole  of  1775  and  1770  it  was  occupied  hy  more  or  fewer 
soldiers;  indeed,  in  those  times  all  men  were  soldiers,  and 
hostility  from  the  Indians  daily  anticipated.  This  fort  in  1776 
was  called,  in  lionor  of  the  (do(pient  {;^overnor  of  \  ir^^inia, 
Furl  Henry, j:  and  was  the  central  i)oiiit  between  Fort  Pitt  and  the 
works  at  the  mouth  of  Kenawha.  In  the  early  autumn  of  1777, 
word  from  friendly  Indians,  perhaps  the  Christian  Delawares,  of 
the  Muskingum,  or  perhaps  from  Isaac  Zane,  the  brother  of  the 
Wheeling  settlers, ||  reached  (Jeneral  Hand,  who  commanded  at 
Fort  Pitt,  informing  him  that  a  large  body  of  the  north-western 
Indians  was  preparing  to  attack  the  posts  of  the  Upper  Ohio. 
These  news  were  quickly  spread  abroad,  and  all  were  watching 
where  the  blow  would  come.  On  tlu'  evening  of  September  26, 
smoke  was  seen  by  tliose  near  Wheeling,  down  the  river,  and  was 
supposed  to  proceed  from  the  burning  of  the  block-house  at  (iravc 
creek,  and  the  people  of  the  vicinity  taking  the  alarm,  betook 
ihcmscdves  to  the  fort.  Within  iis  walls  were  forty-two  fighting 
men,  of  various  ages  and  gifts:  these  were  well  supjjlied  with 
i^uns,  both  rifles  and  muskets,  but  had  only  a  scant  supply  of  gun- 
powder, as  the  event  proved.  The  night  of  the  26th  passed  with- 
out alarm,  but  when  very  early  upon  the  27th  two  men,  who  were 
sent  out  for  horses,  in  order  to  alarm  the  settlements  near  by,  had 
proceeded  some  distance  from  the  fort,  they  met  a  party  of  six 
savages,  by  whom  one  of  them  was  shot.  The  commandant  of  the 
post.  Col.  Shepherd,  learning  from  the  survivor  that  there  were 
but  six  of  the  assailants,  sent  a  party  of  fifteen  men  to  see  to  them. 
These  were  suflfered  to  march  after  the  six,  who  seem  to  have 
boon  meant  merely  for  a  decoy,  until  they  were  within  tlie  Indian 
lines,  when,  suddenly,  in  front,  behind,  and  on  every  side,  the 
painted  warriors  showed  themselves.  The  little  band  fought 
bravely  against  incalculable  odds,  but  of  the  fifteen  three  only 
escaped,  and  they  by  means  of  the  brush  and  logs  wliich  were  in 
the  corn  field  where  the  skirmish  took  place.     As  soon  as   the 


'(leorge  R.  Clarke  is  said  to  have  planned  it.     (American  Pioneer,  ii.  303.) 
f  American  Archives,  4th  scries,  ii.  1189. 
}  American  Pioneer,  ii.  304. 

I  Isaac  Zane  was  with  the  Wyandots  from  the  time  he  was  nine  years  old.     (America* 
^l3te  Papers,  xvi.  93     121.) 


170 


Sketch  of  Simon  dirty ^  the  white  Inilinn. 


1 1 1 1 


1777. 


/ 


|)f)sifif)n  nf  tlje  Ursl  bund  was  seen  at  the  foil  tliirtccii  (»tlin> 
rushed  1(»  lh«'ir  assistance,  and  shared  tlicir  fate.  Then,  and  r 
was  not  yet  sunrise,  \\u'  whole  body  of  Indians,  (Hsposed  in  skiiu- 
what  niarlial  order,  appeared  re^^uhirly  to  invest  th(!  devoted  fort 
Tliere  were  nearly  Htur  hiMuhcd  of  them,  and  of  tlie  defeiuhrs  l)u: 
twelve  men  and  hoys;  unless  indeed  we  count  women,  than  whom, 
as  we  shitll  .vtr,  none  were  oraver  or  calmer  within  the  walls  oj  Ihut 
little  fortress. 

The  Indians  were  led  by  Simon  CJirty,*  who  was  actinj;  as  an 

*  An  tins  iH  tlic  first  liiiii!  wc  liuvf  liiul  occunioii  to  Hpcuk  of  tliisi  (ar-fiiliii^d  wliitt:  liiiliiiii 
wn  iiitroiliirc  Croin  tlir  writing's  of  .liidnc  Ciiiiiplicll,  tli(;  I)chI  iitcoiiiit  of  ihi'  Hiiiiil)  thai 
wo  h.TV(;  met  with.  Spp  jiIho  JIrsi>cri(iii,  Sept*  iuIht  and  ()i:lnl)«T,  1SJ8:  find  Index  tn  tlii< 
volume. 

I'trliiips  tlicre  was  no  part  of  Aincrir'a  ho  liigldy  pri/('d  liy  tli<!  ulioriijinulH  aH  Kentucky 
To  ttuTH  its  itiiportaricc  consisted  not  so  iihk.Ii  mi  the  ferlilil)'  of  soil  as  in  tin;  aliiiiiiiinri 
of  panie  wliirh  it  afforded.  Indeed,  hy  eommon  consent,  tliey  alistained  from  ornipymj! 
it  with  tlieir  liimihcN,  resorvinij;  it  exclusively  for  .i  j^rerit  hunting  (.'rnund.  'I'hc  interniina- 
bl(!  cane -brakes  and  niiiiicidiis  Z/cA.x,  yielded  hubsisti'licc  to  HUch  v.ist  herds  of  hiilliluD 
and  deer,  as  have  never  heen  seen  elsewhere. 

It  is  not  at  nil  astonishinff  that  tlie  Indians  sliould  liave  defended,  with  ffreat  ohsliiiscy, 
a  country  so  d{>ar  to  them,  against  the  incursions  of  the  v^hites.  That  they  wi-re  vi^iianl, 
active  and  cruel  cannot  l)e  denied.  They  were  jirovoked  to  a  degree  ol"  phren/y,  wliicli 
led  to  acts  of  daring  and  niifrage  shorking  to  humanity.  In  their  atrocities  they  had  tin 
aid  and  countenance  of  the  Girtys,  of  whom  a  brief  account  will  be  given. 

(iirty,  the  llillier,  was  an  emigrant  from  Ireland,  about  eighty  years  jigo,  if  report  cat, 
l)e  r(died  on.  lie  settled  in  Pennsylvania  where  that  liberty  which  Ik;  songlit  degeiier^tti! 
in  his  [lossession  into  tlu-  basest  licentiousness.  His  liours  were  wasted  in  idleness  and 
beaotly  intemperance.  Nothing  ranked  higher  in  his  estimation,  or  so  entirely  com- 
manded his  regard,  as  a  jug  of  whisk(!y.  "  lirog  was  his  Kong  and  grog  would  he  have." 
His  sfittisliiiess  turned  his  wife's  affection.  Heady  for  seduction,  she  yielded  her  lieirt  to 
a  neighlioring  rustic,  who,  to  remove  all  obstacles  to  their  wishes,  knocked  dirty  on  th' 
head  and  bore  off  the  trophy  of  liis  prowess. 

He  fell  four  sons,  'i'hoinas,  Simon,  (leorge  and  James.  The  three  latter  were  taken 
prisoners  hy  the  Shawanese,  Uelawares,  and  Senecas,  in  that  war  which  developed  the 
military  talents  of  Oeneral  Washington,  deorge  was  adopted  hy  the  Delawarrs,  and 
continued  with  them  until  his  death.  He  became  a  perfect  savage  —  his  manners  being 
cntirtdy  Indian.  To  consummate  cunning  he  added  the  most  fearless  intrepidity.  He 
■fought  in  the  battles  of  Kenli.iwa,  Hlue  Lick.'i,  aiul  Sandusky,  and  gained  him.-ielf  rnuct 
distinction  for  skill  and  bravery.  In  his  latter  years,  like  his  Hitlier,  he  gave  himself  up 
to  inteniperance,  and  died  drunk,  about  twenty-five  years  ago,  on  the  Miami  of  the  Lake 

Simon  was  adopted  by  the  Senecas,  and  became  as  e.xport  a  hunter  as  any  of  C  mm.  Io 
Kentucky  and  Ohio,  he  sustained  the  re[)utiitifin  of  an  unrelenting  barbarian.  Forty-fne 
years  ago,  with  his  name  was  associated  every  thing  cruel  and  fi(md-Iikp.  To  the  womrD 
and  children  m  particular,  nothing  was  more  terrifying  than  the  name  of  Simon  dirty.  Al 
tJiat  time,  it  was  believed  by  many,  that  he  had  fled  from  justice  and  sought  refuge  among 
the  Indians,  determined  to  do  his  countrymen  all  the  harm  in  his  power.  This  imprrssioo 
was  an  erroneous  one.  It  is  true  he  joined  the  Indians  in  their  wars  with  the  whites  and 
conformed  to  their  usages.  This  was  the  education  he  had  received,  and  those  who  wrr* 
the  foes  of  his  red  brethren  were  his  foes.  Although  trained  in  all  his  pursuits  as  an 
Indian,  it  is  saiil  to  be  a  fact,  suscei)tihle  of  proof,  that  through  his  importunities,  man; 
prisoners  were  saved  from  death.  His  influence  was  great,  and  when  he  chose  to  b« 
merciful,  it  was  generally  in  his  power  to  protect  the  imploring  captive. 


;i"cllt  for  the 
any  lale,  of 
I'(irt  Ilet" 
a  ((iiarler  ol 
it  and  lln'  si 
a((iiiainted 
then,  as  we 
(ilK'c   took    \ 
ready-made 
cahiiis  callci 
and  promise! 
Iiciil  aiiswen 
and   wlien    ( 
iiiijialient  lis! 
the  siej^e.      I 
the  (piiet  aiil 
known.     A 
(lays  most  lo\ 
Ohio    valley 
ni^dit  of  that 
about  and  wi 
musket  or  rill 

His  reputation  ^ 
liuloiisly  e.<iact.     I' 
the  last  cent.     It 
odium  of  violatiiij 

He  was  a  great 
licMraye.  When 
foes,  Then  it  wa 
rhpiimatism  for  th 
giiiiic.  Sulfering  I 
wus  Ins  constant  v 
at  Proctor's  defei 
mounted  men. 

James  dirty  fel 
ippruaclied  manh 
wngiiiiKiry  sj)irit, 
frequently  associa 

It  IS  rcpresent< 
many  of  the  inlial 
«ex  found  mercy 
consequence  of  d 
came  within  his  re 
that  he  would  not 
•urc  was  to  see  r 
frfiquently  gave  di 
charged  upon  his 


1777    I     1777.  /•'"/■/  Itenry  nttnckcd  by  (iiity  and  his  party. 


171 


en  otliciv 
11,  and  1' 
I  in  sdiiit- 
oti'd  loil 
lidirs  l)u; 
an  whdiii, 
'Is  oj'  Hint 

iiif^  us  an 

Mliitt:  Iiiiliaii 
(•  lliiiiil)  that 
Inilrx  to  t!ii' 

iM  K'ciitiicky 
i(!  Illiliii(l;iiic> 
iin  nrrii[)yinp 
in  iiitcrrniua- 

■i   of    l)llll'.lloi'! 

'lit  obstinnoy. 
viTU  vigilunt. 
rcii/y,  wliicli 
tlioy  li;ul  tli( 

if  rr|)((rt  cai, 
(Ir^ciicraltd 

idli'iirss  and 

iitircly  com. 

1(1  he  liavc.'' 
her  lic'irt  to 
Ciirty  on  tli' 

were  taken 

•vclo|)C(l  the 

iwarrs,  and 

niicrs   licing 

^jiidity.    Ilf 

iiisclf  much 

c  himself  up 

of  tilt;  Lake 

ft:  >iii.    Id 

Forty -five 

)  the  woincD 

n  Girty.    Al 

ftige  among 

s  im[irrssioD 

;  whites  and 

e  who  wcr» 

rsiiits  as  an 

nities,  manj 

chose  to  b« 


ii'ciit  for  the  Hrilisli  iti  llic  iiltcmpi  lo   .siTurc  llic  aid  of  a  l»!trf,  at 
;iii_\  iiitf,  of  the  (rentier  iiitii,  in  the  ri'Voliifioiiiir)  .slrii^';^!*'. 

Tort  Ilctf'-  ^tood  iiniMcdi;it(d)-  upon  tlic  hank  of  tlic  Ohio  al)out 
a  (jiiailtr  o|  ..  ..  i..  ahovt-  the  ni(<iilh  (d  VVlic(din^  Crrck  ;  hitwi't'n 
it  ami  the  stct-p  river  liill  which  every  tra>(lhT  in  the  wesf  is 
a((|iiainled  with,  were  twenty  or  thirty  h)^  huts.  When  dirty 
thdi,  as  we  have   said,  h'd  hi.s   red   troops   aj^ainst   the  fori,  he  at 


iilice 


took   1 


)ossession    ol 


the   h 


louses   ol  the  vdhi^e    as  a  safe  anc 


nady-niath'  line  of  attaek,  and  from  the  window  of  one  of  the 
cahiiis  caMed  upon  tlie  lilth'  "garrison  to  surrenth-r  to  Kin|^f  (ieor<^e, 
and  promised  ahsohition  to  all  who  would  do  so.  Colomd  Shep- 
hiMil  answered  al  once  that  they  wouhl  ni'ilher  desert  nor  yield; 
ami  when  flirty  reconwuenced  his  elocpnncc,  a  shot  from  some 
iiniiatient  listener  suddenly  stopped  his  mouth.  Then  conumiiced 
till  s'lv'^r.  It  was  just  sunrise  in  the  (pnet  valley,  lhrou<^h  which 
the  ([uiel  autumnal  river  flowed  as  peacefidly  as  if  war  was  never 
known.  A  calm,  warm,  bright  September  <lay; — one  of  those 
(lays  most  lovely  amon;^  the  many  pleasant  ones  of  a  year  in  the 
Ohio  valley. —  And  from  sunrise  till  noon,  and  from  noon  till 
iijohi  of  that  day,  the  hundreds  of  besiegers  and  units  of  besieged 
about  and  within  Fort  Henry,  ceasctd  not  to  load  and  discharge 
musket  or  rifle  till  it  was  too  hot  to  hold.     About  noon  the  fire  of 

IIiB  rejiutatiuu  was  that  of  an  honest  man.  In  the  payment  of  his  dchts  he  was  scru- 
puluiinly  exact.  Knowin),'  and  duly  a|)|>reciating  integrity,  lie  fullllled  his  engagements  to 
the  last  cent.  It  is  stated  that  on  one  occasion  he  sold  his  !ir)rse  rather  th  in  incur  the 
odimii  of  violating  his   proiniKO. 

He  was  a  great  lover  of  rum.  Nothing  could  afford  him  more  joy  than  i  keii  of  this 
beverage.  When  intoxicated,  in  abuse  he  was  indiscriminate,  sparing  neither  friends  nor 
foes.  'I'lieii  it  was,  he  had  no  compassion  in  his  heart.  Although  much  disabled  by  the 
rheiimatiRm  for  the  last  ten  years  of  his  life,  he  rode  to  his  hunting  grounds  in  pursuit  of 
game.  Suffering  the  most  excruciating  pains,  he  of\cn  l)oasted  of  tiis  war-like  spirit.  It 
wus  Ins  constant  wish  that  he  might  breathe  his  la.st  in  battle.  So  it  hap|)eiit'd.  lit;  was 
at  Proctor's  defeat  on  the  river  Thames,  and  was  cut  to  jiicces  by  Colonel  Johnson's 
mounted  men. 

James  (iirty  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Shawanesc,  who  adopted  him  as  a  son.  As  he 
tppruaclied  manhood  he  became  dextrous  in  all  the  arts  of  savage  life.  To  the  most 
saiigniiKiry  sjiirit,  he  added  all  the  vices  of  .'le  depraved  frontiersmen  with  whom  lio 
frequently  associated. 

It  is  represented  that  he  often  visited  Kentucky  at  the  time  of  its  first  settlement, 
many  of  the  inhabitans  feeling  the  effects  of  his  courage  and  cruelty,  rs'either  age  nor 
sex  fuund  mercy  at  his  hand.  His  delight  was  in  carnage.  When  unable  to  walk,  in 
consequence  of  disease,  he  »aid  low,  with  his  hatchet,  captive  women  and  children  who 
came  within  his  reach.  Traders  who  were  acipiainted  with  him,  say,  so  furious  was  he 
tliJt  )n'  would  not  have  turned  on  his  heel  to  save  a  prisoner  from  the  llaiiies  llis  plca- 
lurc  was  to  see  new  and  refined  tortures  inflicted  ;  and  to  perfect  this  gratification  he 
frequently  gave  directions.  To  this  barbarian  are  to  be  attributed  mnny  of  the  cruelties 
charged  upon  his  brutlier  Simon.     Yet  tliis  monster  was  caressed  by  Elliott  and  Proctor. 


172  Elizabeth  Zane  procures  Powder.  1777, 

the  attackers  slackened,  and  then  as  powder  was  scarce  in  the  forf, 
and  it  was  rememl)ered  that  a  keg  was  concealed  in  tlie  liouse  rif 
Ebcnczer  Zane,  some  sixty  yards  distant,  —  it  was  (h'teriiiincdtf 
make  an  effort  to  obtain  it.  When  the  (juestion,  "Who  wi!'  1^0:" 
was  proposed,  liowever,  so  many  comjietitors  appeared  that  time 
was  wasted  in  adjusting  claims  to  what  was  almost  sure  dcatli, 
The  rest  of  the  story  we  must  let  Mr.  Geo.  S.  McKiernan,  iVmn 
whom  we  take  our  whole  account  nearly, —  tell  in  his  own  words. 

At  this  crisis,  a  young  lady,  the  sister  of  Ebenezcr  and  Silas  Zane, 
came  forward  and  desired  tliat  she  might  be  permitted  to  execute  the 
service.  This  proposition  seemed  i''o  extravagant  that  it  met  wiih  a 
peremptory  refusal ;  but  she  instatidy  renewed  her  petition  in  terms  of 
redoubled  earnestness,  and  all  the  remonstrances  of  the  colonel  and  her 
relatives  failed  to  dissuade  her  from  her  heroic  purpose.  It  was  finally 
represented  to  her  Uiat  either  of  the  young  men,  on  account  of  his  su- 
perior flcemess  and  familiarity  widi  scenes  of  danger,  would  be  more 
likely  dian  herself  to  do  the  work  successfully.  She  replied,  that  the 
danger  whiidi  would  attend  the  enterprize  was  the  identical  reason  that 
induced  her  to  offer  her  services,  for,  as  the  garrison  was  very  weak,  no 
soldier's  life  should  be  placed  in  needless  jeopardy,  and  that  if  she  were 
to  fiill  the  loss  would  not  be  felt.  Her  petition  was  ultimately  gr.uiled. 
and  the  gate  opened  for  her  to  pass  out.  The  opening  of  the  gate  ar- 
rested the  attention  of  several  Indians  who  were  straggling  through  the 
village.  It  was  noticed  that  their  eyes  were  upon  her  as  she  crossed  the 
open  space  to  reach  her  brother's  house ;  but  seized,  perhaps,  with  a 
sudden  freak  of  clemency,  or  believing  that  a  woman's  life  was  not 
worth  a  load  of  gunpowder,  or  influenced  by  some  other  unexplained 
motive,  they  permitted  her  to  pass  wiUiout  molestation.  When  she 
reappeared  with  the  powder  in  her  arms,  the  Indians,  suspecting,  nu 
doubt,  the  character  of  her  burden,  elevated  their  firelocks  and  dis- 
charged a  volley  at  her  as  she  swiftly  glided  towards  the  gate  ;  but  the 
balls  all  flew  wide  of  the  mark,  and  Uie  fearless  girl  reached  the  fort  in 
safety  with  her  prize,* 

The  allies  of  Britain,  finding  rifles  powerless  when  used  against 
well-built  block-houses  and  pickets,  determined  upon  trying  an  ex- 
temporary cannon,  and  having  bound  a  hollow  maple  with  chains, 
having  bored  a  touch  hole,  and  plugged  up  one  end,  they  loaded 
it  liberally  and  levelled  it  at  the  gate  of  the  impregnable  castle. 
It  was  now  evening,  and  the  disappointed  Wyandots  gathered 
about  their  artillery,  longing  to  see  its  loading  of  stones  open  to 

•  See  American  Pioneer,  vol.  ii.  p.  309. 


1777, 


Escape  of  Major  McColloch. 


173 


them  tlie  door  of  the  American  citadel.  The  match  was  applied  ; 
bursting  into  a  thousand  pieces  the  cannon  of  Girty  tore,  maimed, 
and  killed  his  copper-colored  kinsfolk,  but  hurt  none  else.* 

During  that  night  many  of  the  assailants  withdrew  disheartened. 
On  the  morning  of  the  28th,  fifteen  men  came  from  Cross  creek 
!o  the  aid  of  Fort  Henry,  and  forty-one  from  Short  creek.  Of 
these  all  entered  the  fort  exce})t  Major  iMcCoUoeh,  the  leader  of 
the  Short  creek  volunteers.  lie  was  separated  from  his  men,  and 
at  the  mercy  of  the  natives,  and  here  again  we  prefer  to  usv  the 
words  of  Mr.  McKiernan. 


From  the  very  commencement  of  the  war,  his  reputation  as  an  Indian 
hunter  was  as  great,  if  not  greater,  than  that  of  any  white  man  on  tlie 
north-western  border.     He  had  participated  in  so  many  rencounters  that 
almost  every  warrior  possessed  a  knowledge  of  his  person.     Among 
the  hulians  his  name  was  a  word  of  terror  ;  they  cherished  against  him 
feelings  of  the   most  phrensied  hatred,  and  there  was  not  a  Mingo  or 
Wyandot  chief  betore  Fort  Henry  who  would  not  have  given  the  lives 
of  twenty  of  his  warriors  to  secure  to  himself  the  living  body  of  Major 
McColloch.     When,  therefore,  the   man  whom  they  had  long  marked 
out  as  the  first  object  of  their  vengeance,  appeared  in  their  midst,  they 
made  almost  superhuman  eflbrts  to  acquire  possession  of  his   person. 
The  fleelness  of  McColIoch's  well-trained   steed   was  scarcely  greater 
than  that  of  his  enemies,  who,  with  flying  strides,  moved  on  in  pursuit. 
Allengtti  tiie  hunter  reached  the  top  of  ihe  hill,  and,  turning  to  the  left, 
(hrled  along  the  ridge  with  the  intention  of  making  the  best  of  his  way 
10  Short   Creek.     A   ride  of  a  few   hundred   yards  in    that    direction 
brouirhl  him  suddenly  in  contact  with  a  party  of  Indians   who  were  re- 
turning to  their  camp  from  a  marauding  excursion  to  Mason's  Bottom, 
on  the  eastern  side  of  the  hill.     This  party  being  too  formidable   in 
numbers  to  encounter  single-handed,  the  major  turned  his  horse  about 
and  rode  over  his  own  trace,  in  the  hope  of  discovering   some  other 
avenue  to  escape.     A  few   paces   only  of  his  countermarch  had  been 
made,  when  he  found  himself  confionted  by  his  original  pursuers,  who 
Ud,  by  this  time,  gained   the  top  of  the  ridge,  and  a  third  party  was 
discovered  pressing  up   the   hill  directly   on   his  right.     lie   was   now 
completely  hemmed  in  on  three  sides,  and  the  fourth  was  almost  a  per- 
pendicular preci[iice  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  descent,  with  AV'hcel- 
ing  Creek  at  its  base.     The  imminence  of  his  danger  allowed  him  but 
hule  lime  to  reflect  upon  his  situation.     In  an  instant  he  decided  upon 

'  This  incident,  and  tlic  heroic  act  of  Elizabetli  Zanc,  arc  placed  by  Withers  in  tho 
'i''t!i-of  Fort  Henry  in  17S2  (Border  Warfare,  2G3.  2U1.)  We  follow  the  writer  in  th.i 
'  'leer,  who  ia  represented  as  an  accurate  man  ;  Withers  was  not  always  so. 


174 


Kentuckians  choose  Burgesses, 


1 1 1. 


his  course.  Supporting  his  rifle  in  his  left  hand  and  carefully  adjusiing 
his  reins  with  the  other,  he  urged  his  horse  to  the  brink  of  the  biufT, 
and  then  made  tlie  leap  which  decided  his  fate.  In  the  next  moment  ihc 
noble  steed,  slill  bearing  his  intrepid  rider  in  safety,  was  at  the  foot  of 
the  precipice.  McCoUoch  immediately  dashed  across  the  creek,  and 
was  soon  beyond  the  reach  of  the  Indians.* 

Finding  all  attempts  to  take  the  fort  iruitless,  the  Indians  killed 
all  the  stock,  including  more  than  tiiree  hundred  cattle,  buined 
houses  and  fences,  and  destroyed  every  article  of  furniture. 

Of  the  forty-two  men  who  had  been  in  the  fort,  tw^enty-five  \\m- 
killed,  all  outside  oj" the  walls;  of  the  savages  probably  one  hun- 
dred perished,  t 

]3ut  notwithstanding  the  dangers  and  difficulties  which  sur- 
rounded them  during  1777,  the  pioneers  of  the  West  held  steadily 
to  their  purposes,  and  those  of  Kentucky  being  now  a  cciopoiiem 
part  of  the  citizens  of  Virginia,  proceeded  to  exercise  their  civil 
privileges,  and  in  April  elected  John  Todd  and  Richard  Gallawiiv, 
burgesses  to  represent  them  in  the  Assembly  of  the  parent  State. 
Early  in  the  following  September  the  first  court  was  held  in  Har- 
rodsburg;  and  Col.  Bowman,  who,  as  we  have  mentioned,  had 
arrived  from  the  settlements  in  August,  was  placed  at  the  head 
of  a  regular  military  organization  which  had  been  commenced  the 
March  previous.  Thus,  within  herself,  feeble  as  she  was,  Ken- 
tucky was  organizing ;  and  her  chief  spirit,  he  that  had  represented 
her  beyond  the  mountains  the  year  before,  was  meditating  another 
trip  to  Williamsburg,  for  the  purpose  of  urging  a  bolder  and  more 
decided  measure  than  any  yet  proposed.  He  understood  the  whole 
game  of  the  British.  He  saw  that  it  was  through  their  possession 
of  Detroit,  Vincennes,  Kaskaskia  and  the  other  western  posts— 
which  gave  them  easy  and  constant  access  to  the  Indian  tribes  ol 
the  north-west  —  that  the  British  hoped  to  effect  such  an  union  ol 
the  wild  men  as  would  annihilate  the  frontier  fortresses.  He 
knew  that  the  Delawares  were  divided  in  feeling,  and  the  Shawa- 
nese  but  imperfectly  united  in  favor  of  England,  ever  since  the 
murder  of  Cornstalk.  He  was  convinced  that  could  the  British  in 
the  north-west  be  defeated  and  expelled,  the  natives  might  be 
easily  awed  or  bribed  into  neutrality ;    and  by  spies  sent  for  the 

*  American  Pioneer,  vol.  ii.  p.  312. 

+  See  Withers'  Border  Warfare,  160.  American  Pioneer,  ii.  302-314-339.  The  usual 
date  of  the  attack  is  September  1,  Mr.  McKiernan  gives  good  authority  for  his  il;UiS| 
which  \\c  rollow. 


1777. 


Clark  proposes  to  conquer  Illinois. 


175 


adjusling 
ihc  bliifT, 
omeiU  ihc 
le  foot  of 
irec'k,  and 


.ns  kilk'd 
3,  burned 
ture. 
•five  were 
one  hun- 


2  another 
and  more 
the  whole 
)osses.sioii 
rn  posis- 
tribes  ol 
iniion  ol 
sses.    lit 
ne  Shawa- 
since  the 
British  in 
might  bo 
nt  for  the 


9.     The  usual 
for  liis  dales. 


purpose,  and  who  were  absent  from  April  20  to  June  22d,  lie  had 
satisfied  himself  that  an  enterprise  against  the  Illinois  settlements 
iniirht  easily  succeed.      Having  made  up  his  mind,  on    tlie    1st 
of  October,  he  left  Harrodsburg  for  the    East,   and  reached  the 
capital  of  Virginia  November  the  5th.     Opening  his  mind  to  no 
one,  he  watched  with  care  the   state  of  feeling  among  those   in 
power,  waiting  the  proper  moment  to  present  his  scheme.      Fortu- 
nately, while  he  was  upon  his  road,  on  the  17th  of  October,  Bur- 
2;oyne  had  surrendered,  and  hope  was  again  predominant  in   the 
American  councils.      When  therefore  the  western    soldier,    upon 
the  10th  of  December,  broke  the  subject  of  his  proposed  expe- 
(Htion  against  the  forts  on  the  far  distant  Mississippi,  to  Patrick 
Henry,  who  was  still  governor,  he  met  with  a  favorable  hearing, 
and  though  doubts  and  fears  arose  by  degrees,  yet  so  well  digested 
were  his  plans,  that  he  was  able   to   meet  each   objection,    and 
remove  every  seeming  impossibility.      Already  the   necessity  of 
securing  the  western  posts  had  been  presented  to  the  consideration 
of  Congress;  as  early  as  April  29,  1776,  the  committee  on  Indian 
ail'airs  were  instructed  to  report  upon  the  possibility  of  taking  De- 
iroit;*  and  again,  upon  the  20th  of  November,  1777,  a  report  was 
made  to  that  body,  in  which  this  necessity  was  urged,  and  also 
the  need  that  existed,  of  taking  some  measure  to  prevent  the  spirit 
of  disaffection   from    spreading  among  the   frontier    iidiabitants.f 
Three  commissioners  also  w^ere  chosen  to  go  to  Fort  Pitt,  for  the 
purpose  of  inquiring  into  the  causes  of  the  frontier  difficulties,  and 
doing  what  could  be  done  to  secure  all  the  whites  to  the  American 
cause,  to  cultivate  the  friendship  of  the  Shawanese  and  Delawares, 
and  to  concert  with  General  Hand  som.e  measures  for  pushing  the 
war  westward,  so  as  to  obtain  possession  of  Detroit  and  other  posts. 
General  Washington  was  also  '•equested  to  send  Colonel  William 
Crawford,   an   old  pioneer,  to  take  the   active   command    in   the 
West;    and    he    accordingly   left    head   quarters    upon   the    25th. 
All  this,  as  w^e  shall  see   by  and  by,   ended  in   nothing,   but   it 
proved  the  correctness  of  Clark's  views,  and  aided,  we  may  sup- 
piiso  in  convincing  those  who  ruled  in  the  Ancient  Dominion  that 
their  glory  and  interest,  as  well  as  the  safety  of  the  whole  frontier 
country,  were  deeply  involved  in  the  success  of  the  bold  plan  of 
'lie  founder  of  Kentucky. 
And  here,  before  proceeding  to  narrate  the  steps  taken  by  Clark 

*  Secret  Journals,  i.  43. 

^Old  Jjuririls,  vol.  ii.  i>.  340. 


176 


Condition  of  Illinois. 


1762  to  1777, 


to  rc'durc  tlie  Illinois  and  otlitr  British  posts  of  the  north-west,  it 
will  he  proper  to  hring  up  the  seant  and  simple  annals  of  that  por- 
tion of  our  (country  from  1750,  when  Vivier  wrote  respecting  IIiliti, 
to  tlic  period  at  whicli  we  have  now  arrived. 

'I'he  settlements  along  the  Mississippi,  from  1750  to  1702,  ex- 
perienced few  changes  with  wliich  we  are  acquainted.*  On  tlu 
3d  ol'lhe  month  of  November  of  the  year  last  named,  the  prelim- 
inary arlicles  of  peace  hetween  Great  Britain,  France,  Spain  and 
Portugal,  Avhich  resulted  in  the  peace  of  Paris,  of  February  lOlh, 
1763,  were  signed  at  Fontainbleau  ;  on  that  day  also,  l)y  a  secret  act 
of  cession  the  French  king  gave  to  Spain  all  of  Louisiana  (west  of 
the  Mississippi,!)  together  with  New  Orleans  and  the  island  on 
which  it  is  situated.  The  conmiand  of  this  territory,  however, 
was  not  given  over  by  the  ofhcers  of  France  until  directed  to  do 
so  by  an  order  dated  April  21,  1764.  The  regions  east  of  the 
Mississippi,  including  all  the  various  towns  of  the  north-wtsf. 
were  by  the  same  peace-making  given  ov^r  to  England  ;  but  ihey 
do  not  appear  to  have  been  taken  possession  of  by  that  power 
until  1765,  n-hen  Captain  Stirling,  in  the  name  of  the  majesty  of 
England,  establislied  himself  at  Fort  Chartres,  bearing  with  him 
the  proclamation  of  General  Gage,  dated  December  30,  17G4, 
which  promised  freedom  of  religious  worship  to  the  western 
Catholics,  a  right  to  leave  the  country  with  their  effects  if  they 
wished,  or  to  remain  M'ith  the  privileges  of  Englishmen.:];  During 
some  years,  differences  occurred  between  the  British  rulers  ami 
French  inhabitants,  and  many  of  the  latter  crossed  the  river  into 
the  dominions  of  Spain ;  so  that  when  Captain  Pittman  visited 
"the  Illinois,"  in  1770,  Kaskaskia  contained  only  sixty-five 
resident  families,  and  Cahokia  only  forty-five  dwellings.  ||  Still 
at  that  time]  one  man  furnished  the  king's  stores  from  his  crop. 
86,000  lbs.  of  flour. §  Soon  after  this  we  find  General  Gage  iss;i- 
ing  his  proclamation  of  April,  1772,  against  interlopers  on  the 
Wabash,  at  St.  Vincent  and  elsewhere,  which  led  to  a  protest  on 

*  Some  account  oftlic  Illinois  in  17.30  may  he  foiuul  in  tlic  travels  of  liossu,  trauslaui 
by  J.  R.  Forstcr,  London,  1771.    2  vols. 

t  This  was  intended,  but  not  stated.     Sec  order  to  Mens.  D'Abbadic,  Land  Laws  9"G 
(:  Land  Laws,  948.— Brown's  Illinois,  212. 

f  PittnKurs  pre.sent  state  of  English  Scttlonipnts  on  tlic  Mississippi.  (London,  l""i', 
p.  43. 

§  Pittman,  p.  43.  On  p.  55  this  writer  says  a  man  in  Illinois  could  have  been  foil  and 
loduod  the  year  round  for  two  months'  work  ;  the  one  in  sred-timo,  the  other  in  li:irvf!! 
In  17C0,  IIutchins((ieographical  Description,  43)  says  the  Illinois  produced  110  IIIkIb,  f 
wine. 


f.o  1777. 


17r,-2-1777. 


Condition  oj"  Illinois. 


\r 


-west,  it 
hut  poi- 

Ig  tllLlTl, 


/ir. 


(j\- 


On  thf: 
!  prolim- 
paiu  and 
iry  lOih, 
sec  ret  net 
(west  of 
island  on 
liowevcr. 
ed  to  do 
st  of  thf 
)rtli-west, 

l)ut  they 
.at  powir 
majesty  oi 
with  him 
30,  17(i4, 
2  western 
ts  if  thiv 
Diirin'. 
ulers  ami 
river  into 
in    visited 

sixty-fivf 
fs.ll      Still 

his  crop. 

iage  issii- 

rs  on  the 

[M-otest  on 

;u,  traujlaU^ 
Inil  Laws  976 
London,  1">, 

ll.c(;u  ff'l  ^-• 
ler  in  liir^f^' 
110  lihde.f 


;lif  part  of  (he  ohl  inhabilaiils  in  the  following  September,  this  j)!!)- 
tist  the  General  repHed  to  by  recpiiring  the  nanii'  of  ever}  peison 
,it  St.  Vincents,  with  all  the  details  of  each  one's  claim.*  'I'hese 
claims  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  passed,  as  did  those  from  the 
post<  Ihrther  west,  into  the  hands  of  tlie  L'nited  States'  (iovern- 
iinnt,  and  were  by  them  e(iuilably  adjusted,  although  it  was  by 
no  means  an  easy  matter  to  do  so,  as  the  claims  finally  existing 
had  arisen  in  various  ways;  some  from  grants  by  the  old  Frcucli 
roiiimandants,  others  from  tliose  by  the  Jiritish  olhcers,  who  suc- 
ecdvd  in  the  government  of  Illinois,  others  by  purchase  from  the 
Indians,  and  others  again  under  promises  made  by  tlie  old  con- 
federation. Many  of  thesi;  claims  were  supported  by  scarce  any 
pi'iof,  most  of  the  old  records  having  been  destroyed  ;  and  others 
\V(.rc  upheld  only  by  perjury,  which  seems  to  have  been  easily 
procured  when  needed,  Among  the  cases  which  a])pear  most 
fiiibarrassing  were  those  of  the  Illinois  and  Wabash  Co's,  who, 
ui  Jidy,  1773,  and  October,  1775,  had  bought  of  the  Indians 
'lui'c  immense  and  most  valuable  tracts  of  land  in  what  are  now 
:lic  States  of  Illinois  and  Itidiana,  upon  the  Illinois,  Mississippi, 
Ohio  and  Wabash  rivers.  Tlie  purchases  were  made  by  William 
Murray,  for  himself  and  others,  at  open  councils  held  at  Kaskaskia 
and  St.  Vincent,  in  the  presence  of  the  British  officers,  and  whicli 
';Mi(l  for  several  weeks.  From  these  meetings  ardent  spirits 
'Vire  entirely  excluded,  and  the  savages,  in  return  ff)r  their  deeds, 
:> ceivod  goods  to  the  value  of  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  British 
jrivfrnmeiit,  however,  under  the  pressure  of  the  time,  did  not 
confirm  the  proceedings,  although  Lord  Dunniorc  was  one  of  the 
leaders  of  the  Wabasli  Com[)any — and  when,  after  the  Revolution, 
iie  purchasers  presented  their  claim  to  the  United  States,  wliiidi 
'luv  did  several  times,  it  was  not  granted,  Congress  taking  the 
jrouiid  that  the  purchase  from  the  natives  was  in  contemjjt  of  the 
Pioelamation  of  1763,  and  could  not  be  recognized.  Upon  the 
^anui  ground  the  vast  tract  in  the  north-west,  which  Jonathan  Car- 
i^'r,  the  old  traveller,  alledged  a  title  to,  as  having  been  purchased 
j'^tllie  Sioux,  was  considered  as  in  no  degree  his,  even  though  he 
I'^d  been  able  to  show  a  fair  title,  (independent  of  the   proclama- 

•11,)  which,  as  it  happened,  ho  was  not  al)le  to  do.  There  are 
l-Mny  voluminous  reports  in  relation  to  these  matters  in  the  Amer- 

'11  State  papers,  which  may  be  found  by  turning  (o  the  Index  of 

'  I-iiid  Lu'vs,  918-9-19.     For  Gage's  Proclamation,  sec  AnKrican  State  PapcrS;  xvii.  .209. 

12 


178 


Condition  of  Illinois. 


1762  to  17 


/  /. 


]7C2— 177-/ 


Among  llio^.: 


tliose  volumes;  a  few  of  tlicm  we  refer  to  Ijflow.' 

I'oforred  to,  that  oji  page  108,  is  a  very  a])le  and  fidl  argument   In 

favor  of  tlie  Illinois  and   Wabash  Comiinnies,  (wliieh   had  been 

united  in  1780,) — a  paper  probably  prepared   by  Robert   Goodlor 

Harper. 

In  llutrliins'  Topography  of  Virginia,  &(\,  we  find  it  stiUtil 
that  Kaskaskia  contained  80  houses,  and  nearly  1000  white  and 
black  inhabitants;  the  whites  being  a  little  the  most  numemns. 
Cahokia  is  stated  at  50  houses  and  300  white  inhabitants,  with 
80  negroes.  He  also  estimates  east  of  the  Mississippi,  300  wliitr 
men  capable  of  bearing  arms,  and  230  negroes.  This  last  calfi- 
lation  is  made  for  1771,  and  although  Hutchins  did  not  publisli 
his  work  luitil  1778,  we  presume  his  calculations  all  apply  to  ;i 
period  anterior  to  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutioimry  War. 

From  1775  until  the  expedition  by  Clark,  we  find  nothing  n- 
corded,  and  know  nothing  of  the  condition  of  the  Illinois  settk- 
ments  beyond  what  is  contained  in  the  following  extract  from  a 
report  made  by  a  committee  to  Congress  in  June,  1788. 

Near  the  nioutli  of  the  river  Kaskaskies,  llicrc  is  a  village  whicli  ap- 
pears to  have  contaiiictl  nearly  eighty  families,  from  the  beginning  of  ihe 
late  '•cvolulion.  Tlicro  are  twelve  families  in  a  small  village  at  la  Prairie 
(lu  Rochers,  and  near  fifty  families  at  the  Kahokia  village.  There  are 
also  four  or  five  families  at  Fort  Charlres  and  St.  Philip's,  which  is  five 
miles  further  up  the  river.t 

Such  were  the  posts  against  which  Clark  was  to  march.  But 
in  the  immediate  neighorhood  of  those  posts  was  the  younc 
and  promising,  though  while  under  Spanish  rule  by  no  moaii^ 
lh"H'ing,  colony  of  which  St.  Louis:}:  was  the  central  point;  a  bri'i 
history  of  which,  (drawn  almost  entirely  from  the  report  of  J.  N 
Nicollet  made  to  Congress,  in  1843,)  seems  also  appropriate  a 
this  point. 

The  country  west  of  the  Mississippi  was  secretly  given  over  bv 
France  to  Spain,  November  3,  1762,  the  order  on  the  Frencli 
Governor,  Mons.  D'Abbudie,  to  deliver  up  his  command,  was 
drawn  on  the  21st  of  April,  1764.     Meantime  a  company  of  met- 

*  Soe  American  State  Papers,  xvii.  123  to  240.     108.    253.     xviii.  551.    611.    See  also 
case  of  Jolinson  vs.  Mcintosh.     Wlieatoii's  Reports,  viii.  543. 

t  See  Land  Laws,  393.     [Volncy,  (view,  381,)  sajs  that  Colonel  Sargent,  iu  1790,  c;;.- 
mated  the  French  lainilicsin  Illinois  at  I'jO.j 

J  Or  Pancore,  sec  Volnc)'*£  View,  3S1. 


'lianfs,  head 
tlif  Indian  fi 
f.vjiodition  v 
iiiercial  relat 

Mr.  Laclet 
niaii  of  great 
cxpediiioii.     j 
irrivctl  at   St. 
o(  November. 
At  this  time 
Mississippi,  p 
Si.  Genevieve 
«ciirccly  find 
-argo.     On    tl 
icccivcd  orders 
?o  that    the   fi 
presenting  tlier 
difliculiies,   Mr 
'•I'ings,  found  1 
Mr.   Neyon   d 
Cliarlres,    untii 
icccpled  the  of 
tributing  his  flol 
cither  for  defen 
Having  accoi 
^ary  to  look   o 
'jank  of  the  riv( 
;eriitory  of  Illir 
i!ic  village  of  S 
'i^'c.  and  this  s 
Missouri.     Mr. 
exploration  to  t 
lot  long  before 
elands  was  the  s 
Deferring,  for 
^•j1  situation  of 
'^I'on  which  the 
'■>}'  a  deep  depo 
^'iifT  rises  to  an 
of  the   waters  c 
I''"cau,  extendi) 
•■'"i'  to  the  fomi 


0    1 


III. 


17G2— 1777. 


Condition  of  Missouri 


179 


neni   in 

1(1    lutii 

Goodloc 

t  stilted 
hito  and 
imcrnu-;. 
its,  with 
30  white 
,st  cairn- 
t  pul)lis!i 
iply  to  n 

y  w=^'-- 

ithiiig  VI- 

318    Scttll- 

ct  from  .; 


which  ap- 
,ning  of  ihe 
it  la  Prairie 
I  There  arc 

lich  is  five 


irch.    But 

10    youn!; 

no  mcaii^ 

nt ;  a  bri't 

t  of  J.N 

iropiialc  t 

en  over  Ijv 

ne  Frendr 

mand,  '^^''^ 

ny  of  mer- 

611.    See  also] 
ia  1790,  e;;. 


I  hants,  headed  by  a  Mr.  Laclede,  liad  obtained  the  monopoly  of 
:bc  Indian  fur-trade  on  the  Mississippi  and  Missonii  rivers,  ami  an 
(xpedition  was  fitted  ont  to  form  establishments,  and  open  eoni- 
inerc'ial  relations  with  the  natives.     Says  Nicolk-t  : 

Mr.  Laclede,  the  principal  projector  of  the  company,  and  withnl  a 
man  of  great  intelligence  and  enterprise,  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
txpccUiion.  Leaving  New  Orleans  on  the  8d  of  August,  1703,  he 
urivcd  al  St.  Genevieve  three  months  afterwards — namely,  on  the  3d 
of  November.         *         #  #  i;  *  r  »         *  » 

Al  this  lime,  the  French  establishments  were  on  the  cast  side  of  the 
Mississippi,  particularly  those  made  in  Illinois.  Tlic  small  village  of 
Si.  ficnevieve  Jone  was  on  the  right  side,  in  which  Mr.  Laclede  could 
scarcely  find  a  house  of  sufficient  size  to  store  a  fourth  part  of  his 
'argo.  On  the  other  hand,  the  director  general  of  Louisiana  had 
icccivcd  orders  to  deliver  up  the  territory  on  tlio  west  .side  of  the  river  ; 
fo  that  the  British  authorities  might  be  expected  at  any  moment, 
presenting  themselves  to  take  possession  of  it.  In  the  midst  of  these 
lilfioullies,  Mr.  Laclede,  greatly  embarrassed  under  il\e  new  aspect  of 
'Jiiiigs,  found  himself,  however,  relieved  wlicn  the  commanding  ofiicer, 
Mr.  Neyon  de  Villiers,  allowed  him  the  use  of  the  storj  at  Fort 
Cliartres,  until  the  final  surrender  of  the  place.  Laclede  gladly 
accepted  the  offer,  and  lost  no  time  in  apportioning  his  squad  and  dis- 
'.ributing  his  fiotilla  along  the  rivers,  so  as  to  render  them  most  effective 
cither  for  defence  or  for  trade. 

Having  accomplished  dial  preliminary  arrangement,  it  became  neces- 
•ary  to  look  out  for  the  position  of  a  central  establishment.  The  left 
bank  of  die  river  no  longer  presented  any  fit  situation,  since  die  whole 
;eriitory  of  Illinois  had  been  passed  over  to  the  British  Government ; 
the  village  of  St.  Genevieve,  on  the  right  bank,  being  his  only  altcrna- 
'live,  and  this  situated  at  too  great  a  distance  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Missouri.  Mr.  Laclede,  therefore,  left  Fort  Cliartres,  on  a  voyage  of 
exploration  to  the  junction  of  this  river  with  the  Mi-^sissippi,  and  was 
not  long  before  he  discovered  that  the  bluff  npon  which  St.  Louis  now 
Mands  was  the  spot  tint  would  best  answer  tlio  pm-poscs  of  the  company. 

Deferring,  for  the  present,  a  more  particular  account  of  the  geologi- 
cal situation  of  St.  Louis,  it  may  be  remarked  in  this  place  that  the  hill 
upon  which  the  city  is  situated  is  composed  of  limestone  rocks,  covered 
!)}'  a  deep  deposite  of  alluvial  soil  of  great  fertility.  The  limestone. 
ViiilT  rises  to  an  elevation  of  about  eighty  feet  over  the  usual  recession 
uf  the  waters  of  the  INIississippi,  and  is  crowned  by  an  upland,  or 
ilateau,  extending  to  the  north  and  west,  and  presenting  scarcely  any 
•-iiit  to  die  foundation  of  a  city  entirely  secure  from  the  invasions  of 
:lie  river.        ********** 


180 


Condition  of  Missouri. 


I7()t2—177: 


It  was  on  this  ppot  lliat  llio  prf,'.S(;icnt  in'md  of  Mr.  Ijaclodo  forc-^iiv 
nnd  prediclcil  tho  fuUiic  iiuporliiDCo  <jf  llic  town  to  which  I»c  gavo  the 
name  of  St,  Louis,  and  about  which  he  discoursed,  a  few  days  afur 
ward,  witli  so  much  enthusiasm,  in  presence  of  t!ie  ofTicers  at  Tin 
Cliartres.  Miit  winter  had  now  .set  in,  (December,)  and  tlic  Mississippi 
was  about  to  be  closed  l)y  ice.  Mr.  Laclede  could  do  no  more  tliun  ci;; 
down  some  trees,  and  hluzc  others,  to  indicate  the  places  which  he  haj 
selected.  Returning  afterwards  to  the  fort,  where  he  spent  the  winter 
he  occupied  himself  in  n»aking  every  preparation  for  the  eslablisliintn. 
of  the  new  colony. 

Accordingly,  at  the  breaking  up  of  winter,  he  equipped  a  large  boa'. 
wliich  he  nuuined  with  thirty  hands.  It  is  proper  to  n)ention,  in  tin- 
place,  that  Mr.  Laclede  was  accompanied  by  two  young  Creoles  of  Nou 
Orleans,  Augiiste  and  Pierre  Chouteau,  of  high  intelligence,  in  whoii: 
he  reposed  the  greatest  conlidence,  and  from  whom  he  derived  miic!. 
assistance.  These  two  young  men,  who  never  afterwards  quitted  iIk 
country  of  tlieir  adoption,  became  in  time  the  hrads  of  numcroii-; 
families;  enjoying  the  highest  respectability,  the  comforts  of  an  hon- 
orably acquired  aflluence,  the  fruit  of  their  own  industry,  and  possessei" 
of  a  name  which  to  this  day,  afier  a  lapse  of  seventy  years,  is  still  i 
passport  that  commands  safety  and  hospitality  among  all  the  Indian 
nations  of  the  United  States,  north  and  west.  Mr.  Laclede  jrave  the 
command  of  his  boat  to  Auguste,  the  elder  of  the  two  brothers,  who 
died  in  1820 ;  and  it  is  with  mixed  fe-ilings  of  veneration  and  tilu: 
affection  that,  at  the  moment  of  recording  these  events,  (1842,)  I  have 
the  satisfaction  of  believing  that  my  respectable  and  esteemed  fricivl, 
Pierre  Chouteau,  is  still  alive,  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  his  facullic?,  ;^; 
the  ripe  old  age  of  80  years. 

Auguste  Choteau,  who  had  aroompanicd  Mr.  Laclede  in  his  lir.-; 
excursion,  was  directed  to  carry  out  Jiis  plans;  and  on  the  ir)tli  o: 
February,  1701,  liad  arrived  at  his  point  of  destination,  with  ;•.!!  Iii- 
men,  wliom  he  immediately  set  to  worfc.  The  present  old  niarket' 
place  of  St.  liOui?  is  the  spot  where  the  first  tents  and  log  cabins  wcrf 
pitched,  upon  the  site  of  this  now  important  city  of  the  West.  Mr 
Laclede  being  detained  at  Fort  Chartres  in  the  settlement  of  his  piivati: 
aflairs,  and  in  anticipation  of  the  arrival  of  the  British  troops,  llioii:,''i- 
it  necessary,  however,  to  'pay  a  visit,  early  in  the  ensuing  nioiilh  o: 
April,  to  \[\s  pioneers  ;  and,  finding  every  thing  in  good  train,  conteiiicu 
himself  with  leaving  such  instructions  as  were  best  lilted  to  develop)  ilii 
resources  of  the  location,  and  relumed  to  Fori  Chartres,  with  the  inten- 
tion of  removing  ihcnce  the  goods  belonging  to  the  company.* 

For   some  time,  however,  as  the   English  did  not   appear,  M 
Laclede  remained  at    Fort  Chartres,  from  the  vicinity  of  Nvhi'' 

*  Nicollet's  Report,  pp.  75—77, 


1762—1777. 


Crmdit'ion  of  Missouri. 


ISI 


mnii}  of  flic  rrctKli,  diiriiii^  tlic  suiuiikt  of  1701,  ri-'inovcd  (o  St. 
li)\\\^.  'I'liis  ciiiigrafioM  was  soon  rhcrkcd,  however,  by  the 
news  of  tlic  si-cict  cession  to  "  His  Ciitliolic  Majesty,"*  wliu.h 
iK'Ws  left  ilic  uiifortunati'  and  sinii)lr  liraiied  Frenclif  of  Illinois, 
(!is(  rtt'd  by  tlieir  own  inonareli,  to  choose  Ijetween  Mie  doniiniou 
(if  Kng'land  and  Spuin.  'riie  troubles  which  followed  the  altenipt 
if  Spain  to  take  possession  of  Lower  Louisiana,  for  some  time  left 
ihc  upper  settlements  in  the  hands  of  the  Freneh  :  it  was  n(»t, 
iiiilci'd,  till  1770,  that  Spain  obtained  fnial  ])ossession  of  St.  Louis. 
Miiinwliile  other  towns  were  risin<^. 

Of  the  state  of  St.  Louis  and  its  nei;^hborin<^  towns,  al)out 
1771,  we  may  form  some  roTjception  from  the  facts  and  estimates 
jivcn  liy  Ilutchins.  At  St.  Genevieve  he  says  there  were  208 
whites  and  SO  negroes,  capable  of  bearing  arms;  and  at  St.  Louis, 
11')  whites  and  40  blacks.  He  further  tells  us  there  were  120 
liouses  in  the  town  last  named,  mostly  of  stone,  large  and  commo- 
!inus :  and  the  whole  number  of  people  he  places  at  800,  besides 
150  negroes;  the  whites  being  chiefly  French.  The  population  of 
'^l,  Genevieve,  he  puts  at  460,  besides  blacks. J 

In  1707,  p.  mnn  by  the  namo  of  Dclo  Dotorgctto  settled  upon  n  splen- 
,li(l  aivipliithcatre  on  the  right  bimk  of  the  Mi?sis.sippi,  six  miles  south 
of  Si.  Louis.  lie  was  soon  followed  by  others  ;  but,  as  tliey  were  not 
overlnirdencd  with  wealth,  they  used  to  pay  frequent  visits  to  their 
kinsfolk  of  St.  Louis,  who,  on  seeing  them  apprnarh,  would  exclaim, 
'•Here  come  the  empty  pockets," — '^^  voila  les  pochcs  vides  qui  vicn- 
JiOiL"  But,  on  son\e  occasion,  a  wag  remarked,  "You  had  belter 
call  them  empticrs  of  pockets  "  les  vitle-poches  ;  a  compliment  which 


Ippear,  M 

of  wlm''- 


'  N'icolli't  says  (p.  S-3)  that  news  of  tliis  cfssion  roacliod  Now  Orlvaiis,  April  21,  17l>4  ; 
■.::it  was  the  date  of  the  kiii;;'s  order,  wbi^h  was  printed  at  New  Orloansj  in  tlie  follow- 
.'.'Uctoher.     See  Laud  Laws,  97G. 

*  The  followiBg  story,  told  by  Nicollet,  is  very  characteristic 

"A  geiuiine  Missourian,  it  is  related,  was  hovering  for  some  time  around  the  stall  of 

;  ne;;r(j  dealer,  situated  on  the  hank  of  the  Mississippi,  in  Lo\\er  Lonisiana.     The  dealer 

I  n?  a  Kentucky  merchant,  who,  observing  him,  asked   him  if  he  wished  to  purchase  any 

i'i,iig !    'Yes,'  said  the    Missourian,  'I  should   like  to   buy  a   negro.'     He  was  invited 

■  I  Walk  in,  made  his  choice,  and  iu([uired  the  j)ric,e.     'Five  hundred  dollars,"  said    the 

'■IT, '  l)Ut,  according  to  custom,  you  may  have   one  year's  credit  u))ou  the   purchase.' 

ri'Missoiirian,  at  thin  pro|)osition,  became  very  uneasy  ,  the  idea  of  such  a  load  of  debt 

■■'''n  him  for  a   whole  year  was  too    much.     '  No,  no,'   said  he,  '  I'd  rather  pay  you 

(■■iliiiiKlred  dollars  at  once,  and   be  done  with  it.'     '  Very  well,"  said  the   Kentuckian, 

I  •'■}  'liinj  to  accommodate.'  " 

■  Hiitcliins'  Topograjihical   description  of  Virginia,  (we  have  lost  the  pages  of  this  rof- 

■fiicc)    There  is  no  additional  information  on    the  subject  in  liis  pamphlet  on  Louiai- 

'"  tl)oii;/h  publisbed  several  yesrs  later. 


18-2  Siege  of  Si.  Louis.  17S(. 

was  rctaliiilcti  by  llicsc  iii»on  the  place  of  St.  Loimh,  which  \\n»  sulijc, 
to  frpqiimt  acasoiiH  of  want,  Ity  styling  it  Paincoitrl — short  of  hrta! 
The  vilhigo,  Ijciiig  still  naiucIcHs,  rctaiiujd  the  appfllatioii  of  Vide  poc!. 
until  1770,  when  it  was  changed  into  that  of  Carondclct. 

In  1700,  srttlomcnts  wcro  niadn  on  hoth  shores  of  the  lower  porliin 
of  the  Missouri  rivor.  Illancholto,  snrnamed  **  the  hunter,"  biiih  hi. 
log-house  on  the  hills  called  Ics  Pclifcs  Cotes  ;  being  the  first  dwcIlin!,'o 
llie  beautiful  village  that,  in  17H1,  received  the  name  of  St.  Charhfi.' 

Francois  Dorosier  Dunegan  commenced  the  village  of  Florifumnt -, 
which  name  it  still  popularly  retains,  although  more  lately  called  by  ili. 
Spaniards  St.  Ferdinand. 

About  the  same  time,  Francois  Saucier  originated  the  establishmch 
of  the  Portage  dcs  Sioux,  on  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  seven  mik: 
above  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri. 

And  here,  anlicipating  a  little,  we  give  Nico]l(;t's  account  : 
the  attack  on  St.  Louis  l)y  the  British  and  Indians  usually  assigm' 
to  1778,  hut  hy  Nicollet  said  to  have  hcen  in  May,  1780;  a  diin 
made  prohahle  hy  llie  fact  thai  Spiiln  did  not  side  with  tlie  I'uiii 
States  until  June  Ifith,  1779,  and  that  act  of  hers  must  have  bet.i 
the  provocation  to  the  attack  referred  to.f 

The  garrison,  says  Nicollet's  report,  consisted  of  only  fifty  to  sixty 
men,  commanded  by  a  certain  Captain  Lcbas,:|:  (a  Spaniard,  and  not  d 
Frenchman,    as   his    name    might    lead  one  to  suppose.)     But,  whs; 
soever  his  origin,  he  deserves  nothing  but  public  contempt.  This  Lebas.j 
during  the  first  three  years  that  the  Spaniards  occupied  the  country,  haill 
commanded  a  small  fort  somewhere  towards  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri 
perhaps  at  lielle  Fontaine — and  afterwards  receivjd  the  commanii  ui 
St.  Louis,  as  a  successor  to  Cruzat,  who  himself  had  succeeded  Pieniaz.j 
The  only  means  of  defence  for  the  place  at  that  lime,  was  a  stone  lowt 
erected  near  the  village  on  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi,  and  some  wa^l 
palisades.     There  were  not  more  than  150  males  in  the  place»  of  whoRJ 
not  more  than  70  could  be  relied  upon  as  eflicient  to  repel  an  eneiiiyj 
numbering,  according  to  tlie  best  authorities,  900  combatants  ;  t!iciig!i,j 
by  some,  their  number  is  represented  to  have  been  from  1,400  to  l,50il 
It  would  have  been  useless  to  propose  a  capitulation,  the  conditioll^  cfj 
which  the  Indians,  (as  has  been  unfortunately  too  often  experiencei!.)! 


•  Hall  (Sketches,  i.  171,)  says,  1S04. 

t  Nicollet  had  the  pajx-rs  of  Colonel  Av^ruste  Chouteau. — For  the  date  ofSpa;!. « 
action  see  Pit'.ins'  United  States,  ii.  72. 

\.  Spelt  Leyha  by  Hall,  whose  account  of  the  transaction,  sec  Sketches,  i.  171.  h^'-.n 
Hall's  spelling  of  the  name  is  probably  corrcctj  if  the  man  was  a  Spaniard. 


i:so. 


Siege  of  St.  Louis. 


183 


tiilicr  from  ignorauro  or  treachery,  never  fulfil';  aiul  ihc  inliabiiaiUs 
knew  loo  well  llic  cliaraclcr  of  lliose  uilli  whom  thoy  hatl  lo  (h-al,  to 
cxix'cl  .salvation  in  any(hin;j;  hut  a  coura;;(;oiis  rcsisiaiicc.  The  women 
antl  children,  wlio  conhl  not  lake  part  in  liiu  defence,  look  shelter  in  the 
house  of  AngnsK!  Chouteau;  whilst  all  those,  hotli  men  and  women, 
who  were  within  the  palisades,  commeneed  so  vif,'orou.s  a  resistanee, 
(hat  the  enemy  was  forced  to  retreat.  Rut  ihef^e,  with  characteristic 
ferocity,  threw  themselvrs  upon  those  of  the  inha'^itants  who,  engaged 
ill  the  cultivation  of  their  fields,  had  not  had  time  to  reach  the  palisades; 
and  it  is  said  that  sixty  were  killed,  and  thirteen  made  prisoners. 

It  is  averred  that  the  Spanish  garrison  took  no  part  in  this  gallant  dc* 
fence.  Lcbas  and  his  men  had  betaken  themselves  to  the  stone  tower; 
and  it  is  further  stated,  that,  as  the  tower  threatened  to  give  way  after 
ihe  first  fire  from  it,  he  ordered  the  firing  to  be  stopped  ;  und  that  he  died 
on  receiving  information  that  the  Sacs,  Foxes,  and  Iowa  Indians  were 
inas.sacring  the  people  on  the  plains.  The  year  this  attack  took  place, 
is  called  by  the  French  VAiuuc  du  (irund  Coup — the  year  of  the  great 
blow. 

Historical  accuracy  demands  a  denial  here  of  the  assertion  of  some 
aiUliors,  who  ascribe  to  American  troops  an  active  part  in  this  defence. 
Unfortunately,  tliere  were  no  United  States  troops  on  tlie  bank  of  the 
Mississippi  opposite  to  St.  Louis,  as  none  were  needed,  there  being 
nothing  to  guard  or  to  defend.  It  is  well  known  that  General  George 
R.  Clark,  with  his  mow,  then  occupied  the  important  post  of  Kaskaskia, 
which  is  more  than  fifty-six  miles  south-east  of  St.  Louis ;  and  that, 
consequently,  this  gallant  officer  could  not  luivc  had  time,  even  if  it  (ell 
within  his  line  of  duty,  to  aid  in  an  allair  that  concerned  the  Spaniards 
and  the  British,  which  was  planned  as  a  surprise,  and  lasted  but  a  few 
hours. 

Afier  the  event  narrated  above,  the  inhabitants  of  St.  Louis,  finding 
that  their  garrison  were  unworthy  of  trust,  without  ammunition,  and 
wiilinut  means  of  defence  against  a  regularly  organized  attack,  depuled 
Mr.  A.  Chouteau  to  proceed  to  New  Orleans  for  assistance.  Cruzat  was 
again  made  commander  of  St.  Louis,  the  affairs  of  which  place  he  ad- 
ministered with  mildness  and  public  satisfaction.  A  wooden  fort  was 
bulk  on  the  most  elevated  spot  within  the  city,  upon  which  were  mounted 
feveral  heavy  pieces  of  ordnance,  and  still  later  there  were  added  four 
Btone  turrets,  from  which  cross-fires  could  be  kept  up.  This  might 
have  answered  for  the  protection  of  the  city,  but  only  against  the  In- 
dians. No  trace  of  this  fortification  are  now  to  be  seen — the  very  site 
of  which  has  yielded  lo  the  improvements  of  the  city.* 


'  Sec  Nicollet,  p.  S3. 


177S. 


Clark,  liaviii"^  satisfird  the  Viiffinia  leaders  of  the  feasibility  (,\ 
his  plan,  rueeived  on  the  2d  of  January  two  sets  of  instructions— 
the  one  open,  aiithorisin}^  him  to  enlist  seven  companies  to  yo  Ui 
Kentucky,  suhjcct  to  his  orders,  and  to  serve  lor  tliree  months 
from  their  arrival  in  tlu;  West;  the  other  set  secret  and  drawn  ii.s 
lolhnvs : 


VIR(7IN'TA  :  Set.     I\  Coitncii,,  Williamsuuro,  Jan.  2il,  1778. 
TAcittcnunt  Colonel  (Senrgc  liogrrs  Chirk: 

You  arc  (o  prDCced,  with  all  cnnvenirnl  speed,  to  raise  scvnn  com- 
pnnios  of  soldiers  to  consist  of  fifty  men  caoli,  officered  in  the  usual 
miiimor,  and  ariMcd  most  properly  for  the  enterprizc ;  and  with  tlii? 
force  altaek  the  Britisli  post  at  Kaskasky. 

It  is  conjectured  that  there  are  many  pieces  of  cannon  and  mililnry 
stores,  .0  considerahle  amount,  at  that  place;  the  taking  and  preserva- 
tion of  which  wouUl  he  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the  Slate.  If  you  arc 
so  fortunate,  therefore,  as  to  succeed  in  your  expedition,  you  will  take 
every  possible  measure  to  secure  the  artillery  and  stores,  and  whatever 
may  advantage  the  Slate. 

For  the  transportation  of  Uie  troops,  provisions,  &c.,  down  the  Ohio, 
you  are  to  apply  to  the  commanding  olhcer  at  Fort  Pitt,  for  boats ;  and 
during  the  whole  transaction  you  are  to  take  especial  care  to  keep  the 
true  destination  of  your  force  secret:  its  success  depends  upon  iliis. 
Onlors  are  therefore  given  to  Captain  Smith  to  secure  the  two  men 
from  Kaskasky.     Similar  conduct  will  be  proper  in  similar  cases. 

It  is  earnestly  desired  that  you  show  humanity  to  such  Ikitisli  sub- 
jects and  other  persons  as  fall  in  your  hands.  If  the  white  inhaliitant-i 
at  that  post  and  the  neighborhood,  will  give  undoubted  evidence  of  their 
attachment  to  this  State,  (for  it  is  certain  they  live  within  its  limits,)  by 
taking  the  test  prescribed  by  law,  and  by  every  other  way  and  means 
in  their  power,  let  them  be  treated  as  fellow-citizens,  and  their  persons 
and  property  duly  secured.  Assistance  and  protection  against  all  ene- 
mies whatever,  shall  be  afforded  them  ;  and  die  Commonwealth  of  Vir- 
ginia is  pledged  to  accomplish  it.     But  if  these  people  will  not  accede 


*  ^'c  Butler's  I)i 


177S. 


Clark  (Icscenils  the  Ohio. 


185 


10  tlioMC  rca«on:il)l(!  (IcMnandH,  ili«y  nitiMt  feel  iho  iiiiscrifH  of  war,  niidcr 
the  (lirrrtiuii  of  that  liuinaiiiiy  that  has  hitherto  (liHtiiigiiiNlicd  Ami  ricinfl, 
iiid  which  it  is  fxpcctcd  you  will  cvor consider  U!«  ihc  rule  of  your  con- 
Jiii'l,  and  from  which  you  arc  in  no  iiiNlaiicc  to  (h-part. 

The  coriis  you  arc  to  command  ar<'  to  receive  the  pay  and  alltwanco 
of  indiiiai  and  to  act  unih-r  the  hnvM  and  rei»uhitionH  of  this  Siair,  now 
ill  force,  iifl  militia.  Tlio  inh:d)ilanls  at  this  |>o»i  will  ho  informed  hy 
you,  that  in  cano  thny  accrdo  to  the  olferH  of  hecominp  citize;is  ol  thid 
Comrnonweallh,  a  proper  j^arrison  will  he  tnaiiUained  amoni,'  tliem,  and 
evnry  attention  hestowed  to  render  iheir  commerce  henelicial  ;  tlic  fairest 
pnispects  bein^r  opened  to  llie  dominions  ol   bolli  rrancc!  and  Sp;iin. 

ll  is  111  conlemplalion  to  estai)lish  a  post  near  the  mouth  u{  the  Ohio. 
Cannon  will  be  wanted  to  fortify  it.  I'arl  of  those  at  Kaska.^ky  will 
be  easily  brouyhl  thither,  or  otherwise  secured,  as  eircumatantes  will 
make  necessary. 

You  are  to  apply  to  CJeneral  Hand,  at  Pitlshurjfh,  for  powder  and  lead 
necessary  for  this  expedition,  If  hi;  can't  supply  it,  the  person  who 
!i;is  that  which  Captain  fiynii  l)ronj,'hl  from  Orleans  cin.  liCad  was  sent 
til  Hampshire  hy  my  orders,  and  that  may  he  delivered  yon.  \\'i>liiiig 
you  success,  1  am  Sir,  your  humble  f-ervant,*  P.  IIE.NWY. 


Willi  Uit'sc  inslructions  nnd  twelve  liuiidred  pfniiMls  in  the 
uipreciiiti'd  eMireiiey  of  the  lime,  Colonel  Chirk,  (for  such  was 
now  his  title,)  on  the  4lli  of  T'ehruary  starti'd  for  Piltshui'j;.  It 
iiiid  heen  thouoht  hest  to  raise  the  troops  needed  l)e\ond  the  nioiin- 
'aiiis,  as  the  colonies  were  in  want  oi'  all  the  soldiers  they  emild 
muster  east  of  tlio  Alleu;lianies,  to  defend  themselves  a'^ainst  the 
British  forces.  ('lark  therefore  proposed  to  enlist  men  about 
Piftshurpf,  while  Major  W.  B.  Smith,  for  the  same  purpose  went 
'n  the  Ilolston,  and  oilier  ofHcers  to  other  points.  None,  iKnvevor, 
>u((ce(led  as  they  lioped  to;  at  Pittsl)ur<jf  Clark  found  "'real  oppo- 
sition to  the  intention  of  carrying  men  away  to  defend  the  out[)osts 
m  Kentucky,  while  their  own  citadel  and  the  whol(>  re<ijion  about 
"  were  threatened  by  the  savage  allies  of  England;  and  Smith, 
'lioiigh  he  nominally  succeeded  in  I'aising  four  (•omi)airu's,  was 
iiiahle  essentially  to  aid  his  superior  officer  after  all.     Willi  three 

ompanies  and  severfil  private  adventurers,  Clark  at  length  com- 
iiiiiiced  his  descent  of  the  Ohio,  which  he  navigated  as  far  as  the 
Fiills,  where  he  took  possession  of  and  fortified  Corn  Island,  op- 
posite to  the  spot  now  occupied  by  Louisville.  At  this  place  he 
tppoiiited  Colonel  Bowman  to  meet  him  with  such  recruits  as  had 


*  Spc  Butler's  History  of  Kentucky,  p.  p.  4S9. 


186 


Clark  crosses  Illinois. 


t  ih. 


1778. 


roaclicd  Kentucky  by  the  southern  route,  and  as  many  men  a> 
could  he  spared  from  the  stations.  Here  also  he  announced  {>> 
the  men  their  real  deslination.  Having  waited  until  his  arran^fc- 
incnts  were  all  comph-ted,  and  those  chosen  who  were  to  he  oi 
the  invadin}^  P'i''t^y)  ^^"  ^lit;  24th  of  June,  during  a  total  eelijjse  oi 
the  sun,  with  four  companies  he  left  hi.s  position  and  fell  down  th.' 
river.  His  i)lan  was  to  follow  the  Ohio  as  far  as  the  fort  known 
as  Fort  Massac  or  Massacre,  and  thence  to  go  by  land  ilirect  to 
Kaskaskia.  His  troops  took  no  other  baggagt;  than  they  couh! 
carry  in  the  Indian  fiishion,  and  for  his  success  he  trusted  entir(  ly 
to  surpiise.  Tf  he  failed,  his  plan  was  to  cross  the  Mississippi  and 
throw  himself  into  the  Spanish  settlements  on  the  west  of  tlmi 
river.  Before  lie  commenced  h.s  march  he  received  two  piLCfv 
of  information  of  which  he  nnuh;  good  use  at  tlie  proper  time,  Ij) 
means  of  which  he  concjuered  the  west  without  bloodshed.  (Ji 
of  these  important  items  was  the  alliance  of  France  with  tlu.'  col 
iiies;  this  at  once  made  the  American  side  po})ular  wiUi  tl 
French  and  Indians  of  Illinois  and  the  lakes,  France  having  ncvi; 
}ost  her  hold  upon  her  ancient  subjects  and  allies,  and  Englimi! 
having  never  secured  their  confidence.  The  other  item  was,  iha" 
the  inhabitants  of  Kaskaskia  and  the  other  old  towns  had  been  lei 
by  the  British  to  believe  that  the  Long  Knives  or  Virginian*;, 
were  the  most  n(:rc(!,  cruel,  and  blood-thirsty  savages  that  cvir 
scalped  a  foe.  With  this  impression  on  their  minds,  Clark  saw 
that  proper  management  would  readily  dis])ose  them  to  siihini' 
from  fear,  if  .surprised,  and  then  to  become  friendly  from  gratitiule. 
whjn  treated  with  unlooked  for  clemency. 

In  the  hot  July  sun,  therefore,  the  little  army  toiled  along  tin 
din)ly  seen  hunters'  paths  toward  the  British  Fort,  suffering  iiol  i; 
little  from  thirst.  A  party  of  hunters  which  had  been  stopped  oi. 
their  way  from  Kaskaskia,  told  the  Americans  that,  alarmed  1)} 
some  means,  we  know  not  how,  the  English  commander,  Mr. 
Rocheblave,  was  on  the  alert,  and  that  they  juust  ensure  a  sur- 
n.-ise  if  they  wished  success.  This  was  just  as  the  Colonel  tx- 
pected,  and  cautiously,  cpiickly,  and  full  of  hope,  he  and  his  im  i- 
press(!d  on,  until  on  the  evening  of  July  4th  they  drew  near  tin 
settlement  they  were  in  search  of.  Carefully  concealed,  the  troop- 
lay  still  while  boats  were  collected  to  carry  them  across  the  river: 
then,  in  the  darkness,  two  divisions  crossed  with  directions  tf)  re- 
main hidden  at  different  pf)ints,  until  a  signal  should  wnru  iIhii 
that  Clark,  with  the  third  division,  had  succeeded  in  taking  tii' 


fort  oppr.sil 
rush  upon  ■ 
piarcd  in 
iiicnts  mad 
jjrisoner  th 
fort  l)y  ente 
on  was  giv 
hands  of  \\ 
and  trembli 
forbade  the 
the  scream 
orders,  con; 
kaskia  was 
placed  in  1 
too  gallant 
ing  singula] 
ropcan  civi 
(lofiimcnts, 
trunk,  but  s 
On  the  5 
but  still  foi 
intercourse 
tent  with  tl 
of  the  Fren( 
wrought  uy 
pitch.  On( 
nation  of  tl 
Illinois  Eur 
nuieh  of  sp 
torn,  shablr 
mental  arm 
that  hiul  bt 
Knives;  am 
staff  to  ask  '. 
another  fare 
tliey  should 
In  answer 

*0,llli;it  H.-ini 
frrociiy,  tlio  val 

i*lo(jll  shed  liy  V 

i  Lijrd  iJovcr 


1778. 


Clark  takes  Kaskaskia. 


ih: 


fort  r;ppr,.sitc  the  villago,  wlicn  wilh  sliouts  and  yells  ihoy  were  to 
ru^li  upon  (he  (own,  and  givo  warning  (hat  any  c'ui/cns  wlio  ap- 
Ijcarcd  in  (lie  sd-ccts  would  be  instantly  shot.  These  ananixe- 
iiieiits  made,  (he  Colonel  with  his  iiarty,  led  hy  a  hunter,  taken 
prisoner  the  evening  previous,  obtained  quiet  possession  of  the 
fort  hy  entering  an  open  gate  on  the  river  side.  The  signal  agreed 
on  was  given ;  the  other  parties  broke  into  the  (juiet  streets  Hke 
hands  rjf  wild  Irn(piois;  and  the  iidiabitants,  suri)rised,  terrified 
and  trembling,  heard  the  formidable  notice  shouted  forth  which 
forbade  their  appearance  in  the  streets,  and  listened  all  night  to 
the  screams  and  shrieks  of  (he  whi(e  savages  who,  by  Clark's 
orders,  constantly  patrolled  the  streets.*  The  commandant  of  Kas- 
kaskia was  taken  in  liis  bed,  but  Ids  papers  were  saved  ])y  being 
placed  in  his  wife's  truidfs,  which  (he  Virginia  barbarians  were 
too  gallant  to  seize  and  search  againsl  lier  will ;  conduc(  con'rast- 
ini:  'singularly  v;ith  (ha(  of  the  (Jreat  Frederick,  the  leader  of  Eu- 
ropean civilization,  whf),  twenty  years  before,  would  have  certain 
(lo(  iiinents,  though  (he  Queen  of  Poland  not  only  put  them  in  her 
trunk,  but  sat  down  herself  upon  tlie  top  of  it.f 

On  the  5th  of  Jidy,  Clark  withdrew  his  troops  from  (he  town, 
hut  still  forbade  communication  among  the  inhabitants,  and  all 
intercourse  between  them  and  (he  vVmerican  soldiers.  Not  con- 
tent with  (his,  (he  Virginian  placed  some  of  the  more  prominent 
of  the  French  in  irons,  witliout  assigning  any  cause,  a  step  which 
wrought  up  the  terror  of  their  fellow  (utizens  to  a  still  higher 
pitch.  One  thing  more  only  was  wanting  to  complete  the  conster- 
nation of  the  conquered  —  tlie  appearance  of  tlie  \ic(ors.  To  the 
Illinois  Europeans,  who  even  in  their  far-off  wilderness,  associatcvl 
Hiiieh  of  splendor  and  pomp  with  military  command,  the  soiled, 
torn,  shabby  clothes,  burned  faces,  and  useful  rather  than  orna- 
iiiental  arms  of  tlu.'  American  officers,  carried  eo'  "(ion  of  all 
fl 


lai 


had  been  told  them  as  to  the  untamed   fero'  iij 


he 


Long 


Knives;  and  when  a  d('putation  waited  tij)()n  the  v"  nei  ;  and  his 
stalJ'to  ask  leave  to  meet  in  the  village  (diurch,  ar.  .;  bid   one 

anotln'r  farewell  before  being  separated  forevei',  as  they  sui)i)()sed 
tliey  should  be,  it  was  plain  that  fear  liad  done  the  work  intended, 
hi  answer  to  the  request  which   they  made,  Clark  said  bluntly. 


*  On  ili;it  sanio  nij^lit,  wliiic  tlio  Huldi'TS  ofC'lark  scarcil  tlio  KastcaskiaiiH  witli  iiirlciiilcil 
frn'oity,  thf!  valley  of  Wyoiniiiq  fchood  with  real  shrieks  ofra},'e  and  pain,  and  swum  with 
i'lijDil  t.\[iA[  hy  wliito  men  ;  lur  the  hsidcrs  in  tiiat  massacre  were  Tories. 

■)  Lord  Dover's  Life  of  Frederick,  li.j  10.     (Ilari)ers'  Kdilion,) 


188 


Clark  takes  CahoJcia. 


1778. 


that  Amerirans  left  all  men  tn  worship  as  thoy  would,  that  llioy 
might  meet  in  the  cliurch,  if  they  pleased,  but  on  no  areount  to 
venture  upon  any  farther  step:  they  wished,  apparently,  to  say 
something  more,  but  the  ragg(-'d  General  would  not  listen.  After 
the  assi'mblage  had  taken  place,  the  leading  men,  together  with 
their  priest,  onee  more  came  with  an  humble  petition  to  the 
dangerous  Virginia  chieftain  ;  they  askeil  that  they  might  not  be 
separated  from  their  wives  and  children,  and  that  some  food  and 
clothing  might  he  allowed  them.  "  J)o  you  mistake  us  for  sava- 
ges ?"  asked  Clark,  who  saw  that  the  hour  for  leniency  was  coinc, 
"  Do  you  think  that  Americans  intend  to  strip  w  omen  and  (iiil- 
dren,  or  take  the  l)read  out  of  their  mouths?  My  countrymen 
disdain  to  make  war  upon  helpless  innocence ;  it  was  to  prevent 
the  horrors  of  Indian  butchery  upon  our  own  wives  and  children, 
that  we  have  taken  arms  and  i)enetrated  into  this  remote  strong- 
hold of  British  and  Indian  barbarity ;  and  not  the  despicable 
prospect  of  plunder.  Now  that  the  king  of  France  has  united  his 
powerful  arms  with  those  of  America,  the  war  will  not,  in  all 
probability,  continue  long;  but  the  iniiabitants  of  Kaskaskia  are  at 
liberty  to  lake  which  side  they  please,  without  the  least  danger  to 
either  their  properly  or  lamilies.  Nor  will  their  religion  be  any 
source  of  disagreement ;  as  all  religions  are  regarded  with  e(jual 
respect  in  the  eye  of  the  American  law^,  and  any  insult  wiiich 
shall  be  ollered  it,  will  be  immediately  punished.  And  now,  to 
prove  my  sincerity,  you  will  please  inform  your  fellows-citizens, 
that  they  are  quite  at  liberty  to  (ionduct  themselves  as  usual,  with- 
out the  least  apprehension ;  I  am  now  convinced  from  what  I  have 
learned  since  my  arrival  among  you,  that  you  have  been  misin- 
formed and  prejudiced  against  us  by  British  officers;  and  your 
friends  who  are  in  confinement  shall  immediately  be  released." 
The  change  of  feeling  which  followed  this  speech  of  Clark's  fully 
justified  llie  couise  of  conduct  he  had  pursued  ;  expecting  every 
severity  which  war  could  justify,  the  joy  produced  by  the  an- 
nouncement that  they  would  be  de})riveu  of  neither  liberty  nor 
properly,  prepared  them  to  become  the  friends  and  su})porters  of 
those  before  whom  they  had  trembled,  and  when  a  detaclnneut 
was  ordered  to  march  against  Cahokia,  the  Kaskaskians  ofiered  to 
go  with  it  and  secure  the  submission  of  their  neighbors.  In  tliis 
they  perfectly  succeeded,  and  on  the  6th  of  July,  the  two  chid 
posts  in  the  Illinois  had  passed,  and  without  bloodshed,  from  tli*" 
possession  of  England  into  that  of  Virginia. 


1/78. 

J5ut  St.  Vi 
still  remaine 
hope  lo  obi  a 
time  near  tl 
nies  he  had 
L'nder  these 
M.  (Jibault, 
imdertake  b 
ixmnes  to  thi 
Mth  of.Iuly 
upon  his  mis 
with  the  int 
Wa])ash  had 

Having  m 
re-enlisled  hi 
kia,  Cahokif 
proved  the 
Ohio,  and  dt 
ant  at  Kaske 
county  of  Illi 
John  Todd  a 
and  in  Nove 
the  thanks  of 


JHicreas,  ai 
Colonel  Georg 
(luced  the  Bri 
tlie  river  Miss 
accrue  to  the 
u'calth  in  parti 

Revived,  T 
Colonel  Clark 
ilieir  extraordi 
icrprize,  and  fc 

Tlie  next  s 
'be  co-operati 
lu're,  especia 
meetings  with 

*  See  BuUer'a  I 


1778. 


Clark  takes  Vinccnnes. 


189 


J3ut  St.  Vincent's,  the  most  important  western  post  except  Detroit, 
still  remained  unconquered,  nor  could  Clark,  with  his  small  lorce, 
liopi'  to  obtain  })ossession  of  it,  as  he  must  of  necessity  be  for  some 
time  near  tlie  Mississippi,  to  or<ijani>:e  a  government  for  the  colo- 
nies he  had  taken,  and  to  treat  witli  the  Indians  of  the  nnrth-west. 
L'luler  these  circumstances,  he  determined  to  accept  the  ofFer  ol 
M.  (libault,  the  priest  of  Kaskaskia,  who  told  him  he  woukl 
undertake  by  persuasion  alone  to  lead  the  inliabilants  of  Vin- 
renncs  to  throw  oil  their  tbrced  connexion  with  England.  On  the 
Mth  of  July,  in  company  with  a  fellow  townsman,  M.  Gibault  left 
upon  his  mission  of  peace;  and  upon  the  1st  of  August,  returned 
with  the  intelligence  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  post  upon  the 
Wabash  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Old  Donunion. 

Having  met  with  such  great  success,  Clark  in  th-  next  place 
re-enlisted  his  men,  established  courts,  placed  garrisons  at  Kaskas- 
kia, Cahokia  and  Vinccnnes,  sent  word  to  have  a  fort,  which 
proved  the  germ  of  Louisville,  commenced  at  the  falls  of  the 
Ohio,  and  despatched  Mr.  Rocheblave,  who  had  been  command- 
ant at  Kaskaskia,  as  a  prisoner  to  Richmond.  In  October,  the 
county  of  Illinois  was  created  by  the  legislature  of  Virginia,  and 
John  Todd  appointed  Lieutenant  Colonel  and  civil  Commanilant ; 
and  in  November,  Colonel  Clark,  his  officers  and  men,  received 
the  thanks  of  their  native  state  in  these  words  : 

In  the  House  of  Delegates, 

Monday,  the  2.id  Nov.  1778. 

IVhcreas,  authentic  information  has  been  received,  tliat  Lieu'.enant 
Colonel  George  Rogers  Clark,  with  a  body  of  Virginia  militia,  lias  re- 
duced the  British  posts  in  the  western  part  of  this  Conunonwealtli,  on 
the  river  Mississippi,  and  its  branches,  whereby  great  advantage  may 
accrne  to  the  conunon  cause  of  America,  as  well  as  to  this  Common- 
wealth in  particular. 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  tliis  House  are  justly  due  to  the  said 

Colonel  Clark  and   the  brave  ofllcers  and  men  under  his  command,  for 

their  extraordinary  resolution  and  perseverance,  in  so  hazardous  an  cn- 

toiprize,  and  for  the  important  services  thereby  rendered  their  country.  ^ 

Test,  E.  RANDOLPH,  C.  H.  D. 

The  next  steps  of  the  western  ]ead(M-  had  reference  to  securing 
ibo  co-operation  or  neutrality  of  the  various  Indian  tribes,  and 
liere,  especially,  he  seems  to  have  been  in  his  element.  His 
meetings  with  them  were  opened  at  Cahokia,  in  September,  and 


"  See  Butler's  History  of  Kentucky,  p.  490. 


190 


Clark^s  Speech  to  the  Induins. 


1778. 


his  prlnri})U'S  of  action  bt'iiig  never  to  court  them,  never  to  load 
them  wilh  presents,  never  to  seem  to  fear  tliem,  tliough  always  to 
sliow  respect  to  courage  and  ability,  and  to  speak  in  the  most  direct 
majiner  possiljle, — he  waited  for  the  natives  to  make  the  first 
advances  and  ofTer  peace.  When  they  had  done  so,  and  thrown 
away  the  bloody  wampum  sent  them  by  the  British,  Clark  coldly 
told  them  he  would  answer  them  the  next  day,  and  meanwliilc 
cautioned  them  against  shaking  hands  with  the  Americans,  as 
peace  was  not  yet  concluded ;  it  will  be  time  to  give  hands  when 
the  heart  can  be  given  too,  he  said.  The  next  day  the  Indians 
came  1o  hear  the  answer  of  the  Big  Knife,  which  w^e  give  entire, 
as  taken  by  AFr.  Butler  and  Mr.  Dillon,  from  Clark's  own  notes. 

«'  Men  and  warriors  :  pay  attention  to  my  words.  You  informed  mc 
yesterday,  that  the  Great  Spirit  had  brought  us  together,  and  that  you 
hoped,  that  as  he  was  good,  it  would  be  for  good.  1  have  also  the  same 
hope,  and  expect  that  each  party  will  strictly  adhere  to  whatever  may 
be  agreed  i>on,  whether  it  shall  be  peace  or  war;  and  henceforward 
prove  ourselves  worthy  of  the  attention  of  the  Great  Spirit.  I  am  a 
man  and  a  warrior,  not  a  counsellor;  I  carry  war  in  my  right  liand,;ind 
in  my  loft,  peace.  I  am  sent  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  Big  Knife, 
and  dieir  friends,  to  take  possession  of  all  the  towns  possessed  by  the 
English  in  this  country,  and  to  watch  the  motions  of  the  Red  people: 
to  bloody  the  paths  of  tliose  who  attempt  to  stop  the  course  of  the 
river ;  but  to  clear  the  roads  from  us  to  those  that  desire  to  be  in  peace ; 
that  the  women  and  children  may  walk  in  them  without  meeting  any 
thing  to  strike  their  feet  against.  I  am  ordered  to  call  upon  the  Great 
Fire  for  warriors  enough  to  darken  the  land,  and  that  the  Red  people 
may  hear  no  sound,  but  of  birds  who  live  on  blood.  I  know  there  is  i 
mist  before  your  eyes;  I  will  dispel  the  clouds,  that  you  may  cleady 
see  the  causes  o:'  the  war  between  the  Big  Knife  and  the  English  ;  then 
you  may  judge  for  yourselves,  which  parly  is  in  the  right ;  and  if  you 
are  warriors,  as  you  profess  yourselves  to  be,  prove  it  by  adhering  faith- 
fully to  the  party,  wdiich  you  shall  believe  to  be  entiUed  to  your  friend- 
ship, and  not  show  yourselves  to  be  squaws. 

•'  The  Big  Knife  is  very  much  like  the  Red  people,  they  don't  know 
how  to  make  blankets,  and  powder,  and  cloth  ;  they  buy  these  things 
from  the  English,  from  whom  they  are  sprung.  They  live  by  making 
corn,  hunting  and  trade,  as  you  and  your  neighbors,  the  French,  do. 
But  the  Big  Knife  daily  getting  more  numerous,  like  the  trees  in  the 
woods,  the  land  became  poor,  and  hunting  scarce  ;  and  having  but  little 
to  trade  with,  the  women  began  to  cry  at  seeing  their  children  naked, 
and  tried  to  learn  how  to  make  clothes  for  themselves  ;  soon  made  blan- 


1778. 

kets  for  the 
guns  and  pc 
tlie  English 
through  our 
lakes,  and  ai 
our  men  ma 
lish  said,  W( 
saucy,  we  s 
for  one  ;  we 
neoplc,  to  n 
cause  of  the 
for  some  tim 
hungry,  and 
counsel  to  pi 
old  men  held 
the  sun,  and 
At  last  the  ( 
fire,  Uiat  nev 
down  a  post, 
immediately 
their  heads, 
pencd  it,  and 
strike  the  Ei 
great  waters, 
blood   was  s 
driven  from  ( 
hired  you  Re 
this,  and  can 
lions  to  join  i 
So  the  Engli: 
see  that  it  is 
because  you 
women  and  c 
and  not  the 
have  already 
take  which  y 
■surrounded  b^ 
your  hands, 
bloody  path, 
your  friends, 
ihe  most  slur 
longest  staine 
path  of  peace 
fnends,  the  F 


n:8. 

•  to  load 
Iwiiys  t() 
)st  direct 

the  first 
1  thrown 
•k  coklly 
can  while 
icans,  as 
ids  when 
;  Indian^ 
,'c  entire, 

notes. 

brmcd  mc 
1  that  you 
)  the  same 
lover  may 
iceforwarJ 
.     I  am  a 
t  hand,  and 
Big  Knife, 
ised  by  the 
;d  people; 
irse  of  the 
hi  peace ; 
Beting  any 
the  Great 
ed  people 
there  is  a 
lay  clearly 
ish ;  then 
and  if  you 
ering  faith- 
our  friend- 

oii't  know 
lese  things 
by  making 
'rencli,  do. 
•ecs  ill  the 
ig  but  lililc 
ren  naked, 
made  blan- 


1778. 


Clark'' s  Speech. 


191 


kets  for  ihoir  husbands   and   children  ;  and  the  men  learned   to  make 
(Tuns  and  powder.     In  this  way  we  did  not  want  to  buy  so  much  from 
the  English  ;  they  then  got   mad  with  us,  and   sent  strong  garrisons 
through  our  country,  (as  you   see  they  have  done  among  you  on  the 
lakes,  and  among  the  French,)  they  would  not  let  our  women  spin,  nor 
our  men  make  powder,  nor  let  us  trade  with  any  body  else.     The  Eng- 
lish said,  we  should  buy  every  thing  from  them,  and  since  we   had  got 
saucy,  we  should  give  two   bucks  for  a  blanket,  which  we  used  to  get 
for  one  ;  we  should  do  as  they  pler.sed,  and  they  killed  some  of  our 
people,  to  make   the  rest  fear  them.     This   is   the  truth,  and  the  real 
cause  of  the  war  between  the  English  and  us ;  which  did  not  take  place 
for  some  time  after  this  treatment.     Hut  our  women  became  cold   and 
iiuiigry,  and   continued  to  cry  :  our  young  men  got  lust  for   want  of 
counsel  to  put  them  in  the  right  path.     The  whole  land  was  dark,  the 
old  men  held  down  their  heads  for  shame,  because  they  could  not  see 
the  sun,  and  thus  there  was  mourning  for  many  years   over  the  land. 
At  last  tlie  Great  Spirit  took  pity  on  us,  and  kindled   a  gre  .  council 
fire,  that  never  goes  out,  at  a  place  called  Philadelphia;  he  then  stuck 
down  a  post,  and  put  a  war  tomahawk  by  it,  and  went  away.     The  sun 
immediately  broke  out,  the  sky  was  blue  again,  and  the  old  men  held  up 
their  heads,  and  assembled  at  the  fire;  they  took  up  the  hatchet,  shar- 
pened it,  and  put  it  into  the  hands  of  our  young  men,  ordering  them  to 
strike  the  English  as  long  as  they  could  find  one  on  this  side  of  the 
great  waters.     The  young  men  immediately  struck  the  war  post,   and 
blood  was  shed :  in  this  way  the  war  began,  and  the  English  were 
driven  from  one  place  to  another,  until  they  got  weak,  and  then  they 
hired  you  Red  people  to  fight  for  them.     The  Great  Spirit  got  angry  at 
this,  and  caused  your  old  Father,  the  French  king,  and  other  great  na- 
tions to  join  the  Big  Knife,  and  fight  with  them  against  all  their  enemies. 
So  the  English  have  become  like  a  deer  in   the  woods  ;  and  you  may 
see  that  it  is  the  Great  Spirit,  that  has  caused  your  waters  to  be  troubled; 
because  you   have  fought  for  the  people  he  was  mad   with.     If  your 
women  and  children  should  now  cry,  you  must  blame  yourselves  for  it, 
and  not  the   Big  Knife.     You  can  now  judge  who  is  in  the  right;  I 
have  already  told  you  who  T  am  ;  here  is  a  bloody  belt,  and  a  white  one, 
take  which  you  please.     Behave  like   men,  and  don't  let  your  being 
•surrounded  by  the  Big  Knife,  cause  you  to  take  up  the  one  belt  with 
your  hands,   while  your  hearts  take  up  the   other.     If  you   take  the 
bloody  path,  you  shall  leave  the  town  in  safety,  and  may  go  and  join 
your  friends,  the  English  ;  we  will  then  try  like  warriors,  who  can  put 
the  most  stumbling  blocks  in   each  other's  way,  and  keep  our  clothes 
longest  stained  with  blood.     If,  on  the  other  hand,  you  should  lake  the 
path  of  peace,  and  be  received  as  brothers  to  the  Big  Knife,  with  their 
fiiends,  the  French,  should  you  then  listen  to  bad  birds,  that  may  be 


192 


Clark'^s  treatment  of  the  Indians. 


1778. 


flyiiiff  tliroufrli  the  kind,  you  will  no  longer  deserve  to  be  counlrd  as 
men;  Inil  as  creatiires  witli  two  tongues,  that  ought  to  he  destroys! 
without  listening  to  any  thing  you  uiigiit  say.  As  I  am  convincod  you 
never  heard  the  truth  before,  1  do  not  wish  you  lo  answer  before  you 
have  taken  time  to  counsel.  Wc  will,  therefore,  part  this  evening,  -ml 
when  the  (Ircat  Spiiit  shall  bring  us  together  again,  let  us  speak  am! 
tliink  like  men  with  but  one  heart  and  one  tongue. 


,  "# 


This  spcecli  produced  tlie  dcsiiod  efTect,  and  upon  llie  lollowln.^ 
day,  the  "  Red  People"  and  the  "  Bi^^  Knile"  united  hearts  uiul 
hands  Ijotli.  In  all  these  proceedings,  there  is  no  (juestion  thai, 
directly  and  indirectly,  tlie  alliance  of  the  United  Stales  wiih 
France  was  very  instrumental  in  producing  a  friendly  feeliiii! 
among  the  Indians,  who  had  never  lost  their  old  regard  lowani 
their  lirst  Great  Father. 

But  though  it  was  Clark's  general  rule  not  to  court  the  savages, 
there  were  some  particular  chieftains  so  powerful  as  lo  induct 
him  to  invite  them  to  meet  him,  and  learn  the  merits  of  the  quaral 
between  the  colonics  and  England.  Among  these  was  Bhuk 
Bird,  one  of  the  lake  chiefs  ;  he  came  at  the  invitation  of  tin 
American  leader,  and  dispensing  with  the  usual  formulas  ol 
Indian  negotiation,  sat  down  with  Colonel  Clark  ia  a  connnon 
sense  way,  and  talked  and  listened,  questioned  and  considered, 
until  he  was  satisfied  that  the  rebels  had  the  right  of  the  matter; 
after  which  he  became,  and  remained,  a  fn-n:i  friend  of  the  Bii; 
Knives, 

While  the  negotiations  between  the  conqueror  of  Kaskaskia  ami 
the  natives  were  going  forward,  a  couple  of  incidents  occurred,  so 
characteristic  of  Colonel  Clark,  that  we  cannot  omit  their  mention. 
One  was  as  follows:  —  A  party  of  Indians,  known  as  Meadow 
Indians,!  had  come  to  attend  the  council  with  their  neighbors. 
These,  by  some  means,  were  induced  to  attempt  the  murder  ot 
the  invaders,  and  tried  to  obtain  an  opportunity  to  commit  tlu 
crime  proposed,  bv  surpri:.in<2f  Clark  and  his  officers  in  their  (luar- 


ri'i! 


ters.  In  this  plan  they  failed,  and  their  purpose  was  discove 
by  the  sagacity  of  the  French  in  attendance  ;  when  this  was  dom 
Clark  gave  them  to  the  French  to  deal  with  as  they  pleased,  hv.; 
with  a  hint  that  some  of  the  leaders  would  be  as  well  in  irons 
Thus  fettered   and  foiled,  the   chiefs  were    brought   daily  to  ih^ 

*  Sec  Butler's  History  of  Kentucky,  p.  68. 

t  Were  these  the  Mascoutius,  Prairie  Indians  ?     See  Dillon's  Indiann,  i.  5. 


177S. 

rounrii  hou,< 

flaiiy  in    for 

length,    wjic 

been  sufficie 

ordered    Ihei 

scorn,  said,  < 

ery  upon  my 

had  deterniii 

and  you  your 

your  lives;  b 

and  ratchino- 

rior.s,   only  oi 

K'nite.     But,' 

putting  on  br( 

you,  plenty  ol 

women  don't 

be  treated  in  ( 

concluded,   th 

The  children  < 

iempt— punish 

this  treatment. 

came  forward 

words,  he  laid 

translate  the  w 

can  .said  he  die 

lay  before  him 

f'vprcs.sion   tha 

'if'i'cd,  ovcrwhf 

of  other  red  n 

•■'ply  was,  ''  T: 

'i"-T  are  of  a  k 

!'i  the  woods,  h 

wore  upon  the  ( 

'^^'0  young  men 

Ijlankets,    sat   c 

|'«"o  chiefs  aro.'' 

''it'ir  lives  as  a 

Nain  they  pres( 

ja^sembly,  M-hile 

p!l  watched  the 

prcc  master  tl 

13 


177S, 


1778. 


Clark* s  Treatment  of  the  Tndianx. 


193 


nt'  (1  n,« 
'Strciycil 
cr(\  yoi; 
foro  yoM 
in<,s  am! 
eak  and 


\rts  uiui 
on  that, 
Lt'S  Nvkh 
■  iV-cliuu 
I  U)\van; 

savages, 
:)  iiulucc 
e  (^uarril 
as  lUiuk 
>a  of  till 
•mulas  ot 
coiniuou 
^nsuaToJ, 
e  maUer; 
f  the  Bi,^ 

askia  am: 
uri'c'l,  M' 
mention. 
Mcado'A 
leiglilioi'N 
mircler  ot 
t)mmit  tilt 
jheir  (inar- 
liscovei'iHl 
Kvas  ddnt 
.•ascd,  111'.'- 
ill  ircHis 
lily  to  ili'- 


rouncil  hnuso,  where  lie  whom  they  proposed  to  kill,  was  engaged 
riaily  in   forming  friendly  relations  with   their  red    hrelhren.     At 
1onj,^tli,    when    by  these    means    the   futility   of  their   project   had 
hefii  sufTieiently  impressed  upon  them,  the  American   commander 
ordered   their  irons   to  be  struck  off,  and  in  his  quiet  way,  full  of 
scorn,  said,  "  Every  body  thinks  you  ought  to  die  for  your  treach- 
ery upon  my  life,  amidst  the  sacred  deliberations  of  a  council.     I 
had  determined   to  inflict  death  upon  you  for  your  base  attempt, 
and  you  yourselves  must  be  sensible  that  you  have  justly  forfeited 
vour  lives;  but  on  considering  the  meanness  of  watching  a   bear 
and  catching  him  asleep,  T  have  found  out  that  you  are  not  war- 
riors, only  old   women,  and  too  mean   to   be   killed  1^    the   Viff 
Knife.     But,"  continued   he,  "  as  you  ought  to  be  punished  for 
putting  on  breech  (doths  like  men,  they  shall  be  taken  away  from 
vou,  plenty  of  provisions  shall  be  given  for  your  journey  liome,  as 
women  don't  know  how  to  hunt,  and  during  your  stay  you   shall 
be  treated  in  every  respect  as  squaws."     These  few  cutting  words 
roncluded,   the    Colonel    turned    away    to   converse  with  others. 
The  children  of  the  prairie,  who  had  looked   for  anger,  not  con- 
ienipt — punishment,  not  freedom — were  unaccountably  stirred  by 
this  treatment.     They  took  counsel  together,  and  presently  a  chief 
came  forward  with  a  belt  and  pipe  of  peace,  which,  with  proper 
words,  he  laid  upon  the   table.     The  interpreter   stood  ready   to 
translate  the  words  of  friendship,  but,  with  curling  lip,  the  Ameri- 
can said  he  did  not  wish  to  hear  them,  and  lifting  a  sword  which 
lay  before  him,  he  shattered    the   offered  pipe,  with  the   cutting 
'xpression   that   "he   did  not   treat  with  women."      The  bewil- 
licrcd,  overwhelmed  Meadow  Indians  next  asked  the  int(?rcession 
of  other  red  men   already  admitted   to  friendship,  but    Ihe   only 
r'ply  was,  "  The  Big  Knife  has  made  no  war  upon  these  people  ; 
lioy  are  of  a  kind  that  we  shoot  like  wolves  when  we  meet  tluia 
[ill  the  woods,  lest  they  eat  the  deer."     All  this  wrought  more  and 
more  upon  tlic  offending  tribe  ;   again  they  took  counsel,  and  then 
two  young  men  came  forward,  and  covering  their  heads  with  their 
Mankets,    sat    down    before  the    impenetrable   commander ;   then 
juvo  chiefs   arose,  and  stating  that  these   young  warriors  offered 
j'llieir  lives  as  an  atonement  for  the  misdoings  of  their  relatives, 
[asrain  they  presented  the  pipe  of  peace.     Silence  reigned  in  the 
lassembly,  while  the  fate  of  the  proffered  victims  hung  in  suspense  : 
h!l  watched  the  countenance  of  the  American  leader,  who  could 
•scarce  master  the  emotion  which  the  incident  excited.     Still,  all 
13 


194 


Clark's  Inkrview  with  Big  Hate. 


1770 


Sill  nuisclcss,  iiolhiiig  hciird  but  the  deep  Incatliiiig  of  (liosf  wliosi 
lives  thus  hung  hy  a  tlucail.  Picsi'iilly  he  upon  \vhoni  a!' 
depended  arose,  and  a])pioaehing  the  young  men,  he  bade  then, 
be  uncovered  and  stand  up.  They  sprang  to  llieir  ieet.  ■'  I  ain 
ghul  to  find,"  said  Clark  warndy,  "  that  there  are  men  among  aii 
nations.  With  you,  who  alone  are  fit  to  be  chiefs  of  your  tribe, 
1  am  willing  to  treat;  through  you  I  am  ready  to  grant  peace  to 
your  brolhers;  I  take  you  by  the  hand  as  chiefs,  worthy  of  beitiL' 
such."  Here  again  the  fearless  generosity,  tlie  generous  fearlt-ss- 
jiess  of  Clark,  proved  perfectly  successful,  and  while  the  trilx-  in 
(juestiou  became  the  allies  of  America,  the  fame  of  the  occurrciirc. 
wliich  spread  far  and  wide  through  the  north-west,  made  the  naiii> 
()( the  white  negotiator  everywhere  respected. 

The   other   incident    to   which   we   referred   was    this.  —  TIr;. 
was  a  warrior  known  in  the    West  as  the    Big   Gate,  who  \v;i: 
noted    for    his    unceasing   adherence    to   J3ritish    interests.      Tlih 
man,  when  Clark  began  to  gain   the  favor  of  the  other  red  iiieii. 
still  remained  uidjending   and  at  last  coming  to  Cahokia,  had  ili-. 
boldness  to  attend  the  councils  there  held,  with  his  English  wa: 
wam})um    and    medals   displayed    upon  Ids  person.      While  tk 
public  business  remained  unfinished,  Clark  took  no  notice  of  the 
hostile  cluef,  who  still,  day  after  day,  attended  the  deliberations, 
At   length    the   various    treaties   were    concluded,  and    then  the 
American  commander,  for  the  first  time,  turning  toward  the  gnat 
warrior,  told  him,  that  private  matters  he  was  forced  to  lay  asidt 
while  those  of  the  country  were  concerned,  but  that  he  should  bt 
ha])py  at  last  to   pay  his  respects  to  one  so  distinguished,  aii(i 
asked  the   fierce  tomahawker  to   dine  with  him.     The  Bis  f"!"' 
was    taken  unawares,  and    while   he   hesitated,   Clark  added, - 
"  WiUi  us,  however  much  we  nmy  be  Ciiemies,  it  is  usual  to  show 
respect  to  those  who  are  brave ;"  and  insisted  upon  the  couipam 
of  the  savage.     The  red  man  was  at  a  loss  ;  among  all  his  tactics  | 
and  strategems,  this  one  of  bold,  kind  appeal  to  the  sympathies 
was  unknown;  —  for  a  moment  he  hesitated,  then,  stepping  into| 
the  midst  of  the  assembly,  he  threw  down  his  emblems  of  amiiv 
for  Britain,  tore  olFhis  clothes,  and  proclaimed  himself  ally  to  the  | 
Big  Knife. 

But  while  Clark  was  thus  fortunate  in  one  portion  of  the  Wcsi, 
misfortunes  beset  those  parts  which  were  less  distant  from  the 
centre  of  American  life. 

In  January,  Boone,  with  tliirty  men,  had  started  for  the  Bluu 


1779, 


1778. 


Dnnui  BoMti:  taken  rnptivc  by  the  JVc/Z/rr.?. 


105 


se  wliosi 
^hom  ■,[.. 
adc  then, 
,     •'  1  aui 

our  Inlx', 
peace  li, 
f  of  hi'ini! 
s  fearless- 
e  tribe  in 
ccurrenrc. 
'  the  iiuiut 

s.  —  TIrt'. 
who  \v;i5 
sts.      Tills 
f  red  men. 
;ia,  had  lla 
English  war 
While  the 
jtice  of  tht 
[liberatioiiN 
I    then  the 
d  the  great 
o  lay  asidt 
)  should  h'. 
dshed,  aiio 
e  Big  Gate 
:  added, - 
ual  to  show 
ic  conipaii) 
|l  his  tactics 
sympathies, 
pping  into 
[tis  of  ami'} 
ally  to  the 

If  the  Wc*t. 
it   from  the 

n-  the  Bill'. 


Iji  k"<,  to  enter  upmi  the  iiiterniiniihlc  husiuess  of  salt  making,  tlie 

Aiiter  being  by  no  means  strongl}  impregnated.     Boon(>  was  to  he 

.^iiide,  hunter,  and  scout;  the  rest  cut  wood  and  attended  to  the 

laaiiufaeturing  department.    January  i)assed  ([uietly,  and  before  the 

7th  (»f  February,  caougli  of  the  jjreeious  eondinit  iit  had  accumulated 

M  lead  to  tlie  return  of  three  of  the  parly  to  the   sfiitions  with  the 

reasure.     The  rest  still  labored  on,  and  IJoone  enjoyed  the  winter 

weather  in  the  forest  after  his  own   fashion.     But,  alas  for  him, 

ihcre  was  more  than  mere   game  about  him  in  those  woods   along 

'he  rugged  Licking.     On  the  7th  of  February,  as  he  was  hunting, 

he  came  upon  a  party  of  one  hundred   and   four  foes,  two   Cana- 

lians,  the  remainder  Indians,  Shawanese  apparently.     Boone  fled  ; 

!iut  he  was  a  man  of  forty-six,  and  his  limbs  w(>re  less  sup])le  than 

hose  of  the  young    savages   who    pursued   him,  and  in  spite  of 

very  effort  he  was  a  second  time  prisoner.     Finding  it  impossible 

II  give  his    companions    at  the    Licks  due  notice^  so  as  to  secure 

heir  escape,  he  proceeded  to  make;  terms  on  their  Ix'half  with  his 

aptors,  and  then  persuaded  his  men  by  gestures,  at  a  distance,  to 

surrender   without    ofTering    b  .ttle.     Thus,    without  a    blow,  the 

invaders   found    themselves    possesseil  of  twenty-eight  prisoners, 

iiid  among  them  the  greatest,  'in  an  Indian's  eyes,  of  all  the  Long 

Knives.     This  band  was  on  its  way  to   Boonesborough   to  attack 

irto  reconnoitre;  but  so  good  luck  as  they  had  met  with  changed 

heir  minds,  and,  turning   upon    their  track,    they  took  up  their 

iiarch  for  Old  Chillicothe,  an  Indian  town  on  the  Little  Miami. 

It  was  no  part  of  the  plan  of  the  Shawanese,  however,  to  retain 

hese  men  in  captivity,  nor  yet  to  scalp,  slay,  or  eat  them.     Under 

'lie  influence  and  rewards  of  Governor  Hamilton,  the  British  Com- 

'nandor  in  the  Northwest,  the  Indians  had  taken  up  the  Imsiness 

'f  speculating   in   human  beings,  both   dead   and  alive ;  and  the 

h^hawanese  meant  to  take  Boone  and    his  comrades  to  the   Detroit 

I  market.     On  the  10th  of  March,  accordingly,  eleven  of  the  party, 

including   Daniel    himself,  were  despatched  for  the    North,  and, 

•ifter  twenty  days  of  journeying,  were   presented   to  the    English 

•lovernor,   vho  treated  them,    Boone  says,  with    great  humanity. 

To  Boone  himself  Hamilton  and  several  other  gentlemen  seem  to 

have  taken  an   especial  fancy,  and  offered  considerable  sums  for 

'lis  release;  but  the  Shawanese  also  had  become  enamored  of  the 

'veteran  hunter,  and  would  not  part  with  him.     He  must  go  home 

i'^ith  them,  they  said,  and  be  one  of  them,  and  become  a  great 

ief.     So  the  pioneer  found  his  very  virtues  becoming  the  cause 


■V.lr 


190 


Boone  becomes  almost  idolized  by  the  JWitices.         1778   I    ,.-o 


of  ci  proloiij^tMl  caplivity.  Tn  April,  thi'  red  men,  with  llioii  on' 
while  ciiptivi',  about  to  be  (,()iiV('rk'(l  into  a  jfciiuitu"  sou  of  nuliiir, 
ri'turiH'd  iVoin  the  Pals  of  Mi(.lii|^faii,  coviTcd  witli  brusli-chokt.; 
forests,  to  the  rolling  valley  of  the  Mlamis,  with  its  hill-,^i(ll^ 
clothed  in  their  rieh  open  woods  of  maple  ami  beech,  tlien  jih- 
burstiiiir  into  bloom.  And  now  the  white  blood  was  washed  on' 
of  the  Kentucky  ranger,  and  he  was  made  a  son  in  some  fainiiy, 
and  was  loved  and  caressed  by  father  and  mother,  brothers  ',m\ 
sisters,  till  he  was  thoroughly  sick  of  them.  But  disgust  he  cnuM 
not  show;  so  he  was  kind,  and  alfaljle,  and  familiar,  as  happy  n> 
a  lark,  and  as  far  from  thinking  of  leaving  them,  as  ho  had  Ihci 
of  joining  them.  He  took  his  part  in  their  games  and  roiiiix 
shot  as  near  the  centre  of  a  ir.rget  as  a  good  hunter  ought  to,  ;iii: 
yet  left  the  savage  marksmen  a  chance  to  excel  him,  and  smlK ! 
in  his  quiet  eye  when  he  witnessed  their  joy  at  having  done  boi- 
ler than  the  best  of  the  Long  Knives.  He  grew  into  favor  will; 
the  chief,  was  trusted,  treated  with  respect,  and  listened  to  will, 
attention.  No  man  could  have  been  better  calculated  than  Boon- 
to  disarm  the  suspicions  of  the  red  men.  Some  have  called  him  i 
white  Indian,  and,  except  that  he  never  showed  the  Indian'- 
blood-thirstiness  when  excited,  he  was  more  akin  in  his  loves,  hi^ 
ways,  his  instincts,  his  joys,  and  his  sorrows  to  the  aboriginal 
inhabitants  of  the  West  than  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  invaders.  Scan- 
any  other  white  ever  possessed  in  an  equal  degree  the  trix,'  Indi;i!i 
gravity,  which  comes  neither  from  thought,  feeling,  or  vacuity 
but  from  a  bump  peculiar  to  their  own  craniums.  And  so  in  hair- 
ing, shooting,  swimming,  and  other  Shawanese  amusements,  tin. 
newly  made  Indian  boy  Boone  spent  the  month  of  May,  necesMtj 
making  all  the  little  inconveniences  of  his  lot  quite  endurable. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  his  aid  was  required  in  the  business  of  sail- 
maki)'.g,  and  for  that  purpose  he  and  a  party  of  his  brethren  starku 
for  the  valley  of  the  Scioto,  where  he  stayed  ten  days,  hunting;, 
boiling  brine,  and  cooking ;  then  the  homeward  path  was  taktn 
again.  But  when  Chillicolhe  was  once  more  reached,  a  sad  sigh" 
met  our  friend  Daniel's  eyes ;  four  hundred  and  fifty  of  the  choice 
warriors  of  the  West,  painted  in  the  most  exquisite  war-style,  ami 
armed  for  the  battle.  He  scarce  needed  to  ask  whither  they  wtre 
bound  ;  his  heart  told  him  Boonesborough  ;  and  already  in  imagina- 
tion he  saw  the  blazing  roofs  of  the  little  borough  he  had  fouiulcHl: 
and  he  saw  the  bleeding  forms  of  his  friends.  Could  he  tlo 
nothing.'     He  would  see;  meanwhile  be  a  good  Indian  and  Ic'i 


all  ease  and 

■■tcad  ;   one    I 

iiili(i.s])i(able  ( 

he  had  travc 

word  to  his 

Ifith,  without 

iiiilicard,  he  d 

iind  over  hill 

ive  (lays,    an< 

vtation  wholly 

which  threate 

ivery  muscle 

txpt'cted  visit ( 

'HI,  and  throi 

tDriifications,  a 

k:   But  still  1 

'aptive  brou'di 

sequence  of  B( 

'lie  stations,  a, 

Daniel,  all  the 

'lie  salvation  t 

I'l'ts,  that  the 

[mained  a  capfi' 

I  tunes  prove,  in 

Boone,  fiiidir 

'^'1)  determinec 

I  >*liere  he  had  I 

h'illi  nineteen 

piiew,  of  course 

Wfnt,  as  Boon( 

tit' had  his  wits 

r'araiul  wide. 

J'tached  within  f 

jiii^  advanced  g 

j<^')vered  two  nat 

I'i'fy  rode.     Not 

r'lf  van  of  a  sn 

h-n,  shot,  and  r 

jWice  in  the  mici 

Ivhoin   he  esca]) 

'■■fnainder.    The 


llicil    Dll' 

f  nuUirr, 
li-cliokiil 

llill-Mllr. 
tlll'll  jlh' 

ishc'd  on', 
ic  family, 

it  1  UTS  illlii 

he  (?ouM 
hajipv  ;i- 
hail  lu'in 
1(1  r(niiii> 
;hl  to,  '.uil 
nd  siuiki! 
done  U'- 
lavf)r  will 
■d   to  will, 
hail  Booii' 
died  him  i 
e    Indian'^ 
5  loves,  111-. 
aborisiiis' 
rs.    Scarc' 
rvie  Indian 
lor  vacuity, 
so  in  hull*- 
^mcnts,  till 
1^-,  necessity 
[urablo. 
|ii:>s  of  salt- 
In-en  started 
I's,  huiitini;,| 
was  taken  1 
la  sadsiglii 
the  choici 
Ir-style,  ami 
they  were 
lin  ima;j;ina- 
Id  founded: 
lidd   he  Jo' 
In  and  look 


1778.  linonc^a  csrnpo  from  Cttptirify.  107 

all  ease  and  joy.     He  wa^  a  lon;^  way  from  his  own  white  lionie- 
stcad ;  one    hiindri'd   and    fifty   miles   at    h-ast,  and   a    rough   and 
inhospitable  country  much  of  the  way   l)elvve<'n   him   and  it.     liut 
he  had  travelled  fast    and    far,  and    might    again.     So,  without  a 
word  to  his   f<llow   prisoners,  early  in    tin-  morning   of  Jiine  the 
Ifith,  without  his  breakfast,  in  the   most   serret   manner,  unseen, 
iinlieard,  he  departed.     He  left  his  red  relatives  to  mourn  his  loss, 
and  over  hill  and  valley  sped,  forty  miles  a  day,  for  four  success- 
ive days,    and    ate   but   one    meal  by  the  way.       Tie    found   the 
v'ation  wholly    unprepared   to   resist   so  formidable  a  body  as  that 
which  threatened   it,  and   it    was  a  matter  of  life    ;in(l    death   that 
tvciy  mus(de  should   be    exerted  to    get   all  in    readiness   for  the 
(xpected  visiters.     Rapidly  the  white    men  toiled   in  the  summer 
vtin,  and  tiirough   the   summer   night,  to   repair  and  complete  the 
loriillcations,  and  to  liave  all  as  experience  had  shown  it  should 
i)f.    13ut  still  the  foe  came  not,  and  in  a  few  days  another  escaped 
laptive  brougiit  information  of  the  delay  of  the  expedition  in  con- 
siiiuence  of  Boone's  [light.     The  savages  had  relied  on  surprisin-g 
'he  stations,  and  their    plans    being  foiled  by  their  adopted  son 
Daniel,  all  their   deternunations   were  unsettled.     Thus  it  proved 
"lie  salvation  of  Boonesborough,  and   probably  of  all  the  frontier 
iuls,  that  the    founder  of  Kentucky  was   taken  captive  and  re- 
mained a  captive  as  long  as  he  did.     So  often  do  seeming  misfor- 
tuiit'S  prove,  in  fJod's  hand,  our  truest  good. 
Roone,  finding  his  late   relatives  so  l)ackward  in  their  proposed 
all,  determined  to  anticipate  them  by  a  visit  to  the  Scioto  valley, 
ivheie  he  had  been  at  salt-making;  and  about  the  1st  of  August, 
I'iili  nineteen    men,  started   for  the  town  on    Paint    Creek.     He 
iiiew,  of  course,  that  he  was  trying  a  .si)mewhat  hazardous  experi- 
ment, as  Boonesborou'di  might  be  attacked  in  his  absence ;  but 
he  had  his  wits  about  him,  and  his    scouts    examined  the  country 
iarand  wide.    Witiiout  interruption,  he  crossed  the  Ohio,  and  had 
■tached  within  a  few  miles  of  the  place  he  meant  to  attack,  when 
his  advanced  guard,  consisting  of  one  man,  Simon  Kenton,  dis- 
wvered  two  natives  riding  one  horse,  and  enjoying  some  joke  as 
[Aey  rode.     Not  considering  that  these  two  might  be,  like  himself, 
■lie  van  of  a  small  army,  Simon,  one  of  the  most  impetuous  of 
;'Hn,  shot,  and  run  forward  to  scalp  them,  —  but  found  himself  at 
|'''i''e  in  the  midst  of  a  dozen  or  more  of  his  red  enemies,  from 
h^liom   he  escaped    only  by  the    coming  up    of  Boone    and    the 
'-raainder.    The  commander,  upon  considering  the  circumstances, 


198         Donncsboroug/i  altar/ad  by  tfa-  Biilish  and  Imlinus      WiS    I    I77.S.      Tin 


and  Iciuniiij;  IVoin  spirs  wlioiii  hi'  M-nl  forward  tliul  tlu'  town  li< 
inlftidcd  toattiuk  was  dfM'jlrd,  camf  to  the  opinion  that  Iht-  Ijain, 
just  nu't  was  on  its  way  to  join  a  huj^er  hod)  lor  tin-  invasii)n  oi 
Ivi-ntiK  ky,  and  advised  an  iinnicdiatc  return. 

His  advice  was  taken,  and  tlu'  result  proved  its  wisdouj ;  lin 
in  order  to  reacii  IJooncshorouj^li,  tliey  were  actually  ohli^id  t^ 
coast  along,  go  round,  and  outstrip  a  Ixnly  of  nearly  livt-  hundml 
savages,  led  hy  Canadians,  w  ho  were  marching  against  his  doonin. 
horough,  and  after  all,  gut  tliere  only  the  day  hetore  thi'ni. 

On  the  Sth  of  August,  with   British  and  Frendi  flags  llyin;,',  th, 
dusky  army  gatlnred   around  the  little  forlrt'ss  of  logs,  defeii(li(i 
hy  its  inconsidera!)Ie  garrison,     ('aptain  Du  Quesne,  on  heliall' m 
his  mighty  Majesty,   King  (u-orge  the   Third,  summoned  CapUiii, 
Boone  to  surrender.      It  wa.s,  as  Daniel  says,  a  critical   period  ti . 
him  and  hi.s  friends.     Should   thi-y  }ii'ld,  what  mercy  could  tin', 
look  for?  and  he,  espi'cially,  after  his  unkind  llight  from  his  Sliuw 
anese   parents.'     They  had   almost  stilled  liim  with  their  carl■s,se^ 
hefore ;  they  would    literally  hug  him  to  death,  if  again  witlui, 
their  grasp.     Should  they  refuse  to  yield,  what  hope  of  successful 
resistance?     And  they  had  so  much  need  oi  all  their  cattle  to  aid 
them  in  sustaining  a  siege,  and  yet  their  cows  were  ahroad  in  tin 
woods.     Daniel  pondered  the   matter,  and   concluded  it  would  b. 
safe,  at    any  rate,  to    ask   two    days   for   consideration.     Tl  wa> 
granted,  and  he  drove  in  his  cows!     The  evening  of  the  9th  smiiij 
arrived,  however,  and  he  must  say  one  thing  or  another;  so  Lt 
politely  thanked  the  representative  of  his  gracious  Majesty  forgiv- 
ing the  garrison  time  to  prepare  for  their  defence,  and  annouiui ' 
their  determination    to    figl...       Captain    Du    Quesne    was   nw\:\ 
grieved  at  this;  Governor  Hamilton  was  anxious  to  save  bluuu 
shed,  and  wished  the    Kentuckians  taken  alive;  and  rather  than 
proceed  to  extremities,  the  worthy   Canadian   offered  to  withdraw  I 
his  troops,  if  the   garrison  would   make  a  treaty,  though  to  wliatj 
point  the  treaty  was  to  aim  is  unknown.     Boone   was  determimJ 
not  to  yield ;  but  then   he  had  no   wish   to  starve   in  his  fort,  i>rj 
have  it  taken  by  storm,  and  be  scalped;  and   he  thought,  rciacmi 
bering    Hamilton's   kindness  to  him  when  in  Detroit,  that   thtal 
might  be  something  in  what  the  Captain  said ;  and  at  any  rate,  t 
enter  upon  a  treaty  was  to  gain  time,  and  something  might  tnnij 
up.     So  he  agreed  to  treat;  but  where?    Could  nine  of  the  garrij 
son,  as  desired,  safely  venture  into  the  open  field?    It  might  he  ;»il 
a  trick  to  get  possession  of  some  of  the  leading  whites.    Ip'^ti 


fhi'  whole,  I 
allies  must  ( 
fiTlaint}  am 
was  thought 
went  out  (o  i 
tort,  within  \ 
■^lady  to  prot 
ilid  the;i  the 
to  shake  han 
expressed  a  a 
and  his  frienc 
it  was  safer  U 
presented  car 
A-ith  rough  an 
'he  treachery 
It'wn  the   fori 
from  friends    f 
!jack  info  (lu- 
The  treaty 
liiok  to  more  c 
lasted  duriiif  t 
were  determin 
Indians  were  f 
M'  their  numbi 
I'he  garrisr.n  p 
fiiindred  and  t^ 
^h■an while  t 
"'•n  affairs,      A 
ipon  the  haul 
'^lierc  Reaver  i 
'■^ho  had  been  j 
^^'est,  and    wa 
^llilt    by  Uie    w 
'"fended  to  ope 
brewing.     Inde 
^2;ainst  the  cob 
information,  Iha 

•  See  Butler  531.- 
'  Sparks'  Wasliinu 

;  Doddridge,  p.  21; 


177S.      T/iP  invdih'is  J))rcril  to  rrfmif  J'lom    IhmushnnniirJi.        lOfl 


(U'fi'iuk'ii 
Ijuhall'  111 
il  CapUiii, 
pcrioil  tii, 
could  llu\ 
his  Sluiw- 
ir  cart'sse^ 
iiin  williii. 
successt'iii 
uUle  to  aid 
rouil  in  llu 
,t  would  1)' 
11.      It  \va> 
:ic  9th  souii 
.her;  so  l.i 
sty  for  giv- 
uunoiiiK'i.' 
was   uiudi 
lave  blood-! 
Irathcr  tlia:i| 
lo  willidriiw 
,jTh  to  wliiitl 
dctermiii'-d! 
his  fort,  i>r 
ht,  rciuew 
that  thtri 
any  rate,  tc 
mi^ht  turn 
f  the  garri- 

lllicrht  bf  .>i 


the  whoh',  howt'Vrr,  as  the  Icadiri!^  Indians  and  thrir  Canadian 
iillics  Miiist  cninr  urnh'r  the  rifh'S  of  the  fijarrison,  who  nd'^dit  with 
rcrtainty  and  safely  j)i<'k  fhnn  off  if  tr<a»licry  were  atf('ini)tcd,  if 
was  thought  iirsl  lo  run  tlic  risk  ;  and  Hoonc,  with  ci^lif  others, 
went  out  to  meet  the  h-ach-rs  ol  the  i-ncniy,  sixty  >ards  from  the 
fort,  within  which  the  sharpest  slioot«'rs  stood  with  leveh'd  rilh-s, 
ready  to  protect  their  ronuiKh's.  'I'he  treaty  was  niaih-  and  si<;ned, 
iiid  tlien  the  Indians,  sayir)g  it  was  their  custom  for  two  of  tliem 
fi)  shake  hands  with  every  white  man  when  a  treaty  was  niaih*, 
ixpressed  a  wish  to  jiress  the  jialins  of  their  new  allies,  lloone 
and  his  friends  must  have  h)oke(l  rather  (pieer  at  this  proj)osal ;  hut 
it  was  safer  to  accode  than  to  refuse  and  he  sliot  instantly;  so  they 
presented  each  Ids  hand.  As  anticipated  the  warriors  sei/ed  tlien) 
with  rough  and  fierce  ea<j;erness,  tlie  whites  (h-ew  })ack  slru<jj!^liii<^, 
'he  treachery  was  apparent,  the  rifle-halls  from  the  {jjarrison  struck 
lowii  the  foremost  assailants  of  the  little  hand,  and,  amid  a  fire 
frniii  friends  and  foes,  Boone  and  his  fellow  deputies  bounded 
Lark  into  the  station,  with  the  exception  of  one,  nidiurt. 

The  treaty  trick  having  thus  failed,  Captain  I)u  (iuesne  li;id  to 
look  to  more  ordinary  nuxles  of  warliire,  and  opened  a  fire  which 
lasted  during  ten  days,  though  to  no  purpose,  fiir  the  woorlsmen 
were  determined  not  to  yield.  On  the  '20th  of  August,  the 
Iiidiaiis  were  forced  unwillingly  to  retire,  having  lost  thirty-seven 
nf  their  number,  and  wasted  a  vast  amount  of  powder  and  lead. 
The  garris.'.n  picked  up  from  the  ground,  after  their  departure,  one 
hundre.l  and  twenty-five  pounds  of  their  bullets.* 

Meanwhile  the  TTnited  States  had  not  lost  sight  entirely  of  west- 
ern affairs.  A  fort  was  built  early  in  the  summer  of  this  year, 
ipon  the  banks  of  Ohio  a  little  below  Pittsburgh,  near  the  spot 
•ivherc  Beaver  now  stands.  It  was  built  by  General  Mcintosh, 
'vlio  had  been  appointed  in  May  to  succeed  General  Ilandf  in  the 
West,  and  was  named  with  his  name.|  It  was  the  first  fort 
built  by  the  whites  north  of  the  Ohio.  From  this  point  it  was 
intended  to  operate  in  reducing  Detroit,  where  mischief  was  still 
Kirewinsi.  Indeed  the  natives  were  now  more  uiuted  than  ever 
|a[;ainstthc  colonies.  In  June  we  find  Congress  in  possession  of 
■nformation,  that  led  them  to  think  a  universal  frontier  war  close 

•  See  Butlor  531. — Marslial  i.  Boone's  Narrative,  &c. 
'  Spiirks'  Wasliiiigton,  v.  3*11,  382. 

;  Doddridge,  p.  243. — Silliman"s  Journal,  vol.  .xx.ti.  Art.  i.  j).  IS. 


200  Treaty  of  peace  and  alliance  with  the  Delawares.       177S. 

at  hand.*  Tht!  Senocas,  Cayugas,  Mingocs  (by  which  \\c  prt:- 
sumc,  Wert'  meant  tlie  Ohio  Iroquois,  or  possibly  the  Mohawk,s, 
Wyandots,  Onandagas,  Ottawas,  ChippeMays,  Shawanese,  anc 
Dehiwares,  were  all  said  to  bo  more  or  less  united  in  opposition 
to  America.  Congress,  learning  the  danger  to  be  so  immediate 
and  gri'at,  determined  to  push  on  the  Detroit  expedition,  and 
ordered  another  to  be  undertaken  by  the  Mohawk  valley  against 
the  Senecas,  who  might  otherwise  very  much  annoy  and  impede 
the  march  from  Fort  Pitt.  For  the  capture  of  Detroit,  three  thou- 
sand continental  troops  and  two  thousand  five  hundred  militia 
were  voted;  an  a})propriation  was  made  of  nearly  a  million  oi 
dollars ;  and  General  Mcintosh  was  to  carry  forward  the  needfui 
operations.! 

All  the  flourish  which  was  made  about  taking  Detroit,  however. 
and  concpiering  the  Senecas,  ended  in  the  Resolves  of  Congress, 
it  being  finally  thought  too  late  in  the  season  for  advantageous 
action,  and  also  too  great  an  undertaking  for  the  weak-handeii 
colonies.  | 

This  having  been  settled,  it  was  resolved,  that  the  forces  in 
the  West  should  move  up  and  attack  the  Wyandots  and  other 
Indians  about  the  Sandusky ;  ||  and  a  body  of  troops  was  accord- 
ingly marched  forward  to  prepare  a  half-way  house,  or  post,  b\ 
which  the  necessary  connexion  might  be  kept  up.  This  was  built 
upon  the  Tuscarawas,  a  few  miles  south  of  the  present  town  o: 
Bolivar.  In  these  quiet,  commercial  days  the  Ohio  canal  pa<se> 
through  its  midst. §  It  w'as  named  Fort  Laurens,  in  honor  of  ua 
President  of  Congress. 

While  these  warlike  measures  were  pursued  on  the  one  haml, 
the  Confederacy  on  the  other  by  its  Commissioners,  Andrew  and 
Thomas  Lewis  of  Virginia,  formed  at  Fort  Pitt  on  the  17th  ot 
September,  a  treaty  of  peace  and  alliance  with  the  Chiefs  of  tlit 
Delawares,  White-Eyes,  Kill-Buck,  and  Pipe.H 


I 


•  Journals  of  tlie  Old  Congress,  vol.  ii.  p.  58i). 

■\  Washington  speaks  of  Mcintosh  as  liaving  groat  worth  and  merit,  a  firm  disposition 
love  of  justice,  assiduity,  and  a  good  understanding. — Sparks  v.  361. 

\  Journals  of  the  Old  Congress,  vol.  ii.  p.  633. 

[  Journals  of  the  Old  Congress,  vol.  ii.  p.  633. 

§  Siliiinau's  Journal,  xxxi.  57  j  where  the  name  as  in  many  treaties,  &c.  is  mispriiiUi. 
Lawrence. 

^  Se<>  vohimc   of  Indian  Treaties  \Vashiiigtoii,  1837. — It  is  the   first  ticaty  recordo 
!See  also  Old  Journale,  ii.  577. — Do.  iii.  SI. 


177S. 


wc   prt- 
ohawks, 
lese,  urn; 
)ppusiti{iii 
minediatf 
tion,  and 
ij  ai^ainst 
d   impede 
bree  thou- 
ed  iiiilitia 
million  o! 
10  neodfu' 

,  however, 

Congress 
t'iinlageou:) 
;ak-liandtu 

;  forces  in 
3  and  other 
'as  accord- 
or  post,  b) 
s  was  biiih 
int  town  o; 
mal  passn 
onor  of  ilic 

ono  hand, 
udrew  anil 
le   17tli  01 
iefs  of  the 


1779. 


I 


rm  disposition. 

is   inisprinuu 
oatv  rccordf.' 


We  have  already  noticed  the  erection  of  Fort  Laurens. — At  that 
point,  seventy  miles  from  Fort  Mcintosh,  and  exposed  to  all  the 
fierce  north  western  tribes.  Colonel  John  Gibson  had  been  left 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  to  get  through  the  winter  of 
1778-9,  as  he  best  could,  while  Mcintosh  himself  returned  to 
Pittsburgh,  disappointed  and  dispirited.*  Nor  was  Congress  in  a 
very  good  humor  with  him,  for  already  had  six  months  passed  to 
no  purpose.  Washington  was  consulted,  but  could  give  no  defi- 
nite advice,  knowing^nothing  of  those  details  which  must  deter- 
mine the  course  of  things  for  the  winter.  Mcintosh,  at  length,  in 
February  asked  leave  to  retire  from  his  unsatisfactory  command, 
and  was  allowed  to  do  so.  No  blame,  however,  appears  to  have 
fairly  attached  to  him,  as  he  did  all  in  his  power;  among  other 
things  leading  a  party  with  provisions  to  the  relief  of  Colonel 
Gibson's  starving  garrison.  Unhappily  the  guns  fired  as  a  salute 
tiy  those  about  to  be  relieved,  scared  the  pack-horses  and  much  of 
the  nrovision  was  scattered  and  lost  in  the  woods.  The  force  at 
Fort  Laurens,  meantime,  had  been  as  we  have  intimated,  suffering 
iiuelly,  both  from  the  Indians  and  famine,  and,  though  finally 
rescued  from  starvation,  had  done,  and  could  do,  nothing.  The 
post  was  at  last  abandoned  in  August  1779. 

Rut,  while  Mcintosh  was  groaning  and  doing  nothing,  his  fellow 
General,  Clark,  was  very  differently  employed.  Governor  Hamil- 
ton, having  made  his  various  arrangements,  had  left  Detroit,  and 
moved  down  to  St.  Vincent's  (or  Vincennes,)  on  the  Wabash, 
from  which  point  he  intended  to  operate  in  i  educing  Kaskaskia 
and  Cahokia,  and  also  in  conquering  Kentucky,  and  driving  the 
rebels  from  the  West.  But  in  the  very  process  of  taking  St.  Vin- 
cent's, he  met  wnth  treatment  that  might  have  caused  a  more 
modest  man  to  doubt  the  possibility  of  conquering  those  reb(ds. 
Hamilton  came   upon  that   post,  in    December   1778.     lie   came 


•  s 


parks  Washingtoiij  vol.  vi.  p.  156. 


202 


Canture  of  St.   Vincents. 


1770. 


with  a  lar^fc  hndy  of  troops,  and  unexpectedly ;  so  that  tliere  \vas 
no  cliaiice  of  dcfonec  ..n  the  part  of  the  garrison,  whicli  consisted 
indeed  of  only  two  men,  Captain  Helm,  of  Fauquier  county,  Vir- 
ginia, and  one  Henry.  Helm,  however,  was  not  disposed  td 
yield,  ahsolutely,  to  any  odds;  so,  loading  his  single  cannon,  lu- 
stood  hy  it  with  a  lighted  match,  and,  as  the  British  came  ni<rh, 
hade  them  stand,  and  demanded  to  know  what  terms  would  b^ 
granted  the  garrison,  as  otherwise  he  should  not  surrender.  Tin 
Governor,  unwilling  to  lose  time  and  men,  offered  the  usual  honor> 
of  war,  and  could  scarce  helieve  his  eyes,  when  he  saw  the  threat- 
ening garrison  to  he  only  one  officer  and  one  private.  However, 
even  this  hold  conduct  did  not  make  him  feel  the  character  of  tin 
people  with  whom  he  was  contending;  and  so,  thinking  it  too  jati 
to  operate  in  such  a  country,  he  sent  his  Indians,  of  whom  he  had 
some  four  hundred,  to  prevent  troops  coming  down  the  Ohio,  am! 
to  annoy  the  Americans  in  all  ways,  and  sat  quietly  down  for  tin 
winter. 

Information  of  all  these  proceedings  having  reached  Clark,  In 
saw,  at  once,  that  either  he  nrsst  have  Hamilton,  or  Hamiltoi. 
would  have  him;  so  he  cast  ahout  him,  to  see  what  means  off,,!, 
quest  were  within  his  reach.  On  the  29th  of  January,  1779,  (lu 
news  of  the  capture  of  St.  Vincents  reached  Kaskashia,  and,  In 
the  4th  of  Fehruary,  a  "hattoc,"  as  Colonel  Bowman  writes  it, 
had  been  repaired,  provisioned,  manned,  and  armed,  and  was  on 
her  way  down  the  Mississippi,  in  order  to  ascend  the  Ohio  and 
Wabash,  and  co-operate  with  the  land  forces  which  were  assemb- 
ling. These  forces,  on  the  5th  of  February,  numbered  one  hund- 
red and  seventy  men,*  "including  artillery,  packhorsemen,  &.('.' 
an  \  with  this  little  band,  on  the  7th,  Clark  set  forward  to  bcsiegt 
the  British  Governor,  who  had  under  him  about  half  as  many  fol- 
lowers as  a  garrison. t  It  was  "rain  and  drizzly  weather,"  and 
the  "roads  very  bad  with  mud  and  water;"  but  through  tliosi 
prairie  ways,  and  the  waters  which  covered  some  of  the  plains, 
the  little  rebel  band  slipped  and  spattered  along,  as  they  best 
could,  and  how  they  did  it,  cannot  be  shown  better  than  by  copy- 
ing a  portion  of  Joseph  Bowman's  Journal,  and  Clark's  own 
account. 

February  7th.     Began  our  marcli  early ;   made  a  good  day's  march 

*  Bowman.    Clark  in  his  letter  to  TefTcrson,  says,  one  hundred  and   thirty  men,  but  h*" 
may  not  havo  counted  packiiorsemen,  &c.— (See  Jeilcrson's  Writings,  i.  451.) 
t  There  were  tiveuty-uinc  men. — (See  Clark's  letter  to  Jefferson.) 


1779. 


Bowmnn\^  Journal. 


203 


icre  ^v;ls 


lor  about  nine  leagues.  The  road  very  bad  with  mud  and  water. 
Pilclied  our  ramp  in  a  square,  baggnge  in  the  middle,  every  company  to 
(Tuard  their  own  square. 

8lh.  Marched  early  through  the  waters  which  we  now  began  to 
meet  in  those  large  and  level  plains  where,  from  the  flatness  of  the 
country,  the  water  rests  a  considerable  time  before  it  drains  off.  Not- 
withstanding our  men  were  in  great  spirits,  though  rrnch  fatigued. 

9th.     Made  anotlier  day's  march.     Rain  part  of  the  day. 

lOih.  Crossed  the  river  Petit  Fort,  upon  trees  which  we  felled  for 
that  purpose,  the  water  being  ^o  high  there  was  no  fording  it.  Htill 
raining  and  no  tents.     Encamped  near  the  river.     Stormy  weather. 

ir.Ii.     Crossed  the  Saline  river.     Nothing  extraordinary  this  day. 

12lh.  Marched  across  Cat  Plains.  Saw  and  killed  numbers  of 
buffaloes.  The  road  very  bad  from  the  immense  quantity  of  rain  that 
had  fallen.  The  men  much  fatigued.  Encamped  on  tlie  edge  of  the 
wood.  This  plain  being  fifteen  or  more  miles  across,  it  was  late  in  the 
night  before  the  baggage  and  troops  got  together.  Now  21  miles  from 
St.  Vincents. 

13lh.  Arrived  early  at  the  two  Wabashes  ;  although  a  league  asun- 
der they  are  now  but  one.     We  set  to  making  a  canoe. 

14th.  Finished  the  canoe  and  put  her  into  the  river  abort  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  ^ 

15lh.  Ferried  across  the  Two  Wabashes,  it  being  three  miles  in 
water,  to  the  opposite  hills,  where  we  encamped.  Still  raining.  Or- 
dered not  to  fire  any  guns  in  future,  but  in  case  of  necessity. 

i6ih.  March  all  day  through  rain  and  water.  Crossed  the  Fir 
Kiver.     Provisions  begin  to  be  short. 

17th.  Marched  early.  Crossed  several  runs  very  deep.  Sent  Mr. 
Kennedy,  our  commissary  with  three  men,  to  cross  the  river  Embarrass, 
if  possible,  and  proceed  to  a  plantation  opposite  Post  St.  Vincents  in 
order  to  steal  boats  or  canoes  to  ferry  us  across  the  Wabasli.  About  an 
hour  by  sun  we  got  near  the  river  Embarrass,  and  found  the  country  all 
overflowed  with  water.  We  strove  to  find  the  Wabash.  Travelled  tiP 
three  o'clock  in  mud  and  wafer,  but  could  fino  no  place  to  encamp  on. 
Still  keep  marching  on,  but  after  some  time  Mr.  Kennedy  and  his  party 
returned.  Found  it  impossible  to  pass  the  Embarrass  river.  We 
found  the  water  falling  from  a  small  spot  of  grount..  Staid  there  the 
remainder  of  the  night.     Drizzly  and  dark  weather. 

18th.  At  break  of  day,  heard  Governor  Hamilton's  morning  guns. 
Set  ofi"  and  marched  down  the  river.  Saw  some  fine  lands.  About 
two  o'clock  came  to  the  bank  of  the  Wabash.  Made  rafts  for  four  men 
to  cross  and  go  up  co  town  and  steal  boats,  but  they  spent  the  day  and 
night  in  the  water  to  no  purpose,  for  there  was  not  a  foot  of  dry  land  to 
be  found. 


204 


Bowmmi^s  Journal. 


1779. 


19th.  Captain  McCarty's  company  set  to  making  a  canoe.  At 
three  o'clock,  the  four  men  retnrnei]  after  spending  the  night  on  some  old 
logs  in  the  water.  The  canoe  finished.  Captain  McCarty  with  three 
of  his  men  embarked  in  the  canoe,  and  made  the  next  attempt  to  steal 
boats.  IJut  he  soon  returned,  having  discovered  four  large  fires  about 
a  league  distant  from  our  camp,  that  seemed  to  him  to  be  fires  of 
whites  and  Indians.  Immediately  Colonel  Clark  sent  two  men  in  the 
canoe  down  to  meet  the  battoe,  with  orders  to  come  on  day  and  niglu, 
that  being  our  last  hope  from  starving.  Many  of  the  men  much  cast 
down,  particularly  the  volunteers.  No  provision  of  any  sort  for  two 
days.     Hard  fortune. 

20th.  Camp  very  quiet  but  hungry. — Many  of  the  Creoles  volun- 
teers talking  of  returning.  Fell  to  making  more  canoes,  when  about 
12  o'clock  our  sentry  brought  too  a  boat  with  five  Frendimen  from 
the  Port,  who  told  us  we  were  not  as  yet  discovered,  that  the  inhabi- 
tant^ were  well  pleased  towards  us,  &;c. 

Captai''  Willing's  brother,  who  was  taken  in  the  Fort,  had  made  his 
escape  to  us,  and  said  that  one  Masonville,  with  a  party  of  Indians, 
were  then  seven  days  in  pursuit  of  him,  with  much  news,  more  news 
in  our  favor,  such  as  repairs  done  to  the  fort,  &c.  They  informed  ii? 
of  two  canoes  they  had  seen  adrift  some  distance  above  us.  Ordered 
Captain  Worthington,  with  a  party  of  men,  to  go  in  search  of  them, 
Returned  late  with  one  only.  One  of  our  men  killed  a  deer  which  was 
distributed  in  the  camp  very  acceptably. 

21st.  At  break  of  dry  began  to  ferry  our  men  over  in  our  two 
canoes,  to  small  hills  called  mamelles,  or  breasts.  Capt.  Williams  with 
two  men  wont  to  look  for  a  passage  ;  but  were  discovered  by  two  men 
in  a  canoe,  but  could  not  bring  them  to.  The  whole  army  being  over, 
we  thought  to  get  to  town  that  night,  so  plunged  into  the  water,  some- 
times to  the  u'^ck,  for  more  than  a  league,  when  we  stopped  on  the  next 
hill  of  the  same  name,  there  being  no  dry  land  on  any  side  for  many 
leagues.  Our  pilot  says  we  cannot  get  along  —  that  it  was  impossible 
The  whole  army  being  over,  we  encamped.  Rain  all  this  day.  No 
provisions."* 

And  here  we  turn  to  Clark  himself. 

"  This  last  day's  march,  [February  21st,3  through  the  water  was  far 
superior  to  any  thing  the  Frenchmen  had  an  idea  of:  they  were  back- 
ward in  speaking — said  that  the  nearest  land  to  us  was  a  small  league, 
called  the  sugar  camp,  on  the  bank  of  the  [river  ?]  A  canoe  was  sent 
off,  and  returned  without  finding  that  we  could  pass.  I  went  in  her 
myself,  and  sounded  the  water:  found  it  deep  as  to  my  neck,    I  return- 

•  We  take  our  extracts  from  a  MS  copy  of  the  journal :  portions  muy  also  Le  fuund  in 
DJlon,  L  157. 


1779. 

ed  with  a  (V 
Sugar  camj 
night,  as  th 
of  so  much 
would  have 
our  horses, 
to  think.     ( 
eye  was  fixe 
of  liie  oflice 
I  viewed  the 
me  to  do  as 
powder,  blac 
water,  wiiho 
another,  will 
near  me  to  b 
line,  and  the 
transported  a 
deep  one  of 
examined,  ar 
ground,  whic 
Sugar  camp, 
acre  of  dry  g 
lodging.     Th 
be  uneasy  at 
to  go  in  the  t 
bring  from  tl 
persons  knov 
surely  of  thci 
from  that  pla( 
f^ome  of  tlie 
snlTer  it.     I  n 
give  salisfucti 
proposition  aj 
but  somothini 
not  done. 

"  The  mos 
and  warm,  fo 
ice  in  the  mor 
near  the  shore 
on  our  march. 
'0  them  1  forg 
possess  my  a 
forming  them 
reaching  the  c 


1779. 

loe.  At 
some  old 
ilh  three 
it  to  sieal 
■es  about 
;  fires  of 
en  in  the 
nd  night, 
luch  cast 
for  two 

cs  volun- 
icn  about 
nen  from 
le  inhabi- 

made  his 

r  Indians, 

lore  news 

formed  u? 

Ordered 

of  them, 
vhich  was 

[\  our  two 
lams  with 

two  men 
jing  over, 
[er,  some- 

the  next 
for  many 

possible. 

lay.     No 


1779. 


Clark^s  account. 


205 


ir  was  far 
lere  back- 
Ill  league, 

was  sent 
Int  in  her 

I  return- 
lie  found  in 


cd  with  a  design  to  have  the  men  transported  on  board  the  canoes  to  the 
Suffar  camp,  which  I  knew  would  spend  the  whole  day  and   enduing 
night,  as  the  vessels  would  pass  slowly  tlirough  the  bushes.     'I'iie  lo^s 
of  so  much  time,  to  men  half  starved,  was  a  matter  of  consequence.     I 
would  have  given  now  a  great  deal  for  a  day's  provision,  or  for  one  of 
our  horses.     I  returned  but  slowly  to  the  troops — giving  myself  time 
to  think.     On  our  arrival,  all  ran  to  hear  what  was  the  report.     Every 
eye  was  fixed  on  me.     I  unfortunately  spoke  in  a  serious  manner  to  one 
of  the  officers  :  the  whole  were  alarmed  without  knowing  what  I  said. 
I  viewed  their  confusion  for  about  one  minute — whispered  to  those  near 
me  to  do  as  I  did — immediately  put  some  water  in  my  hand,  poured  on 
powder,  blackened  my  face,  gave  the  war-whoop,  and  marched  into  ilie 
water,  without  saying  a  word.     The  party  gazed,  and  fell  in,  one  after 
another,  without  saying  a  word,  like  a  llock  of  sheep.     I  ordered  those 
near  me  to  begin  a  favorite  song  of  theirs  :  it  soon  passed  througii  the 
line,  and  the  whole  went  on  cheerfully.     I  now  intended  to  have  them 
transported  across  the  deepest  part  of  the  water  ;  but  when  about  waist 
deep  one  of  the  men  informed  me  that  he  thought  he  felt  a  path.     \Vc 
examined,  and  found  it  so:  and  cc ncluded  that  it  kept  on  the  highest 
around,  which  it  did  ;  and  by  tiking  pains  to  follow  it,  we  got  to  the 
Sugar  camp,  without  the  least  difficulty,  where  there  was  about  half  an 
acre  of  dry  ground,  at  least  not  under  water,  where  we  took  up  our 
lodging.     The  Frenchmen  that  we  had  taken  on  the  river  appeared  to 
be  uneasy  at  our  situation.     They  begged  that  they  might  be  permitted 
to  go  in  the  two  canoes  to  town  in  the  night:  they  said  that  they  would 
bring  from  their  own  houses  provisions,  without  a  possibility  of  any 
persons  knowing  it — that  some  our  men  should  go  with  them,  as   a 
surety  of  their  good  conduct — that  it  was  impossible  we  could  march 
from  that  place  till  the  water  fell,  for  the  plain  was  too  deep  to  inarch. 
f^ome  of  the  [officers  ?]  believed  that  it  might  be  done.     I  would  not 
suffer  it.     I  never  could  well  account  for  this   piece  of  obstinacy,  and 
give  satisfactory  reasons  to  myself,  or  any  body  else,  why  I  denied  a 
proposition  apparently  so  easy  to  execul?,  and  of  so  much  advantage: 
hut  something  seemed  to  tell  me  that  it  should  not  be  done  ;  and  it  was 
not  done. 

"The  most  of  the  weather  that  we  had  on  this  march,  was  moist 
and  warm,  for  the  season.  This  was  the  coldest  niglit  we  iiad.  The 
ice  in  the  morning  was  from  one  half  to  three  quarters  of  an  inch  thick, 
near  the  shores,  and  in  still  water.  The  morning  was  the  finest  we  had 
on  our  march.  A  little  after  sunrise  I  lectured  the  v  '.lOle,  What  1  said 
lo  them  1  forget ;  but  it  may  be  easily  imagined  by  a  person  that  could 
possess  my  affections  for  them  a^.  that  time: — I  concluded  by  in- 
forming them  that  passing  the  plain  that  was  then  in  full  view,  and 
reaching  the  opposite  woods,  would  put  an  end  to  their  fatigue — that  in 


206 


Clnr/c's  account. 


1779. 


1  few  hours  they  woiiUl  have  a  sight  of  their  long  wi.*he(l  for  ohjrct— 
and  iinmcdint'ily  stepped  into  the  water  without  waiting  I'or  any  reply. 
\  huzza  took  place.  As  we  generally  marched  through  the  water  in  a 
lint,  before  the  third  entered  1  halted  and  called  to  Major  Bowmtin,  or- 
dered him  to  fall  in  the  rear  v/ith  twentv-fivo  men,  and  put  to  death  anv 
man  who  refused  to  march  ;  as  we  wished  to  have  no  su^h  person 
among  us.  The  whole  gave  a  cry  of  approbation,  and  on  we  went. 
'J'his  was  the  most  trying  of  all  the  diflicullifs  we  had  experienced.  1 
generally  kept  fifteen  or  twenty  of  the  strongest  men  next  myself;  and 
judged  from  my  own  feelings  what  must  be  that  of  others.  Geitinj; 
about  the  middle  of  the  plain,  tiie  water  about  mid-deep,  1  found  myself 
sensibly  failing ;  and  as  there  were  no  treed  nor  bushes  for  the  men  to 
support  themselves  by,  I  feared  that  many  of  the  most  weak  would  be 
drowned.  I  ordered  the  canoes  to  make  the  land,  discharge  their  load- 
ing, and  play  backwards  and  forwards  with  all  diligence,  and  pick  iip 
the  men  ;  and  to  encourage  the  party,  sent  some  of  tne  strongest  men 
forward,  with  orders,  when  they  got  to  a  certain  distance,  to  pass  the 
word  back  that  the  water  was  getting  shallow  ;  and  when  getting  near 
the  woods  to  cry  out  '  Land  !'  This  stratagem  had  its  desired  effect. 
The  men,  encouraged  by  it,  exerted  themselves  almost  beyond  their 
abilities — the  weak  holding  by  the  stronger.  »  *  *  The  water  never 
.got  shallower,  but  continued  deepening.  Getting  to  the  woods  where 
the  men  expected  land,  the  wat^r  was  up  to  my  shoulders :  but  gaining 
the  woods  v/as  of  great  consequence  :  all  the  low  men  and  the  weakly 
hung  to  the  trees,  and  floated  on  the  old  logs,  until  they  were  taken 
off  by  the  canoes.  'J'he  strong  and  tall  got  ashore  and  built  fires.  Many 
would  reach  the  shore,  and  fall  with  their  bodies  half  in  the  water,  no*, 
being  able  to  support  themselves  without  it. 

"  This  was  a  delightful  dry  spot  of  ground,  of  about  ten  acres.  We 
soOi  )und  that  the  fires  answered  no  purpose  ;  but  that  two  strong  men 
taking  a  woak^rone  by  the  arms  was  the  only  way  to  recover  him — and, 
being  a  delightful  day,  it  soon  did.  But  fortunately,  as  if  designed  by 
Providence,  a  canoe  of  Indian  squaws  and  children  was  coming  up  to 
town,  and  took  through  part  of  this  plain  as  a  nigh  way.  It  was  dis- 
covered by  our  canoes  as  they  wore  out  after  the  men.  They  gave 
chase  and  took  the  Indian  canoe,  on  board  of  which  was  near  half  a 
quarter  of  a  buflalo,  some  corn,  tallow,  kettles,  &c.  This  was  a  grand 
prize,  and  was  invaluable.  Broth  was  immediately  made  and  served 
out  to  the  most  weakly,  with  great  cure  :  most  of  the  whole  got  a  little ; 
but  a  great  many  gave  their  part  to  the  weakly,  jocosely  saying  some- 
thing cheering  to  their  comrades.  This  little  refreshment  and  fine 
weather,  by  the  afternoon  gave  new  life  to  the  whole.  Crossing  a  nar- 
row deep  lake  in  the  canoes,  and  marching  some  distance,  we  came  to  a 
copse  of  tiiuber  called  the  Warrior's  Island.     We   were   now  in  ful' 


1779 


1779. 


Clark^s  account. 


207 


0l)jrcl— 

ly  reply, 
rater  in  a 
I' man,  or- 
Icalh  any 
h  person 
we  went. 

GHCCtl.      I 

sell';  and 
Gelling 
[id  mysell 
ic  men  to 
would  be 
iheir  load- 
i  pick  up 
ngest  men 
0  pass  the 
(iting  near 
red  efi'ect. 
yond  their 
'ater  never 
Dds  where 
ut  gaining 
le  weakly 
rexe  taken 
es.    Many 
water,  no; 

res.     We 
trong  men 
mm — and, 
^signed  by 
ing  up  to 
t  was  (lis- 
rhey  gave 
ear  half  ;' 
a  grand 
nd   servt;' 
ot  a  liide ; 
insr  some- 
and  fine 
ing  a  nar- 
came  to  a 
w  in  ful' 


view  of  the  fort  and  town,  not  a  shrub  between  us,  at  about  two  miles 
Ji<lanee.  Every  man  now  feasted  his  eyes,  and  forgot  that  he  had  suf- 
teicel  any  thing — saying,  that  all  that  had  passed  was  owing  to  good 
polic-y,  and  nothing  but  what  a  man  could  bear;  and  that  a  soldier  had 
no  right  to  think.  Sic. — passing  from  one  extreme  to  another,  which  is 
(.•ommon  in  such  cases.  It  was  now  we  had  to  disply  our  abilities.  The 
plain  between  us  and  the  town  was  not  a  perfect  level.  The  sunken 
grounds  were  covered  with  water  full  of  ducks.  We  observed  several 
aien  out  on  horseback,  shooting  them,  within  a  half  mile  of  us  ;  and 
sent  out  as  many  of  our  cjtive  young  Frenchmen  to  decoy  and  take  one 
of  these  men  prisoner,  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  alarm  the  others  ; 
which  they  did.  The  information  we  got  from  this  person  was  similar 
;o  that  which  we  got  from  those  we  took  on  the  river;  except  that  of 
ihe  British  having  that  evening  completed  the  wall  of  the  fort,  and  that 
ihcre  was  a  good  many  Indians  in  town. 

Our  situation  was  now  truly  critical — no  possibility  of  retreating  in 
case  of  defeat — and  in  full  view  of  a  town  that  had  at  this  time  upwards 
of  six  hundred  men  in  it,  troops,  inhabitants,  and  Indians,  'i'hc  crew 
of  the  galley,  though  not  fifty  men,  would  have  been  now  a  reinforce- 
oient  of  immense  magnitude  to  our  little  army,  (if  I  may  so  call  it,)  hut 
we  would  not  think  of  them.  We  were  now  in  the  situation  that  I  had 
labored  to  get  ourselves  in.  The  idea  of  being  made  prisoner  was 
foreign  to  almost  every  man,  as  they  expected  nothing  but  torture  fiom 
the  savages,  if  they  fell  into  their  hands.  Our  fate  was  now  to  be  de- 
termined, probably  in  a  few  hours.  We  knew  that  nothing  but  the 
;nost  daring  conduct  would  ensure  success.  I  knew  that  a  number  of 
:he  inhabitants  wished  us  well — that  many  were  lukewarm  to  the  inte- 
rest of  either — and  I  also  learned  that  the  Grand  Chief,  the  Tobacco's 
*on,  had,  but  a  few  days  before,  openly  declared  in  council  with  the 
British,  that  he  was  a  brother  and  friend  to  the  Big  Knives.  These  were 
favorable  circumstances  ;  and  as  there  was  but  little  probability  of  our 
remainiufT  until  daik  undiscovered,  I  determined  to  begin  the  career  im- 
inediately,  and  wrote  the  following  placard  to  the  inhabitants  : 

To  the  inhabitants  of  Post  Vincennes. 

Gentlemen: — Being  '-tw  within  two  miles  of  your  village,  with  my 
irmy,  determined  to  take  your  fort  this  night,  and  not  being  willing  to 
surprise  you,  I  take  this  method  to  request  such  of  you  as  are  true 
niizens  and  willing  to  enjoy  the  I'berty  I  bring  you,  to  remain  still  in 
your  houses  . — And  those,  if  any  there  be,  that  are  friends  to  the  king, 
will  instantly  repair  to  the  fort  and  join  the  hair-buyer  General,  and  fight 
like  men.  And  if  any  such  as  do  not  go  to  th"  fort  shall  be  discovered 
:iAerwards,  they  may  depend  on  severe  punishment.  On  the  contrary, 
•hose  who  are  true  friends  to  liberty  may  depend  on  being  well  treated ; 


208 


Clark^s  account. 


1779. 


and  I  onpo  more  roqurst  llioiu   to  kocp  out  of  llic  streets.     For  every 
one  I  find  in  anna  on  my  arriviil,  I  shall  treat  him  as  an  enemy. 

[Signed,]  a.  R.  CLARK. 

A  little  before  sunset  we  moved  and  displayed  ourselves  in  full  view 
of  the  town — crowds  gazing  at  us.  We  were  plunging  ourselves  into 
certain  destruction,  or  succiss.  There  was  no  mid-way  thought  of, 
We  had  hut  little  to  say  to  our  men,  except  inculcating  an  idea  of  the 
necessity  of  obedience,  &c.  We  knew  they  did  not  want  encouraging; 
and  that  any  thing  might  be  attempted  with  them  that  was  possible  Ibr 
such  ii  number — perfectly  cool,  under  proper  .'subordination,  pleased 
with  the  prospect  before  them,  and  much  attached  to  their  oiriceri!, 
They  all  declared  that  they  were  convinced  that  an  implicit  obedience 
to  oiders  was  the  oidy  thing  that  would  ensure  success — and  hoped  that 
no  mercy  would  be  shown  the  person  that  should  violate  them.  Such 
language  as  this  from  soldiers,  to  persons  in  our  station,  must  have  been 
exceedingly  ngreeable.  We  moved  on  slowly  in  full  view  of  the  town; 
but  as  it  was  a  point  of  some  consequence  to  us  to  make  ourselves  ap- 
pear as  formidable,  we,  in  leaving  the  covert  that  we  were  in,  marched 
and  counter-marched  in  such  a  manner  that  we  appeared  numerous.  In 
raising  volunteers  i  the  Illinois,  every  person  that  set  about  tlie  business 
liad  a  sot  of  colors  given  them,  which  they  brought  with  them,  to  the 
amount  of  ten  or  twelve  pair.  These  were  displayed  to  the  best  ad- 
vantage  ;  and  as  the  low  plain  we  marched  through  was  not  a  perfect 
level,  but  iiad  frequent  raisings  in  it  seven  or  eight  feet  higher  than  ihe 
common  level,  (whicli  was  covered  with  water,)  and  as  these  raisings 
generally  run  in  an  oblique  direction  to  the  town,  we  took  the  advantage 
of  one  of  them,  marching  through  the  water  under  it,  which  compleiely 
prevented  our  being  numbered:  but  our  colors  showed  considerably 
above  the  heights,  as  they  wore  fixed  on  long  poles  procured  for  the 
purpose,  and  at  a  distance  made  no  despicable  appearance  :  and  as  our 
young  Frenchmen  had,  while  we  lay  on  the  AVarrior's  Island,  decoyed 
and  taken  several  fowlers,  with  their  horses,  officers  were  mounted  on 
these  horses,  and  rode  about  more  completely  to  deceive  the  enemy.  In 
this  manner  we  moved,  and  directed  our  march  in  such  a  way  as  to 
suffer  it  to  be  dark  before  we  had  advanced  more  than  half  way  to  the 
town.  We  then  suddenly  altered  o\ir  direction,  and  crossed  ponds 
where  they  co<ild  not  have  suspected  us,  and  about  eight  o'clock  gained 
the  heights  back  of  the  town. 

The  garrison  was  soon  lt  lotely  surrounded,  and  the  firing  con- 
tmued  without  intermission,  (e  jpt  about  fifteen  minutes  a  little  before 
day,)  until  about  nine  o'clock  the  following  morning.  It  was  kepi  up 
by  the  whole  of  the  troops, — ^joined  by  a  few  of  the  young  men  of  the 
town,  who  got  permission — except  fifty  men  kept  as  a  reserve.  *     *    ' 


1779. 
or  every 

ARK. 

full  vit>\v 
Ives  iiiio 
jviglil  of, 
ea  of  the 
)iiraging; 
issiblc  for 
,  pleased 
r  olTicers, 
obedience 
loped  thai 
m.     Such 
have  been 
the  town; 
rselves  ap- 
I,  marHied 
eroiis.    In 
ic  business 
em,  to  the 
^e  best  ad- 
it a  perfect 
er  than  the 
se  raisings 
advantage 
oinple'cly 
nsidcrably 
cd  for  the 
and  as  our 
,  decoyed 
minted  on 
nemy.  1'^ 
way  as  to 
way  to  the 
led   ponds 
ock  gained 

firing  con- 

ittle  before 

las  kepi  up 

lien  of  tlic 


1779. 


Clarices  Jlccount. 


200 


1 


I  had  made   myself  fully  acquainted  with  the   situation  of  the  fort  and 
town,  and  the  parts  relative  to  each.     The  cannon  of  the  garrison  was 
on  the  upper  floors  of  strong  block-houses  at  each  angle  of  the  fort, 
eleven  feet  iibove  the  surface  ;  and  the  ports  so  badly  cut  tliat  many  of 
our  troops  lay  under  the  fire  of  them   within  twenty  or  thirty  yards  oi 
ihf  walls.     They  did   no  damage  except  to  the   buildings  of  the  town, 
some  of  which  they  much  shattered  :  and  their  musketry,  in  the  dark, 
employed  against  woodsmen  covered  by  houses,  palings,  ditches*,  the 
banks  of  the  river,  &;c.,   wus  but  of  little  avail,  and  did  no  injury  to  us 
except  wounding  a  man  or  two.     As  we  could  not  afford  to  lose  men, 
.Tcat  care  was  taken  to  preserve  them  sufliciently  covered,  and  to  keep 
up  a  hot  fire  in  order  to  intimidate  the  enemy  as  well  as  to   destroy 
ihem.     The  embrasures  of  their  cannon  were  frequently  shut,  for  our 
ridcmen,  finding  the  true  direction  of  them,  would  j)our  m  such  volley? 
when  they  were  opened  that  the  men  could  not  stand  to  the  guns  :  seven 
cr  eight  of  them  in  a  short  time  got  cut  down.     Our  troops  would  fre- 
quently abuse  tlic  enemy,  in  order  to  aggravate  them  to  open  their  ports 
and  fire  their  cannon,  that  they  might  have  the  pleasure  of  cutting  ihem 
ilown  with  their  rifles — fifty  of  which  perhaps  would  be  levelled  the  mo- 
ment the  port  flew  open  :  and  I  believe  that  if  they  had  stood  at  their 
iriillery  the   greater  part  of  them  would  have  been  destroyed  in  the 
course  of  the  night,  as  the  greater  part  of  our  men  lay  within  thirty 
y:irds  of  the  walls;  and  in  a  few  hours  were  covered  equally  to  those 

within  the  walls,  and  much  more  experienced  in  that  mode  of  fighting. 

*********         *         * 

Sometimes  an  irregular  fire,  as  hot  as  possible,  was  kept  up  fioni  O'S- 

Icrent  directions  for  u-few  minutes,  and  then  only  a  continual  scattering 

tire  at  the  ports  as  usual  ;  and  a  great  noise  and  laughter  immediately 

omraenced  in  dillcrent  parts  of  the  town,  by  the  reserved  parties,  as  if 

lucv  had  onlv  fired  on  the  fort  a  few  minutes  for  amusement;  and  as  il 

I        *  *^ 

those  continually  firing  at  the  fort  were  only  regularly  relieved.     Con- 
I'jci similar  to  this  kept  the  garrison  constantly  alarmed. 
Thus  the  attack  continued,  until  about  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  ol 
e21th.     Learning  tliat  the  two  prisoners  they  had  brought  in  the  da\ 
'.£!bre,  had  a  considerable  number  of  letters  with  them,  I  supposed  it 
laexpress  that  we  expected  about  th's  time,  which  I  knew  to  be  of  tlu 
|::ealest  moment  to  us,  as  we  had  not  received  one  since  our  arrival  in 
le  country  :  and  not  being  fully  acquainted  with  the  character  of  our 
iscmy,  we  were  doubtful  that  those  papers  might  be  destroyed;  to  prc- 
hnt  which,  I  sent  a  flag,  [with  a  letter,]  demanding  the  garrison. 
The  following  is   a  copy  of  the  Icitci*  which   was   aildressed   by 
(olonel  Clark  to  Lieutenant  Governor  Hamilton,  on  this  occasion  : 
Sir  : — In  order  to  save  yourself  from  the  impending  etorm  that  now 

'  Extracted  from  Major  Bow  man's  MS.  Journil. 

14 


210 


Hamilton  proposes  term 


s. 


177fi. 


ilucatcna  yoii,  I  order  ynu  immcdiaicly  to  snrrcndor  yourself,  with  all 
your  garrisou,  stores,  «fec.  For  if  I  am  oMiffrd  to  storm,  you  may  de- 
pend on  such  treatment  as  is  justly  due  to  a  murderer.  Hfiwaro  ni 
destroying  stores  o(  any  kind,  or  any  papers  or  letters  that  are  in  your 
possession,  or  liurting  one  house  in  town — for,  by  Heavens  !  if  you  Jo, 
there  shall  be  no  mercy  shown  you. 

[Signed,]  f}.  R.  CLAUK. 

To  this  tlie  Governor  rojilicd,  that  lie  coiilcl  not  think  of  beiii;,' 
"  awed  into  any  action  unworthy  a  liritish  subjeet"  ;  hut  his  (nn 
reelin<;  peeped  out  in  liis  (lueslion  to  Helm,  wlien  the  bullets  r;i;- 
tied  about  the  chimney  of"  the  room  in  wliieli  they  were  jjliiyiiii: 
pi(juet  together,  and  Helm  swore  that  Clark  would  have  thuii 
jirisoners.     "  Is  lie  a  merciful  man  ?"  said  the  Governor. 

Clark,  finding  tlie  British  unwilling  to  yield  quietly,  bt'saii 
"  firing  very  hot.",.  When  tliis  came  on,  Helm  cautioned  tin 
English  soldiers  not  to  look  out  through  the  loop-holes;  for  tliKr 
Virginia  riilemen  he  said,  would  shoot  their  eyes  out,  if  they  did.  I 
And  seven  being  actually  shot  by  balls  wliich  came  throu<fh  tli' 
port  holes,  Hamilton  was  led  to  send  out  a  flag  with  the  followiiii; 
letter : 

Lieutenant  Governor  Hamilton  proposes  to  Colonel  Clark  a  truce  fori 
three  days  ;  during  which  lime  he  promises  there  shall  be  no  defensiiel 
works   carried  on  in  the  garrison,  on    condition  that  Colonel  Claikl 
shall  observe  on  his  part,  a  like  cessation  of  any  defensive  work :  iliat| 
is,  he  wishes   to  confer  with  Colonel  Clark  as  soon  as  can  be ;  ar.i^ 
promises  that  whatever  may  pass  between  them  two,  and  another  person 
mutually  agreed  upon  lobe  present,  shall  remain  secret  till  niatlers  bej 
finished,  as  he  wishes,  that  whatever  the  result  of  the  conference  im« 
be,  it  may  lend  to  the  honor  and  c.edit  of  each  party.    If  Colonel  Clarlj 
makes  a  difficulty  of  coming  into  the  fort.  Lieutenant  Governor  Ilaniil 
ton  will  speak  to  him  by  the  gate. 

[Signed,]  HENRY  HAMILTON. 

'24lh  February,  '79. 

I  was  at  a  great  loss  to  conceive  what  reason  Lieutenant  Governoj 
Hamilton  could  have  for  wishing  a  truce  of  three  days,  on  such  tcm 
as  he  proposed.  Numbers  said  it  was  a  scheme  to  get  me  into  iliej 
possession.  I  had  a  different  opinion,  and  no  idea  of  his  possessin 
such  sentiments  ;  as  an  act  of  that  kind  would  infallibly  ruin  him. 
though  we  had  the  greatest  reason  to  expect  a  reinforcement  in  less  tN 
three  days  that  would  at  once  put  an  end  to  the  siege,  I  yet  did  nj 


1770. 

'Jiink   it   pr 
rnswer  : 

Colonel  C 

I'rff.s  leave  to 
Mr.  Ilamilto 
iiiiii.  If  IMr, 
^le  will  meet 

c 

February  *^ 

We  met  at 
(Governor   Ha 
Captain  Helm 
reiice  began, 
•ontained  varin 
surrendered,  oi 
After  deliherati 
■il  that  I  would 
;o  make,  than 
prisoners  at  dis 
'•''at  they  could 
iiience  of  it ;  i 
•ard,  perhaps  li 
,'roposition  to  n 
•i'ln  would  fall 
■':'>ure  by  tJic  ga 
■'■nt,  and  called 
-'uch  a  step  w 
■•-'"It  of  an  cnra< 
■'m;  it  would  b 
|^;"?Ie  man.     Vc 
'Captain  Helm  ai 
"n  he  was  a  IJi 
^"Id  with  propi 
'■^P'ain  Helm  w 

■Du-ing  the  confer 
•■•s  of  the  Ohio,  for  s 
•  plains  near  Post  Vi 

\\''"^ms  went  out  to 
'■'"r  frieiuls,  contin 

['•••■"  ■''•''ys  Major  Bo\\ 

f-i  brought  them  into 
•'^i'l't  the  Indians  to 

[-■■•«  tkiainto  the  riv 


17711. 


I77n. 


Cltrk  and  lliiinilton  meet. 


211 


",  w\[\\  all 
u  liny  (le- 
Ut'ware  of 
re  in  your 
if  you  do, 

JLAUK. 


irk  a  truce  fori 
no  defensive  I 
olonel  Chrkj 
e  work :  iliatj 
can  be ;  ar.l 
nolhcr  pcrso» 
till  matters  bel 
inference  imJ| 
olonel  Chrl^ 
ernor  llanil 

Imilton. 


'liiiik   it   jirudcnl  to  agree   to   tlio  proijosals ;   and  s(;nl  the  following 

niMvcr: 

Colonrl  Clark's  pomplimont.i  to  Mnilrnant  fJovrrnor  Hamilton,  and 
Wits  leave  to  inform  liim  lli;it  lie  will  not  iiprre  to  any  terms  other  than 
Mr.  Hamilton's  siirrenderiiif,'  himself  and  jr.irrison  prisoners  at  discrc- 
iiDii.  If  Mr.  Hamilton  is  desirous  of  u  conference  with  Colonel  Clark, 
lie  will  moot  him  at  the  church,  with  Captain  Helm. 

[«igned.J  fj.  R.  C. 

February  24ih,  '7U. 

We  met  at  the  church, *  about  eighty  yards  from  the  fort — Lieutenant 
fiovernor   Hamilton,    Miijor    Hay,    Superinlendont  of  Indian    Allair!?, 
Captain  Helm,  their  prisoner,  Major  Bowman  and  myself.     The  confe- 
rence began.      Hamilton  produced  terms  of  capitulation,   signed,  that 
•ontaincd  vafnus  articles,  one  of  which  was  tiiat  the  garrison  should  be 
surrendered,  on  their  being  permitted   to  go  to   Pcnsacola  on  parole. 
Vfior  deliberating  on  every  article,  I  rejected  llic  whole.    He  then  wish- 
?il  that  I  would  make  some  proposition.     I  told  him  that  I  had  no  other 
.0  make,  than  what  I  had  already  made — that  of  his   surrendering  as 
prisoners  at  discretion.     1  said  that  his  troops  had  behaved  with  spirit ; 
;!iat  they  could  not  suppose  that  they  would  I)e  worse  treated  in  consc- 
;uence  of  it ;  that  if  he   chose   to  comply  with  the  demand,  though 
I  Lard,  perhaps  the  sooner  the  better ;  that  it  was   in  vain  to  make  any 
'roposition  to  me;  that  he,  by  this  time,  must  be  sensible  tliat  tlie  gar- 
;:jnn  would  fall ;   that  both  of  us  must  [view  T]   all  blood  spilt  for  the 
:, lure  by  the  garrison  as   murder;  that  my  troops  were  already  impa- 
iint,  and  vialled  aloud  for  permission  to  tear  down  and  storm  the  fort: 
isuch  a  step  was  taken,  many  of  course  would  be  cut  down  ;  and  the 
;?sultof  an  enraged  body  of  woodsmen  breaking  in,  must  be  obvious  to 
['im;  it  would  be  out  of  the  power  of  an  American  officer  to  save  a 
hmgle  man.     Various  altercation   took  place  for  a  considerable  time. 
ICaptain  Helm  attempted  to  moderato  our  fixed  determination.     I  told 
in  he  was  a  British  prisoner,  and  it  was  doubtful  whether  or  not  he 
3Qld  with  propriety  speak  on  the  subject.     Hamilton   then  said  tiiat 
''^apiain  Helm  was  from  that   moment   l)')erated,  and  might  use  his 

'Du'ing  the  conference  at  the  churcli,  some  Indian  warriors  who  had  been  sent  to  the 
■>  of  the  Ohio,  for  scalps  and  prisoners,  were  discovered  on  tlieir  return,  as  they  entered 
plains  near  Post  V'inccnnes.    A  party  of  the  American  Troops,  commanded  by  Captain 

p'.lliams  went  out  to  meet  them.  Tlic  Indians,  who  mistook  tliis  detachment  for  a  party 
'■  "leir  friends,  continued  to  advance  "  with  all  the  parade  of  successful  warriors."  "  Our 
•n.-'  says  Major  Bowman,  "  killed  two  on  the  spot ;  wounded  three  ,  took  six  prisoners, 

^li  brought  them  into  town.  Two  of  them  proved  to  be  whites,  we  releaBed  them,  and 
j'Jglit  the  Indians  to  the  main  street,  before  the  fort  gate — there  tomahawked  them,  and 
■  w  tlioia  into  the  river." — [Major  Bowman's  MS.  Journal.] 


212 


IlamiUon  aipitulales 


1779 


pleasure.      I  informed  llic   Captain  llial  I  woultl  nol   receive  him  or 
8U(!li  terms — tliat  hi;  must  rctarn  to  the  giirrison,  ami  await  his  f.ilo.     | 
then  told   Lieutenant  (Colonel  Hamilton   that   hostilities  hIiouM  nol  eom 
incnec  until  five  miimteH  alter  tliu  drums  ^nvc  the  alarm.     We  took  our 
leave,  and  parted  hut  a  few  slcp.s,  when  Hamilton  slopped,  and  polilclj 
asked  me  if  I  would  ho  so  kind  as  to  give  hitn  my  reasons  for  rcfu.xiiii.- 
the  garrison  on  any  oihcr  terms  than  those  I  had  ofTered.     I  told  lurn  i 
had  no  objections  in  giving  him  my  real  reasons,  which  were  simply 
these:  that  i  knew  the  greater  part  of  the  principal  Indian  partisans  oi 
Detroit  were  with  him — that  1  wanted  an  excuse  to  piil   them  to  death. 
or  otherwise  treat  them,   as   1   thought  proper — that  the   cries  ol  tin 
widows  and  the  fatherless  on  the  frontiers,  which  they  had  occasioiieil, 
now  required  their  blood  from  my  hands,  and  that  I  did   not  chosu  u 
be  80  timorous  aa  to  disobey  the  absolute  commands  of  their  authority, 
which  I  looked  upon  to  be  next  to  divine:  that  I  would  rather  los>e  fil':\ 
men,  than  not  to  empower  myself  to  execute  this   piece  of  busincs* 
with  propriety  :   that  if  he  chose   to  risk   the  massacre  of  his  garri.-ior. 
for  their  sakes,  it  was  his  own  pleasure  ;  and  that  I  might  perhaps  iak( 
it  into  my  head  to  send  for  some  of  those   widows  to   see   it  executed 
Major  Hay,  paying  great  attention,  I  had  observed  a  kind  of  distrust  n. 
his  countenance,  which  in  a  great  measure  influenced  my  convorsatioi. 
during  this  time.     On  my  concluding,  "Pray,  sir,"  said  he,  *'wiioi! 
it  that  you  call  Indian  partizans  ?"     "Sir,"  I   replied,  "I   take  Mujoi 
Hay  to  bo  one  of  the  principal."     I  never  saw  a  man  in  tl:c  moment  oi 
eteculion  so  struck  aa  he  appeared  to  be — pals  and  trembling,  scared} 
able  to  stand.     Ilamilion  blushed — and,  1  observed  was  much  aiTecieii 
at  his  behaviour.     Major  Bowman's  countenance  sufliciently  explaiimi 
his  disdain  for  the  one  and  his  sorrow  for  the  other.     '•        *         * 
Some  moments  elapsed  without  a  word  passing  on  either  side.     Frou. 
that  moment  my  resolutions  changed  rciipecling   Hamillon's  siiuaiior. 
I  told  him  that  we  would  return  to  our  respective  posts  ;  that  I  wouIl 
reconsider  the  matter,  and  let  him  know  the  result:  no  offensive  mea- 
sures should  be  taken  in  the  meantime.     Agreed  to;  and  we  parted 
What  had  passed,  being  made  know;;  to  our  officers,  it  was  agreed  lli 
we  should  moderate  our  resolutions. 

In  the  course  of  the  afternoon  of  the  2'lth,  the  following  article; 
were  signed,  and  the  garrison  capitulated  : 

I. — Lieutenant  Governor  Hamilton  engages  to  deliver  up  to  Colom. 
Clark,  Fort  Sackvillc,  as  it  is  at  present,  with  all  the  stores,  <tc. 

II. — The  garrison  are  to  deliver  themselves  as  prisoners  jf  war ;  ar.i 
Hiarch  out  with  their  arms  and  accoutrements,  &c. 

III. — The  garrison  to  be  delivered  up  at  ten  o'clock,  to-morrow- 


Major  Bowman's  MS.  Journal. 


1779 

0  liim  on 
lis  fate.  I 
il  not  com- 
(!  look  oiu 
11(1  |)olilc!\ 
)r  rrfiiMii:; 

told  liiiii  1 
LTo  simply 
artixaiiH  o: 
n  lo  ilealli, 
rics  ol  till 
occaHioiu'il, 
Jul  cliosu  u 
r  aulhorily, 
er  lose  rii\\ 
of  business 
Ijis  garrii^or. 
ciliaps  lake 
it  executed 
r  distrust  ir. 
jonversatio!. 
c,  "  wiio  i^ 

take  Major 
3  moment  01 
iig,  scarcely 

oil   atVeclei; 
explaiim. 


de.  Froii. 
s  isituatio:: 
at  I  woulii 


1770. 


Jhunilton  sent  to  Vlrginin. 


213 


II 


ensivc  mea- 
wc  parted 
ajireed  tli;v 


Mig  at 


liclC; 


to  Colone. 
)f  war  i  ant 
orroH- 


IV. — Tlirrc  days  tiriif  to  l»o  allowed  tlie  parrisnn  to  settle  their  ac- 
;ounlH  with  the  iiilialiilants  and  traders  of  this  plnce. 

V, — 'I'lio  ofTicers  of  the  garrinon  to  be  allowed  their  nceessary 
|i,i(j(;ni(e,  &c. 

Signed  at  l»o.st  St.  Vincent,  [Vinceniies,]  'ZUh  February,  1770. 

At;  reed  for  the  followini^  reasons:  the  remoteness  from  succor ;  the 
Mate  and  quantity  of  provisions,  Aic.;  unanimity  of  oflit;ers  and  men  in 
lis  expediency  ;  the  honorable  terms  allowed  ;  and  lastly,  the  confidence 
III  a  generous  enemy. 

[Signed,]  IIKNKY   HA.MII/l'ON, 

Lt.  (I'ov.  and  Superintendent. 

The  business  being  now  nearly  at  an  end,  troops  were  posted  in  seve- 
ral stronff  houses  around  the  garrison,  and  patroled  during  the  night  lo 
prcvrnl  any  deception  that  might  be  attempted.  The  remainder  on 
duty  lay  on  their  arms;  and,  for  the  first  time  for  many  days  past,  got 
some  rest.  •  «  »  During  the  siege  I  got  only  one  man 
wounded  :  not  being  able  to  lose  many,  I  made  them  secure  themselves 
well.  Seven  were  badly  wounded  in  the  fort,  through  ports.*         •       • 

Hamilton's  surrender  of  St.  Vinceiit's,  or  Fort  Sarkvillc,  put  a 
'•{op  of  course  to  the  proposed  purging  of  the  West  from  the  Long 
k'liivcs.  The  fiovcriior  if.d  some  others  were  sent  prisoners  to 
Virginia,  where  the  Council  ordered  their  confinoiTieiif  in  jail, 
ftttcri'd  and  alone,  in  punishini'iit  for  their  ahomiiiablc  policy  of 
urging  barbarians  to  ultra  barbarism,  as  they  surely  had  done  by 
iiiTt  ring  rewards  for  scalps  but  none  for  prisoners,  a  course  which 
Maturally  resulted  in  wholesale  and  cold-blooded  murder ;  the 
Indians  driving  captives  within  sight  of  the  British  forts  and  then 
iiiitchering  them.  As  this  ri«i;id  confinement,  however  jnst,  was 
not  ill  accordance  with  the  terms  of  Hamilton's  surrender,  (leneral 
Phillips  protested  in  regard  to  it,  and  .Jefrerson,  having  referred  the 
matter  to  the  commander-in-chief,  Washington  gave  his  opinion 
ilccidedly  against  it,  in  consecpience  of  which  the  Council  of  Vir- 
)j;inia  released  the  Detroit  "  hair-buyer"  from  his  irons. f 

Clark  returw  d  to  Kaskaskias,  where,  in  consequence  of  the 
I'ompctition  of  the  traders,  he  found  himself  more  embarrassed 
from  the  depreciation  of  the  paper  money  which  had  been 
idvanced  him  by  Virginia,  than  he  had  been  by  the  movements  of 
'lie  British;  and  where  he  was  forced  to  pledge  his  own  credit 

*  ^nr  extracts  from  ('lark's  Journal  wo  owe  to  Dillon,  i.  l')7  to  173, 
>S]i;i.'<.s'  Wasliingtoii,  vi.  31,j.— Aliuou's  Rumuiabranccr  for  177!>,  pp.  337.  340 — Jef- 
'"son's  W'itings,  i.  4.'J1  to  458. 


214 


Conduct  of  the  Iroquois. 


1779 


to  procure  what  ho  needed,  to  an  extent  that  influenced  vitally  hi^ 
own  fortune  and  life  thenceforward. 

After  the  taking  of  Vincennes,  Detroit  was  undoubtedly  withii. 
the  reach  of  the   enterprising  Virginian,  had  he  but  been   ablr  t 
raise  as  many  soldiers  as  were  starving  and  idling  at  Forts  Lau- 
rens and  Mcintosh.*     He  could  not ;  and  Governor  Henry  havini: 
promised  him  a  reinforcement,  he  concluded  to  wait  for  that,  av 
his  force  was  too  small  to    both  conquer  and  garrison  the  Brilis!, 
forts.     Hut  the  results  of  what  was  done  were  not  imimportant; 
indeed,  we   cannot  estimate  those  results.     Hamilton  had  mnd. 
arran<i;ements   to  enlist  the  southern  and  western  Indiansf  for  tin 
next  spring's  campaign ;  and,  if  Mr.  Stone  be  correct  in  his  sup- 
positions, Brant  and  his  Iroquois  were  to  act  in  concert  with  hiin.: 
Had  Clark,  thereiore,  failed  to  conquer  the  Governor,  there  is  to- 
much  reason  to  fear,  that  the  West  would  have   been,  indeed, 
swept,  from  the   Mississippi  to  the  mountains,  and  the  great  l)]n\\ 
struck,  which  had  been  contemplated,  from  the  outset,  by  Britain 
But  for  his  small   army  of  dripi)ing,  but  fearless  Virginians,  th. 
union  of  all  the  tribes  from  Georgia  to  Maine,  against  the  colnnitv, 
might  have  been  effected ^  and  the  whole  current  of  our  history 
changed. 

Turning  from  th  j  west  (o  the  north,  we  find  a  new  cause  r;' 
trouble  arising  there.  Of  the  six  tribes  of  the  Iroquois,  the  Som- 
cas,  Mohawks,  Cayugas,  and  Onondagas,  had  been,  from  the  out- 
set, inclining  to  Britain,  though  all  of  these,  but  the  Mohawks 
had  now  and  then  tried  to  persuade  the  Americans  to  the  con- 
trary. During  the  winter  of  1778-9,  the  Onondagas,  who  Iwii 
been  for  a  while  nearly  neutral,  were  suspected,  by  the  Americaii\ 
of  deception ;  and,  this  suspicion  having  become  nearly  know- 
ledge, a  band  was  sent,  early  in  April,  to  destroy  their  towns,  ami 
take  such  of  them,  as  could  be  taken,  prisoners.  The  work 
appointed  was  done,  and  the  villages  and  wealth  of  the  pot^ 
savages  were  annihilated.  This  sudden  act  of  severity  startled  all 
The  Oneldas,  hitherto  faithful  to  their  neutrality,  were  alanrti!. 
lest  the  next  blow  should  fall  on  them,  and  it  was  only  after  a  ir^' 
explanation  that  their  fears  were  quieted.     As  for  the  Onondaga^. 


DII.. 
1 


*  Clark  in  his  Icttor  to  JpfTerson,  (Tofrersoira  Wiitiii;!.-,  i   451,)  says  tliat  with  ■'iOO  iurr 
when  he  llrst  reached  Illinois,  or  with  300  aller  the  conquest  of  St.  Vincents,  lie  c 
have  taken  Detroit.    The  people  of  Detroit  had  great  rejoicings  when  they  \Kiti 
Hamilton's  capture,  and  the  garrison  of  the  fort  was  but  eighty  strong. 

t  Butler,  p.  SO.  ^  Stone,  vol.  i.  p.  400. 


1770. 


General  Sullivan  attacks  Iroquois. 


215 


it  was  not  to  be  hoped  that  they  would  sit  down  under  such  ticiit- 
inent ;  and  we  find,  accordingly-,  that  some  hundred  of  iht'ir  war- 
riors were  at  once  in  the  fiekl,  and  from  that  time  forward,  a 
portion  of  their  nation  remained,  and,  we  think,  justly,  ho.stile  to 
the  United  Colonies.* 

Those  colonies,  meanwhile,  had  become  convinced,  from  the 
massacres  at  Wyoming  and  Cherry  Valley,  that  it  was  advisable 
to  adopt  some  means  of  securing  the  north-western  and  western 
frontiers  against  the  recurrence  of  such  catastrophes;  and,  the  hos- 
tile tribes  of  the  Six  Nations  being  the  most  numerous  and  deadly 
foes,  it  was  concluded  to  begin  by  strong  action  against  them. 
Washington  had  always  said,  that  the  only  proper  mode  of  defence 
against  the  Indians  was  to  attack  them,  and  this  mode  he  deter- 
rained  to  adopt  on  this  occasion.  Some  difference  of  opinif)n  ex- 
isted, however,  as  to  the  best  path  into  the  country  of  the  inimi(  al 
Iroquois ;  that  most  lovely  country  in  the  west  of  New  York,  which 
is  now  fast  growing  into  a  granary  for  millions  of  men.  General 
Schuyler  was  in  favor  of  a  movement  up  the  Mohawk  river;  the 
objection  to  which  route  was,  that  it  carried  the  invaders  too  neai 
to  Lake  Ontario,  and  within  reach  of  the  British.  The  other 
course  proposed  was  up  the  Susquehanna,  which  heads,  as  all 
know,  in  the  region  that  was  to  be  reached.  The  latter  route  was 
the  one  determined  upon  by  Washington  for  the  main  body  of 
troops,  which  was  to  be  joined  by  another  body  moving  up  the 
Mohawk,  and  also  by  detachments  coming  from  the  western  army, 
by  the  way  of  the  Alleghany  and  French  Creek ;  upon  further 
thought,  however,  the  movement  from  the  West  was  counter- 
manded.* All  the  arrangements  for  this  grand  blow  were  made 
in  March  and  April,  but  it  was  the  last  of  July  befon^  General  Sul- 
livan got  his  men  under  way  from  Wyoming,  where  the}  had 
gathered  ;  and,  of  eourse,  information  of  the  proposed  moven^ents 
had  been  given  to  the  Indians  and  Tories,  so  that  Brant,  the  J(;hn- 
sons,  and  their  followers  stood  ready  to  receive  the  invaders. 

They  were  not,  however,  strong  enough  to  withstand  the  Amer- 
icans ;  and,  having  been  defeated  at  ilu-  battle  of  Newtown,  were 
driven  from  village  to  village,  and  their  whole  country  was  laid 
waste.  Houses  were  burned,  crops  and  orchards  destroyed,  and 
every  thing  done  that  could  be  thought  of,  to  render  the  country 
uninhabitable.     Of  all  these  steps  Mr.  Stone  speaks  fully.     Forty 

*  Stone,  vol.  i.  p.  405. 

•  Sparks'B  Washington,  vol.  vi.  pp.  1S3  et  scq 


216 


Brodlicad  attacks  Iroqums. 


1779.  I   1779. 


towns,  he  toll  us,  were  burnt,  unci  more  than  one  hundred  and 
sixty  thousand  bushels  of  corn.  Well  did  the  Senecas  name 
Washington,  whose  armies  did  all  this,  "the  Town  Destroyer.'' 
Having  performed  this  portion  of  his  work,  Sullivan  turned  lionic. 
ward  from  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Genesee;  leaving  Niagara, 
whither  the  Indians  lied,  as  to  the  strong  hold  of  British  power  in 
that  neighborhood,  untouch(!d.  This  conduct,  Mr.  Stone  thinks 
"  difficult  of  solution,"*  as  he  supposes  the  conduct  of  that  pos! 
to  have  been  one  of  the  main  objects  of  the  expedition.  Such, 
however,  was  not  the  fact.  Originally  it  had  been  part  of  the  pro- 
posed plan  to  attack  Niagara  ;  f  but,  early  in  January,  Washington 
was  led  to  do\ibt,  and  then  to  abandon,  that  part  of  the  plan, 
thinking  it  wiser  to  carry  on,  merely,  some  operations  on  a  smalki 
scale  agaifiot  the  savages."  | 

One  of  the  smaller  operations  was  from  the  West.  On  the  2-2il 
of  March,  1779,  Washington  wrote  to  Colonel  Daniel  Brodhoad, 
who  had  succeeded  Mcintosh  at  Fort  Pitt,  that  an  incursion  into 
the  country  of  the  Six  Nations  was  in  p  eparation,  and  that  in  con- 
nection therewith,  it  might  be  advisc^'e  for  a  force  to  ascend  the 
Alleghany  to  Kittaning,  and  thence  to  Venango,  and  having  for- 
tified both  points,  to  strike  the  Mingocs  and  Munceys  upon  Frcnd 
creek  and  elsewhere  in  that  neighborhood,  and  thus  aid  General 
Sullivan  in  the  great  blow  he  was  to  give  by  his  march  up  the 
Sus(pR'hanna.  Brodhead  was  also  directed  to  say  to  the  western 
Indians,  that  if  they  made  any  trouble,  the  whole  force  of  the  United 
States  would  be  turned  against  them,  and  they  should  be  cut  oil 
from  the  face  of  the  earth.  But  on  the  21st  of  April  these  orders 
were  countermanded,  and  the  western  commander  was  directed  to 
prepare  a  rod  for  the  Indians  of  the  Ohio  and  western  lakes;  and 
especially  to  learn  the  best  time  for  attacking  Detroit.  Whether 
this  last  advice  came  too  late,  or  was  withdrawn  again,  we  have 
no  means  of  learning;  but  Brodhead  proceeded  as  original!} 
directed ;  marched  up  the  Alleghany,  burned  the  towns  of  the 
Indians,  and  destroyed  their  crops.  || 

The  immediate  results  of  this  and  other  equally  prompt  and 
severe  measures,  was  to  bring  the  Delawares,  Shawanese,  and 
even  W^yandots,  to  Fort  Pitt,  on  a  treaty  of  peace.     There  Brod- 

•Vol.ii.  p.  36. 

tS();irks's   WaKhln<rton,  vol.  vi.  pp.  120,  146. 

t  Ilii(K,  pp.  1G2-16(:. 

I  Sparks'8  Washington,  vi.  205.  224.  384.  387. 


head  met  th 
was  held,  t( 

Farther  w 
more  succes 
Bowman  un( 
acting  upon 
Indians,  you 
immediate  v 
divided  and 
one  portion 
by  Colonel 
his  division 
Logan,  and 
taken   some 
leaving  the  t 
fierce  warrior 

Nor  was  it 
again,  and  ui 
slight  import; 
these : 

An  expcdi 
ton,  where  th 
of  this  year,t 
die  very  time 
same  point  on 
were  seen  by 
the  mouth  of  1 
in  numbers,  I 
surround  the 
was  himself  SI 
fir  twenty-five 
It  was  in  com 
which  seems 
tory,  and  whii 
of  whites  was 
fell,  being  sh 
lower  limbs; 
lay  concealed 

•Marshal)  ■.  91, 
t  Holmes's  Ann; 

t  Butler,  2(1  odit 
is  coming  on  tlieii 


1779,  I    1779. 


Rogers  and  Benham  Defeated. 


217 


head  met  them,  on  his  return  in  Septeml)er,  and  a  long  <   inference 
was  held,  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  parties. 

Fartlier  west  during  this  summer  and  autunm  the  Indians  were 
more  successful.  In  July,  the  stations  being  still  troubled,  Colonel 
Bowman  undertook  an  expedition  into  the  countr}  of  the  Shawanesv., 
acting  upon  Washington's  principle,  that  to  defend  yourselves  against 
Indians,  you  must  assail  them,  lie  marched  undiscovered  into  the 
immediate  vicinity  of  the  towns  upon  the  Little  Miami,  and  so 
divided  and  arranged  his  forces,  as  to  ensure  apparent  success; 
one  portion  of  the  troops  being  commanded  by  himself,  another 
by  Colonel  Benjamin  Logan ;  but  from  some  imexpected  cause, 
lii,s  division  of  the  whites  did  not  co-operate  fully  with  that  led  by 
Logan,  and  the  whole  body  was  forced  to  retreat,  aft<,T  having 
taken  some  booty,  including  a  hundred  and  sixty  horses,  and 
leaving  the  town  of  the  savages  in  cinders,  but  also  leaving  the 
fierce  warriors  themselves  in  no  degree  daunted  or  crippled.* 

Nor  was  it  long  before  they  showed  themselves  south  of  the  Ohio 
again,  and  unexpectedly  won  a  victory  over  the  Americans  of  no 
slight  importance.  The  facts,  so  far  as  we  can  gather  them,  are 
these : 

An  expedition  which  had  been  in  the  neighborhood  of  Lexing- 
ton, where  the  first  permanent  improvements  were  made  in  April 
of  this  year,t  upon  its  return  came  to  the  Ohio  near  the  Licking,  at 
the  very  time  that  Colonel  Rogers  and  Captain  Benham  reached  the 
same  point  on  their  way  up  the  river  in  boats.  A  few  of  the  Indians 
were  seen  by  the  commander  of  the  little  American  squadron,  near 
the  mouth  of  the  Licking;  and  supposing  himself  to  be  far  superior 
in  ninnbers,  he  caused  seventy  of  his  men  to  land,  intending  t(. 
surround  the  savages ;  in  a  few  moments,  however  he  found  he 
was  himself  surrounded,  and  after  a  hard  fought  battle,  only  twenty 
or  twenty- five,  or  perhaps  even  fewer,  of  the  party  were  left  alive. | 
It  was  in  connection  with  this  skirmish  that  a  coincidence  occurred 
which  seems  to  belong  rather  to  a  fanciful  story  than  to  sober  his- 
tory, and  which  yet  appears  to  be  well  authenticated.  In  the  party 
of  whites  was  Captain  Robert  Benham.  He  was  me  of  those  that 
fell,  being  shot  through  both  hips,  so  as  to  be  powerless  in  his 
lower  hmbs;  he  dragged  himself,  however,  to  a  tree-top,  and  there 
lay  concealed  from  the  savages  after  the  contest  was  over.     On  the 

•Marshall  ■.  91.     See  General  Ray's  opinion,  note  to  Butler,  110. 
tllolmos's  Annals,  ii.  304;  note.  American  Pioneer,  ii,  J4(j.  butler,  101.  Marshall,  i.S9. 
{  Biitlcr,  2(1  edition,  102.    (In  this  acrount  tlierf  is  contusion  ;  tlm  Indians  arc  rnprosentcd 
"Homing  on  their  return  from  Kentucky,  down  the  LitUe  Miami.)    McClung,  148. 


218 


Claims  to  Western  Lands. 


1779, 


1779. 


I'Vcning  of  tlio  second  day,  seciiij^  a  raccoon,  he  shot  it,  l^ut  no 
sooner  \vas  (he  crack  of  his  rille  lieard  than  he  distinguished  a  Im- 
man  voice,  jiot  far  distant;  supposing  it  to  he  some  Indian,  In 
re-loaded  his  gun  and  prepared  for  defence ;  but  a  few  moment^ 
undeceived  him,  and  he  discovered  that  the  person  whose  voice 
he  had  heard  was  a  fellow-sud'erer,  with  this  ditrerence,  however, 
that  ])ofh  his  arms  were  broken!  Here  then,  were  the  only  two 
survivers  of  the  comliat,  (except  those  who  had  entirely  escaped, 
with  one  pair  of  legs  and  one  pair  of  arms  between  them.  It  will 
be  easily  beli(>ved  that  they  .formed  a  co-partnership  for  mutual  ait. 
and  defence.  Benham  shot  the  game  which  his  friend  drove  to- 
ward him,  and  the  man  with  sound  legs  then  kicked  it  to  the  spot 
where  he  with  sound  arms  sat  ready  to  cook  it.  To  procure  water, 
the  one  with  legs  took  a  hat  by  the  brim  in  his  teeth,  and  walketl 
into  the  Licking  up  to  his  neck,  while  the  man  with  arms  was  t' 
make  signals  if  any  boat  appeared  in  sight.  In  this  way  tlie\ 
spent  about  six  weeks,  when,  upon  the  27th  of  November,  llk^ 
were  rescued.  Benham  afterward  bought  and  lived  upon  the  land 
where  the  battle  took  place;  his  companion,  Mr.  Butler,  tells  us. 
was,  a  few  years  since,  still  living  at  Brownsville,  Pennsylvania, 

But  the  military  operations  of  1779  were  not  those  which  were 
of  the  most  vital  importance  to  the  west.  The  passage  of  tin 
Land  Laws  by  Virginia  was  of  more  consequence  than  the  losing 
or  gaining  of  many  battles,  to  the  hardy  pioneers  of  Kentucky  and 
to  their  descendcnts.  Of  these  laws  we  can  give  at  best  a  vagui 
outline,  but  it  may  be  enough  to  render  the  subject  in  some  de- 
gree intelligible. 

In  1779  there  existed  claims  of  very  various  kinds  to  ik 
western  lands; 

1.  Those  of  the  Ohio,  Walpole,  and  other  companies,  who  had  a 
title  more  or  less  perfect,  from  the  British  government :  none  oi 
these  had  been  perfected  by  patents,  however. 

2.  Claims  founded  on  the  military  bounty  warrants  of  1763; 
some  of  these  were  patented. 

3.  Henderson's  claim  by  purchase  from  the  Indians. 

4.  Those  based  on  mere  selection  and  occupancy. 

5.  Others  resting  on  selection  and  survey,  without  occupancy. 
C.  Claims  of  persons  who  had  imported  settlers;  for  each  sucl. 

settler,  under  an  old  law,  fifty  acres  were  to  be  allowed. 

7.  Claims  of  persons  who  had  paid  money  into  the  old  coloni;;' 
treasury  for  land. 


8.  The  clr 
whom  Virgin 

These  vari 
and  then  llu 
miiiht  be  soh 
chief  laws  re 
were  passed, 
various  claim 
cording  to  llu 
ever,  to  rema 
the  subject  w 
down  for  thei 

I.  All  sun 
by  any  count; 
lege,  and  fou 
duly  proved ; 
nial  treasury ; 
raadc  before 
.\ssembly  resi 
rant  from  a  co 
good ;  all  oth( 

II.  Ihose  I 
portation  righ 
military  servic 

III. 'Those 
others  to  setth 
were  to  have 
family  so  settl 

IV.  Those 
were  to  receiv 
village,  at  $2, 
to  remain  un: 
ilie  titles  to  it, 

V.  To  all 
given  also  a  r 
'he  settlement 

VI.  To  tho 
a  pre-emption 
'he  settlement 

VII.  Allthi 

'Morehcad,  166 


1779. 


1779. 


Virsrinia  Land   Laws. 


219 


it,  but  no 
>llC'(l  ;i  lii|. 

Indian,  ht- 
■  monicntv 
nose  voice 

however, 
!  only  twi 
•  escaped, 
n.  It  wi'! 
mutual  aiu 
I  drove  to- 
to  the  spot 
3ure'  water, 
nd  walkcil 
ms  was  ti 
Avay  tlic\ 
iiiber,  tlR_\ 
)n  tlie  laiiii 
r,  tells  u-s 
insylvania. 
rhich  wen 
age  of  till 
the  losing 
ntucky  and 
st  a  vagut 

some  de- 

ids  to  tliL 

wlio  had  a 
:    none  o; 

of  1763: 


;upancy. 
each  sucl 

d  colonial 


8.  The  claims  of  the  oiricers  and  soldiers  of  the  Revolution,  to 
whom  Virj^inia  was  indebted. 

These  various  claims  were  in  the  fust  place  to  be  provided  for, 
and  then  the  residue  of  the  rich  vallies  beyond  the  mmmtains 
might  be  sold  to  pay  the  debts  of  the  parent  State.  In  May,*  the 
diief  laws  relative  to  this  most  important  and  complicated  subject 
were  passed,  and  commissioners  were  appointed  to  examine  the 
various  claims  which  might  be  presented,  aiul  give  judgment  ac- 
cording to  the  evidence  brought  forward,  tlu-ir  proceedings,  how- 
ever, to  remain  open  to  revision  until  December  1,  1780.  And  as 
the  subject  was  a  perplexed  one,  the  following  principles  were  laid 
down  tor  their  guidance : 

I.  All  surveys  (without  patents,)  made  before  January  1,  177S, 
by  any  county  surveyor  commissioned  by  William  and  Mary  Col- 
lege, and  founded  (a)  upon  charter;  (h)  upon  importation  rights 
duly  proved;  (c)  upon  treasury  rights,  (money  paid  into  the  colo- 
nial treasury;)  (d)  upon  entries  not  exceeding  four  hundred  acres, 
made  before  October  26,  1763;  (e)  upon  acts  of  the  Virginia 
.\ssembly  resulting  from  orders  in  council,  &c.;  (f)  upon  any  war- 
rant from  a  colonial  governor,  for  military  services,  &,c.  were  to  be 
good ;  all  other  surveys  null  and  void. 

II.  Ihose  who  had  not  made  surveys^  if  claiming  (a)  under  im- 
portation rights ;  (h)  under  treasury  rights ;  (c)  under  warrants  for 
military  services,  were  to  be  admitted  to  survey  and  entry. 

III.  Those  who  had  actually  settled,  or  caused  at  their  cost 
others  to  settle,  on  unappropriated  lands,  before  January  1,  1778, 
were  to  have  four  hundred  acres,  or  less,  as  they  pleased,  for  every 
family  so  settled;  paying  $2.25  for  each  hundred  acres. 

IV.  Those  who  had  settled  in  villages  before  January  1,  1778, 
were  tc  receive  for  each  family  four  hundred  acres,  adjacent  to  the 
village,  at  $2.25  per  hundred  acres;  and  the  village  property  was 
to  remain  unsurveyed  until  the  general  assembly  could  examine 
'he  titles  to  it,  and  do  full  justice. 

V.  To  all  having  settlement  rights,  as  above  described,  was 
given  also  a  right  of  pre-emption  to  one  thousand  acres  adjoining 
the  settlement,  at  State  prices  —  forty  cents  an  acre. 

VI.  To  those  who  had  settled  since  January  1 ,  1778,  was  given 
a  pre-emption  right  to  four  hundred  acres,  aeljoining  and  including 
the  settlement  made  by  them. 

I  Green  rivei , 

'Morchead,  1G6. 


VII.  All  the  region  between  Green  river,  the  Cumberland  moan- 


220 


Virginia  Land  Laws. 


1779 


tains,  Tonncssoc,  (he  rlvor  Tennessee,  and  the  Ohio,  was  reserved, 
to  be  used  for  military  claims. 

VIII.  The  two  liundred  iliousand  acres  granted  Henderson  ain. 
his  associates,  October,  1778,  along  the  Oiiio,  below  the  mouth  (■; 
Green  river,  remained  still  appropriated  to  them. 

Having  thus  piovided  for  the  various  classes  of  claimants,  tli, 
Legislature  offered  the  remainder  of  the  public  lands  at  forty  cent•^ 
an  acre:  the  money  was  to  be  paid  in^T  the  Treasury  and  a  war- 
rant for  tVie  quantity  wished  taken  by  the  purchaser ;  tliis  warran' 
he  was  to  take  to  the  surveyor  of  the  county  in  which  he  wislui! 
to  locate,  and  an  entry  was  to  be  made  of  every  location,  so  spt- 
oial  and  distinct  that  the  .idjoining  lands  might  be  known  will, 
certainty.  To  persons  unable  to  pay  cash,  four  hundred  acrtv 
were  to  be  sold  on  credit,  and  an  order  of  the  county  court  was  to 
be  substituted  for  the  warrant  of  the  Treasury. 

To  carry  these  laws  into  effect,  four  Virginians  were  sent  west- 
ward to  attend  to  claims ;  these  gentlemen  opened  their  court  or 
the  13th  of  October,  at  St.  Asaphs,  and  continued  their  sessions  a; 
various  points,  until  April,  26,  1780,  when  they  adjourned  to  mcc 
no  more,  after  having  given  judgment  in  favor  of  about  three 
thousand  claims.  The  labors  of  the  commissioners  being  endci'. 
those  of  the  surveyor  commenced ;  and  Mr.  George  May,  who  ha(' 
been  appointed  to  that  office,  assumed  its  duties  upon  the  10th  day 
of  that  month  the  name  of  which  he  bore.* 

♦  Marsliall,  i,  82.  97.    Sec  also  Statutes  of  Virginia,  by  B.  W.  Leigh,  ii.  347.  348.  35C, 
353.  388. 


With  this 
;o  the  navig 
produced  tlu 
(he  America 
treaty  had  yc 
it  Madrid. 
the  United  5 
spring  of  thi; 
di'  the  Soni 
degree  conce 
Congress, — 

That  his  rac 

of  a  minister 

States  and  his 

'.entiary  to  the 

slliance  ;  and 

fo  commnnicf 

majesty  deem 

on  which  it  1 

selves  with  pr 

their  essential 

That  the  at 

1.  A  precig 

3.  The  exc 

3.  The  pes 

4.  The  lane 
That  on  th( 

!he  United  Si 
were  permilte 
Octobor,  176' 
On  the  seci 
tiaving  any  ri: 
mg  to  ihem  b 


*  Of  France. 


1780, 


347.  3-18.  35C 


With  this  year  commences  the  history  of  those  troubles  relative 
:o  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  which  for  so  long  a  time 
produced  the  deepest  discontent  in  the  West.  Spain  had  taken 
the  American  part  .so  far  as  to  go  to  war  with  Britain,  but  no 
treaty  had  yet  been  concluded  between  Congress  and  the  powers* 
.it  Madrid.  Mr.  Jay,  however,  had  been  appointed  Mini.stcr  from 
the  United  States,  at  the  Spani.sh  court,  where  he  arrived  in  the 
spring  of  this  year,  and  where  he  soon  learned  the  grasping  plans 
of  the  Southern  Bourbons.  These  plans  indeed,  were  in  no 
degree  concealed,  the  P^rench  Mini.ster  being  instructed  to  inform 
Congress, — 

That  his  most  Christian  majesty,*  being  uninformed  ol  the  appointment 
cf  a  minister  plenipotentiary  to  treat  of  an  alliance  between  the  Unitetl 
States  and  his  catholic  majesty,!  has  signified  to  his  minister  plenipo- 
tentiary to  the  United  States,  that  he  wishes  most  earnestly  for  such  ai: 
Mliance  ;  and  in  order  to  make  the  ivay  more  easy,  has  commanded  him 
to  communicate  to  the  congress,  certain  articles,  which  his  catholic 
majesty  deems  of  great  importance  to  the  interests  of  his  crown,  and 
on  which  it  is  highly  necessary  that  the  United  States  explain  them- 
selves with  precision  and  with  such  moderation,  as  may  consist  with 
their  essential  rights. 

That  the  articles  are, 

1.  A  precise  and  invariable  western  boundary  to  the  United  States. 

3.  The  exclusive  navigation  of  the  river  Mississippi. 

3.  The  possession  of  the  Floridas ;  and, 

4.  The  land  on  the  left  or  eastern  side  of  the  river  Mississippi. 
That  on  the  first  article,  it  is  the  idea  of  the  cabinet  of  Madrid,  that 

;he  United  Slates  extend  to  the  westward  no  farther  than  settlement? 
were  permitted  by  the  royal  proclamation,  bearing  date  the  7lh  day  o*. 
October,  1763,  (that  is  to  say,  not  west  of  the  Alleghanies.) 

On  the  second,  that  the  United  States  do  not  consider  themselves  sg 
having  any  right  to  navigate  the  river  Mississippi,  no  territory  belong 
ing  to  ihem  being  situated  thereon. 


'  Of  France 


t  Of  Spain, 


222 


Fort  Jifferson  Inult. 


1780. 


On  tlio  third,  that  it  is  jirohahlo  the  king  of  Spain  will  conquer  tlio 
Floridas,  during  the  course  of  the  present  war ;  and  in  such  an  evont, 
every  cause  of  dispute  relative  thereto,  betwen  Spaiu  and  these  United 
Slates,  ought  to  be  removed. 

On  the  fourth,  that  the  lands  lying  on  the  cast  side  of  the  Mississippi, 
whereon  the  settlements  were  prohibited  by  the  aforesaid  proclamation, 
are  possessions  of  the  crown  of  Great  Britain,  and  proper  objects 
against  which  the  arms  of  Spain  may  be  employed,  for  the  purpose  of 
making  a  permanent  conquest  for  the  Spanish  crown.  That  such  con- 
quest may,  probably,  be  made  during  the  present  war.  That,  therefore, 
it  would  be  advisal)le  \o  restrain  the  southern  states  from  making  any 
settlements  or  conquests  in  these  territories.  That  the  council  of  Madrid 
consider  the  United  States,  as  having  no  claim  to  those  territories,  either 
as  not  having  had  possession  of  them,  before  the  present  war,  or  not 
having  any  foundation  for  a  claim  in  the  right  of  the  sovereignty  of 
Great  Britain,  whose  dominion  they  have  abjured.* 

These  extraordinary  claims  of  his  Catholic  Majesty  were  in  no 
respect  admitted  during  this  year  either  by  Mr.  Jay  or  Conf^ress, 
and  in  October  a  full  statement  of  the  views  of  the  United  Stati< 
as  to  their  territorial  rights,  was  drawn  up,  probably  by  Mr.  Madi- 
son, and  sent  to  the  Ambassador  at  Madrid. f  Meantime,  as  Vir- 
ginia considered  the  use  of  the  Great  Western  river  very  neces- 
sary to  her  children.  Governor  Jefferson  had  ordered  a  fort  to  be 
constructed  upon  the  Mississippi  below  the  mouth  of  the  Chin. 
This  was  done  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1780,  by  General  G.  R. 
Clark,  who  was  stationed  at  the  Falls ;  and  was  named  by  him 
after  the  writer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  This  fort 
for  some  purposes  may  have  been  well  placed,  but  it  was  a  great 
mistake  to  erect  it,  without  notice,  in  the  country  of  the  Chicka- 
saws,  who  had  thus  far  been  true  friends  to  the  American  cause. 
They  regarded  this  unauthorized  intrusion  upon  their  lands  as  the 
first  step  in  a  career  of  conquest,  and  as  such  resented  it ;  while 
the  settlers  of  Kentucky  looked  upon  the  measure  with  but  little 
favor,  as  it  tended  to  diminish  the  available  force  in  their  stations 
which  were  still  exposed  to  the  ceaseless  hostility  of  the  Shawa- 
nese  and  Wyandots.  The  inhabitants  of  these  stations,  mean- 
while, were  increasing  with  wonderful  rapidity  under  the  induce- 
ments presented  by  the  land  laws,  and  although  the  winter  oi 
1779-80,  was  one  of  the  most   severe  ever   experienced  in  the 

•  See  Pitkin's  History  of  the  United  States,  ii.  p,  92. 
t  Pitkin,  ii.  512,  91.    Life  of  John  Jay,  i.  lOS,  &c. 


1780. 

Diiqucr  llm 
I  an  event, 
icse  United 

^lississippi, 
oclamatioii, 
per  object "i 
purpose  of 
at  such  con- 
t,  therefore, 
making  any 
il  of  Madrid 
ories,  ciilier 
war,  or  noi 
'creigniy  of 


were  in  r\'' 
r  Con^res\ 
lited  Statt."; 
INIr.  Madi- 
me,  as  Vir- 
very  neces- 
a  fort  to  be 
r  the  Ohio. 
?ral   G.  R. 
lied  by  him 
This  fort 
was  a  grea! 
le  Chicka- 
ican  cause. 
ands  as  the 
d  it ;  while 
but  little 
;ir  stations 
le  Sha\\u- 
)ns,    mean- 
he  induce- 
winter  ot 
ced  in  the 


1780.  Land  donated  for  School  purposes.  223 

West,  the  wild    animals  being    starved    and    frozen  in  tlie  forest, 
while  the    domestirated    fared  no  better  in  the  settlements,  —  still 
(nii.L^rants  crowded  over  the  mountains  as  soon  as  sjjring  opened. 
Three  hundred  large  family  boats  arrived  eaily  in  tiie  year  at  the 
Falls;  and  on   Beargrass  creek  was  a    population    containing  six 
hundred  serviceable  men.*  —  Nor  did  the  swarming  stop  with  the 
old  settlements ;  in   the    southwest    part  of  the   State   the  hunter 
Maiilding,  and  his  four  sons,  built  their  outpost  upon  the  Red  river 
which    empties  into  the  Cumberland;!    while,  sometime   in  the 
spring  of  this  same  year.  Dr.  Walker,  and  Colonel  Henderson,  the 
tirst  visitor  and  first  colonist  of  Kentucky,  tried   to  run  the  line 
which  should  divide  Virginia  from  Carolina,  (or  as  things  are  now 
iiamed,  Kentucky  from  Tenp.?ssee,)  westward  as  far  as  the  Missis- 
sippi ;  an  attempt  in  which  they  failed. |     Nor  was  it  to  western 
lands  and  territorial  boundaries  alone  that  Virginia  directed  her 
attention  at  this  time ;  in  May  we  find  her  Legislature  saying  that, 
'' Whereas,  it  is  represented  to  this  General  Assembly  that  there 
are  certain  lands  within  the  county  of  Kentucky,  formerly  belong- 
ing to  British  subjects,  not  yet  sold  under  the  law  of  escheats  and 
forfeitures,  which  might  at  a  future  day  be  a  valuable  fund  for  the 
maintenance  and  education  of  youth,  and  it  being  tiii:  interkst 
OK  this   Commonwealth   always  to   promote    and  encourage 

EVERY  design  WHICH  MAY  TEND  TO  THE  IMPROVEMENT  OF  TIIE  MIND 
AND  THE  DIFFUSION  OF  USEFUL  KNOWLEDGE  EVEN  AMONG  ITS  REMOTE 

ciTii^iENS,  whose  situation  in  a  barbarous  neighborhood  and  a  savage 
inlcrcoursej  might  otherwise  render  unfriendly  to  science:  be  it  there- 
inacted,  that  eight  thousand  acres  of  land,  within  the  said  county 
if  Kentucky,  late  the  property  of  those  British  subjects,  ||  should 
be  vested  in  trustees,  '  as  a  free  donation  from  this  Commonwealth 
lor  the  purpose  of  a  public  school,  or  seminary  of  learning,  to  be 
erected  within  the  said  county,  as  soon  as  its  circumstances  and 
the  state  of  its  funds  will  permit.' " 

Such,  and  so  early  laid,  was  the  foundation  of  the  first  western 
Seminary  of  literature ;  just  five  years  after  the  forts  of  Boones- 
borough  and  Harrodsburg  rose  amidst  the  woods.  In  May  of  this 
year,  as  already  related,  St.  Louis  was  attacked  by  the  British  and 

*  Butler,  second  edition,  99. 

I  Morehead,  p.  83. 

\  Marshall,  i.  113.    Holmes'  Annals,  ii.  304,  note  3d. 

3  There  names  were  Robert  McKenzic,  Henry  Collins,  and  Alexander  McKee. 


224  Imufsion  of  Kvnlucky  by  Canadians  and  Indians.       17S().  I  178O.       Oh 


fmJians.*     N(,i-  did   they  confiiu-    thoir  atU'iilioiis  ciitirrly  to  tip 
Spaniards  and  i\\<;  more  dislaiit  West. 

In  the  sinnmer  of  I7S(),  jusi  before  tlie  return  of  Boone  to  th, 
West,  (he  most  rornjidal)le  invasion  of  Kentucky  took  place  di 
which  her  annals  contain  any  notice.  A  body  of  six  hundnd 
men,  C-anadians  and  Indians,  commanded  by  Colonel  Hyrd,  a 
IJritisii  officer,  and  accompanied  })y  either  two  or  six  cannon,' 
marched  np  the  valley  of  the  Lickinjif.  It  first  appeared,  on  tht 
22d  of  June,  before  Riddle's  station  on  the  south  fork  of  tlia' 
river,  and  required  instant  surrendci'.  The  demand  could  not  be 
resisted,  as  the  Kentucky  stockades  were  powerless  aj^ainst  caii- 
non.  Martin's  station  on  the  same  stream  was  next  taken;  —  am' 
till  n,  from  home  unexplained  cause,  the  whole  body  of  invadcrs- 
wliose  number  was  double  that  of  all  the  fighting  men  east  of  tlu 
Kentucky  river  —  turned  right  abou'  face  and  hurried  out  of  thr 
country  with  all  speed.  The  only  reasonable  explanation  of  tW 
matter  is  that  the  British  commander,  horror-stricken  and  terrifuM' 
rt  the  excesses  and  cruelties  of  his  savage  allies,  dared  not  ijo 
forward  in  the  task  —  by  no  means  a  hopeless  one  —  of  depojiu- 
lating  the  woods  of  Kentucky. | 

This  in(  rsion  by  Byrd  and  his  red  friends,  little  as  it  had 
elTected,  was  enough  to  cause  Clark,  who  had  just  returned  frnrr 
Ids  lal)ors  on  Fort  J.  (Terson,  and  who  found  at  the  Falls  a  letter 
from  tlu^  CoAcrnor  of  Virginia,  recommending  an  att'.ick  upon  tin 
Indian  villages  north  of  the  Oliio  —  to  take  immediate  steps  fu: 
the  chastisement  of  the  savages,  and  especially  for  the  destructioi 
of  the  store  which  furnished  goods  to  the  natives.  This  was  situ- 
ated where  the  post  destroyed  by  the  French  in  1752  had  bci'ii, 
and  was  known  in  later  days  as  Loramie's  store.  When,  how- 
ever, in  accordance  with  his  determination,  Clark,  in  July,  wentti 
Harrodsburg  to  enlist  recruits,  he  found  the  whole  population 
crazy  about  land  entries,  Mr.  May,  the  Surveyor,  having  opcneii 
his  office  but  two  months  previous.  The  General  proposed  to  hiir 
to  shut  up  for  a  time  while  the  Indians  were  attended  to ;  (lu 
Surveyor  in  reply  expressed  a  perfect  willingness  to  do  so  in  casr 
General  Clark  would  order  it,  but  said  that  otherwise  he  had  nc 
authority  to  take  such  a  step.  The  order  was  accordingly  giver. 
.ind  public  notice  spread  abroad,  accompanied  by  a  full  statemin' 

•  Ante,  p.  182. 

t  Butler,  110.— Marshall  i.  107.--Boone'8  Narrntive  in  Fihon,  44. 

\  Butler,  110.— Marshall  i,  106. 


.f  the  renso 
("lark's  sagr 
with  a  thoiis 
.iiiil  s\v it'll)  ( 
,h  Cliillicolh 
II  Mad   riv 
lowns,  burni 
shnv  above 
I'lisl    ellicien 
t  armies  —  f( 
body  of  Indi 
During  this  j 
td  tlic  cessio 
,-i^siune  a  del 

I'jion  the 
lion  were    u 
Iirscy  to  the 
among  them 

ft  was  cvor 
rivctl  from  a  si 
tliat  the  propc 
pcrous  issue  0 
priated  to  thci 
no  provision  1 
\o  dispose  of 
hnds,  comnio 
tlie  war,  ami 
iliction  ought 
t!ic  charter  or 
but  reason  an 
ihc  crown  of 
now  to  bclonj 
rniteil  States, 
'ispcptive  abil 
'ionally  disfril 
rivalling  thcms 
-ink  under  ai 
period,  to  repl 
whole  ronfcde 

'  Seo,  tor  a  par 

.17.-Mur:i!iall  i. 

■*  Sre  Secret  Jo 

15 


1780.        Ohji'ct'wun  of  J\\'w  Jersey  to  tie  plan  «f  Fninn. 


225 


t  tlio  rca^ions  for  iho  prnrccdintr.  'I'lic  result  proved,  a>;  usual, 
Clark's  sa;^arity ;  volunteers  fl(K'k(  il  In  his  standard,  .uid  soom 
with  a  tliousarid  meti  lie  was  at  the  mouth  of  the  f. irking'.  Silently 
mil  swiltly  (Voui  that  point  he  proceeded  to  attai  k  the  town  known 
t>  Cliillieolhe,  on  the    l<ittl(    Miami,  .uid  then  the  Piekaw;iy  towns 

II  Mad  river,  fn  both  attacks  he  succeeded;  destioyinj;  the 
Muiis,  i)urning  the  crops,  and  above  all  anmhihitin<;  the  British 
>lurt'  above  relerrcd  to,  with  its  contents.  This  t-xpedition,  the 
liist  t'ilicient  one  ever  undertaken  aj^ainst  tlie  Miami  n«'sts  oi' 
iiH'inies  —  i'or  a  time  relieved  Kentucky  iVom  tin:  attack  of  any 
hotly  of  Indians  sulliciently  numerous  to  proiluce  serious  alarm.* 
Duiinpj  this  period  of  comparative  (juiet  those  in<'asurcs  which  led 
to  the  cession  of  the  western  lands  to  the  United  States  l)op;;in  to 
avsiimo  a  definite  form. 

r])nn  the  Soth  of  June,  177S,  when  the  articles  of  confedera- 
;i(in  were  under  discussion  in  Congress,  the  objc^ctions  of  New 
ftrscy  to  the  proposed  plan  of  union  were  brought  forward,  and 
iiuong  them  was  this: 


It  was  ever  the  confident  expectation  of  this  Stale,  llial  ilic  iH'nen'.s  dc- 
rivrd  from  a  sui'cessful  contest  were  to  be  general  and  proportionate:  and 
'!i:\t  the  property  of  the  common  enemy,  falling  in  consequence  of  a  pros- 
perous issue  of  ilie  war,  would  belong  to  tlio  United  Stjtcs,  and  be  appro- 
priated to  their  use.  Wc  are  therefore  greatly  disappointed  in  fiiuling 
liii  provision  made  in  the  confederation  for  empowering  the  Congress 
to  dispose  of  such  properly,  but  espet  ially  the  vacant  and  impatented 
hnds,  commonly  called  the  crown  lands,  for  defraying  the  expenses  of 
llie  war,  and  for  such  other  public  and  general  purposes.  The  juris- 
iliction  ought  in  every  instance  to  belong  to  the  respective  stales  within 
t!ic  charter  or  determined  limits  of  which  such  lands  may  be  seated  ; 
but  reason  and  justice  must  decide,  that  the  property  which  existed  in 
'he  crown  of  Great  Britain,  previous  to  the  present  revolution,  ought 
!io\v  to  beloncf  to  the  Congress,  in  trust  for  ibe  use  and  benefit  of  the 
riiilcil  Slates.  They  liavc  fought  and  bled  for  it  in  proportion  to  their 
I'C-'pcclive  abilities  ;  and  therefore  the  reward  ought  not  to  be  predilcc- 
'iniially  distributed.  Shall  such  States  as  aie  shut  out  by  situation  from 
rivalling  themselves  of  the  least  advantange  from  this  quarter,  be  left  to 
ink  uiuler  an  enormous  debt,  whilst  others  are  enabled,  in  a  short 
period,  to  replace  all  their  expenditures  from  the  hard  earnings  of  the 
uholc  confederacy .t 

'  Sep,  for  a  particular  account  of  this  oxpcilition,  Stipp's  Miscellany,  Hi  to  *0. — Hutltr 
.17.— Mur^liull  i.  100. — Ani(Mi(;;ui  Pioneer,!.  31(j. — Boone*-;  Narrative. — Filson's  Miip. 
■•  ^rc  Secret  Journal,  i.  p.  377. 

15 


22G 


fnstrurtiotis  of  .Mnrylantl. 


178(1 


Nor  was  New  Jcrsry  alone  in  lier  views.  In  January  1T7?),  th, 
Coiirjeil  and  Assenihly  of  Delaware,  while  Ihc)  aiilliori/cd  iIhJ' 
Delegates  to  r.itily  the  Arti«"les  of  Confederation,  also  passed  cr- 
tain  resolutions,  and  orie  ol'  them  was  in  these  words: 

Tfmolviil  also,  That  tlilH  Ht-itc  cnnsidor  tlirmsrlvr«  justly  rnlilird  to  •: 
light,  in  coiMmou  with  the  memhrrs  of  the  roinn,  to  th.il  rxlnisivc 
tract  of  country  wliicli  lies  to  the  westward  of  thn  frontiers  of  the  I'm 
ted  StalPH,  the  proiierty  of  whicli  was  not  vested  in,  or  granted  to,  itidi 
viduals  at  the  eotnnieticctnent  of  the  present  war.  That  t[»c  same  hat! 
been,  or  may  be,  gained  from  the  king  of  (J real  Uriiain,  or  the  tmiivr 
Indians,  by  the  blood  and  treasure  of  all,  and  ought  therefore  in  he  ; 
common  estate,  to  bo  grunted  out  on  terms  beneficial  to  the  IJniif.' 
Slates.* 

But  this  protest,  however  positive,  was  not  enoupjh  for  Mar\- 
land,  tlie  rei)r(>sentatives  of  whi'di  in  Confjjress,  presented  upnn 
the  21st  of  May,  1770,  tin  m-  inslriietions  relative  to  ronrirn\in<,' tli.' 
mueli  *alke(l-of  bond  thai  was  to  make  tlie  colonies  one.  Frniv 
those  instruetions  we  select  the  foljowinpf  passages: 

Virginia,  by  selling  on  the  mo»t  moderate  term's  a  small  proportion  of 
ihc  lands  in  question,  would  draw  into  her  treasury  vast  sums  of  money 
and  in  proportion  to  the  sums  arising  from  such  sales,  would  be  enablci] 
to  lessen  her  taxes.  Lands  comparatively  cheap,  and  taxes  eouipara- 
lively  low,  witli  the  lands  and  taxes  of  an  adjacent  State,  would  quirklv 
drain  the  Slate  thus  disadvantageously  cireumstanced  of  its  most  useful 
inhabitants  :  its  wealth  and  its  consequence  in  the  scale  of  the  confede- 
rated States  would  sink  of  course.  A  claim  so  injurious  to  more  than 
one  half,  if  not  to  the  whole  of  the  United  States,  ouglii  to  be  supportei! 
by  the  clearest  eviiicnce  of  the  right.  Yet  what  evidences  of  that  riffh'. 
have  been  produced?  What  argument'*  alleged  in  support  either  of  ihf 
evidence  or  the  right?  None  that  we  have  heard  of  deserving  a  serious* 
refutation.         *         »         »         » 

\Vc  are  convinced,  policy  and  justice  require,  that  a  country  unspttieil 
at  the  commencement  of  this  war,  claimed  by  the  British  crown,  am! 
ceded  to  it  by  the  treaty  of  Paris,  if  wrested  from  the  common  cncnv 
by  the  blood  and  treasure  of  ti:c  thirteen  States,  should  be  considcrfJ  a- 
a  common  property,  !=id>jci''t  to  be  parerled  out  hy  Congress,  into  fre'' 
convenient,  and  independent  governments,  in  such  manner,  and  at  sucl' 
times  as  the  wisdom  of  that  assembly  shall  hereafter  direct. 

Thus  convinced,  we  should  betray  the  trust  reposed  in  us  by  our  con 
3lituent5,  were  we  to  authorize  you  to  ratify  on  their  behalf  the  conled' 

•  Sec  Secret  Journal,  i.  p.  129.. 


1780. 


Ih'solulion  of  Congress  resperfinff  Public  Lands.  227 


ratiuiii  unless  it  bu  t'arlluT  explained.  Wo  have  coolly  and  diitpuMiiion- 
ately  coll^iiio^('(l  the  Huhjcui;  we  liuvo  wuiglicd  prubublu  inconvenience! 
anil  liard'liips  itgainHl  the  Nacril'ice  ul  junI  and  CHseaiidl  rigliU  ;  and  Jo 
inslriK't  you  not  to  agree  to  the  coiiiVdLralion,  unlesH  an  article  or  arlielct 
bcailileil  tlicriUo  in  conlbrniily  wiili  our  declaration.  Slioulil  we  succeed 
111  (il)iaining  nucIi  article  or  ariiclcti,  then  you  are  hereby  I'ully  cm* 
powered  to  accede  to  (he  conl'ederalion.* 

Those  (lillicultie.s  toward  perlVoting  tho  Union  were  increased 
by  the  passaj^c  of  tlie  laws  in  Vir^jfinia,  for  disposing  of  ihc  public 
lands;  this,  as  we  have  stated,  was  done  in  May,  1779.  Appre- 
hensive of  the  ronscquenct's,  (^on'jjrcss,  upon  tlic  .'U)lh  of  Ortoher, 
in  that  year,  resolved  that  Virginia  he  reconiinended  lo  reconsider 
liiT  Art  opcninp;  a  land  oHice,  and  that  she  and  all  otlicr  Slates 
r!aiiiiin<j;  wild  lands  be  recpiested  to  }^rant  no  warrants  durinj^  the 
cnnliniiance  of  tlic  war.f  'I'bc  troubles  which  thus  thrcateneil  lo 
arise  from  the  claims  of  Virijinia,  New  York,  Massachusetts,  and 
Connecticut,  to  the  lands  which  other  colonies  regarded  as  com- 
mon properly,  caused  New  York,  on  tlie  19th  of  February,  1780, 
to  pass  an  act  wliich  gave  to  the  Delegates  of  that  State  |)ower  lo 
cede  the  western  lands  claimed  by  her  for  the  benefit  of  the  United 
States.  This  law  was  laid  before  Congress  on  the  7th  of  the  next 
monlli,  (March,  'HO,  | )  but  no  step  seems  to  have  been  taken  until 
S('pt('ml)er  6th,  1780,  Avhen  a  resolution  passed  that  body  pri>ssing 
upon  th(!  States  claiming  western  lands  the  wisdom  of  giving  up 
their  claims  in  favor  of  the  whole  country  ;||  and  to  aid  this 
rccomiTiendation,  upon  the  10th  of  October,  was  passed  tlie  fol- 
lowing resolution —  §  wliich  formed  tho  basis  of  all  after  action, 
and  was  the  first  of  those  k'gislative  measures  which  have  thus 
far  resulted  in  the  creation  of  the  States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
and  Michigan, — 

No.  9.  Hcsolvcd, — That  the  unappropriated  lands  that  may  be  ceded 
or  relinquished  to  the  United  Slates,  by  any  particular  Stale,  pursuant 
to  llic  rcnommendation  of  Congress  of  the  6th  day  of  September  last, 
shall  be  disposed  of  for  the  common  benefit  of  llic  Uniled  States,  and 
be  sclilrd  and  formed  itilo  distinct  repuMiran  Stitcs,  uliicli  shall  become 
members  of  llie  Federal  Union,  and  have  tlie  same  rights  of  soveroiTnty, 
freedom,  and  independence,  as  the  other  Slates :  that  each  State  which 


'  Sec  Secret  Journal,  i.  p.  435. 
t  Old  Journals,  iii.  384,  38&. 
t  Old  Journals,  iii.  510. 


\  Old  Journals,  iii.  582. 

§  Old  Journal,    iii.  535. — Land  Lawn,  338. 


228 


Plan  of  conquering  Detroit  again  renewed. 


1780. 


sliall  be  so  formed  shall  contain  a  suitable  extent  of  territory,  not  leps 
lliah  100  nor  more  than  150  miles  square,  or  as  near  thereto  as  circuni- 
stanfics  will  admit:  that  the  nccessnry  and  reasonable  expenses  which 
any  particular  state  shall  have  incurred  since  the  commencement  of  the 
present  war,  in  subduing  any  British  posts,  or  in  maintaining  forts  or 
garrisons  within  and  for  the  defence,  or  in  acquiring  any  part  of  the 
territory  that  may  be  ceded  or  relinquished  to  the  United  States,  sha!! 
be  reimbursed. 

That  the  said  lands  shall  be  granted  or  settled  at  such  limes,  and  un- 
der such  regulations,  as  shall  hereafter  be  agreed  on  by  the  Uniie(! 
Stales  in  Congress  assembled,  or  in  any  nine  or  more  of  them.* 

Such  \ver(!  the  steps  taken  in  relation  to  the  great  western  wil- 
derness (luring  the  year  of  which  we  are  treating. 

And  soon  after,  in  December  of  that  year,  the  plan  of  conquer- 
ing Detroit  was  renerved  again.  In  1779  that  conquest  might 
have  been  effected  by  Clark  had  he  been  supported  by  any  spirit;! 
in  January  17S0,  the  project  was  discussed  between  Washington 
and  Brodhead,  and  given  up  or  deferred,  as  too  great  for  the 
jneans  of  the  Continental  estal)lishinent:  J  in  the  following  Octo- 
ber so  weak  was  that  establishment  that  Fort  Pitt  itself  was  throat- 
ened  by  the  savages  and  British,  while  its  garrison,  destitute  ot 
bread,  while  there  was  an  abundance  in  the  country,  were  hah 
disposed  to  mutiny.  ||  Under  these  circumstances,  Congress  bciiiL; 
powerless  for  action,  Virginia  proposed  to  carry  out  the  original 
plan  of  her  western  General,  and  extend  her  operations  to  the 
Lakes;  we  Hnd,  in  consequence,  that  an  application  was  made 
by  Jefferson  to  the  Commander-in-chief  for  aid,  and  that  on  the 
j29di  of  December,  an  order  was  given  by  him  on  Brodhead  lor 
artillery,  tools,  stores,  and  men.§  How  far  the  preparations  lor 
this  enterprize  were  carried  and  why  they  were  abandoned  we 
have  n  :.t  been  able  to  discover;  but  upon  the  25th  of  April  1781, 
Washington  wrote  to  General  Clark,  warning  him  that  Connolly. 
who  had  just  been  exchnaged,  was  evpectcd  to  go  from  Canada 


•  Sre  Land  Laws,  p.  338. 
■I-  Sro  p.  214. 

j;  Sparks'  Washington,  vi,  433. — An  attempt  npnn  Natchez  was  also  contemplated  ^r.<' 
abandoned. — Do.  do. 

1]  Sparks'  Washington,  vii.  270. 

§  Four  field  pieces,  one  howitzer,  five  hundred  spades,  two  hundred  picks,  &c  ^' 
*^pi;?.iS"  Washington,  vii,  313. 


1780. 


Jlct  fistablishing  the  town  of  Louisville. 


2-29 


tn  Vonango,  (Friinklin,  moutli  of  Froncli  creek,)  with  a  forre  of 
refugees,  and  tlicnre  to  Fort  Pitt,  with  hlank  Commissions  for 
come  hun(h-e(ls  of  dissatisfied  men  heheved  to  he  in  that  vicinity.* 
From  tliis  it  wouhl  seem  prohahle  that  Ihe  Detroit  expedition  was 
not  abandoned  at  that  time. 

Two  other  facts  ck)sc  th(>  clironicle  of  1780;  the  one,  that  upon 
till'  1st  of  Novemher  the  county  of  Kentucky  was  divided  into 
the  three  counties  of  Lincoln,  Fayette,  and  Jefferson  ;t  the  otlier, 
tho  passage  of  an  Act  in  May  for  establishing  the  town  of  TiOuis- 
vilk'4  We  have  mentioned  tlie  survey  of  the;  lands  at  the  Falls 
bv  Bullitt,  in  1773,  on  account  of  John  Connolly  ;||  and  also  the 
advertisement  of  that  gentleman  and  John  Campbell,  dated  Ajiril 
3,  1774. §  Connolly,  however,  as  a  tory,  had  forfeited  liis  title, 
and  in  the  present  year  Virginia  proceeded  to  dispose  of  his  share 
in  the  one  thousand  acres  at  the  Falls  of  tlie  Ohio.  But  as  Camp- 
bell, the  apparent  joint  owner,  was  in  captivity  in  17P9,  final 
action  was  delayed  until  his  return.  This  having  taken  place, 
successive  acts  'n  May  and  October,  'S3,  and  October  '84,  were 
passed  protecting  and  securing  Ids  interests  while  the  sliare  of  his 
refugee  partner  was  disposed  of.1l 


•  Sp.irks*  Washington,  viii.  25. — This  letter  is  not  in  the  Inilex  to  Mr.  Sparks'  work. 
tMarshall,  i.  111. — Filson's  Map. 

}  Collection  of  Acts,  &c.,  rolative  to  Louisville.— Louisville,  1837,  p.  3. 
p.  152,  note.  §  p.  Do.  1  p.  151. — Acta  relative  to  Louisville,  pp.4, 5,  0. 


1781. 


Virginia,  in  accordance  with  the  nxommcndation  of  Congress 
already  noticed,  upon  the  2d  of  January  of  this  year,  agreed  to 
yield  her  western  lands  to  the  United  Stales,  upon  certain  condj. 
tions  ;  among  which  were  these;  —  1st,  no  person  holding  groum] 
under  a  purchase  from  the  natives  to  him  or  his  grantors,  indivi- 
dually, and  no  one  claiming  under  a  grant  or  chart(!r  from  the 
British  crown,  inconsistent  with  the  charier  or  customs  of  Virginia, 
was  to  be  regarded  as  having  a  valid  title :  and  2nd,  the  United 
States  were  to  guarantee  to  Virginia  all  the  territory  south-oast  of 
the  Ohio  to  the  Atlantic,  as  far  as  the  bounds  of  Carolina.  These 
conditions  Congress  would  not  accede  to,  and  the  Act  of  Cession, 
on  the  part  of  the  Old  Dominion  failed,  nor  was  any  thing  farther 
done  until  1783.* 

Early  in  the  same  month  in  which  Virginia  made  her  first  Aet 
of  Cession,  a  Spanish  captain,  with  sixty-five  men,  left  St.  Louis, 
for  the  purpose  of  attacking  some  one  of  the  British  posts  of  ilie 
north-west.  Whether  this  attempt  originated  in  a  desire  to  re- 
venge the  English  and  Indian  siege  of  St.  Louis,  in  the  previous 
year,  or  whether  it  was  a  mere  pretence  to  cover  the  claims  about 
that  time  set  up  by  Spain  to  the  western  country,  in  opposition  to 
the  coloniesf  which  she  claimed  to  be  aiding,  it  is  perhaps  impos- 
sible to  say.  But  these  facts,  that  the  point  aimed  at,  St.  Joscpli's, 
was  far  in  the  interior  —  and  that  this  crusade  was  afterwards 
looked  to  by  the  court  of  Spain  as  giving  a  ground  of  territorial 
right  —  make  it  probable  that  the  enterprise  was  rather  a  legal  one 
against  the  Americans,  than  a  military  one  against  the  English: 
and  this  conclusion  is  made  stronger  by  the  fact  that  tlu^  Spaniards 
having  taken  the  utterly  unimportant  post  of  St.  Joseph,  and 
having  claimed  the  country  as  belonging  to  the  King  of  Spain,  by 
right  of  conquest,  turned  back  to  the  quiet  west  bank  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi again,  and  left  the  Long  Knives  to  prosecute  the  capture 
of  Detroit,  as  they  best  could. | 

•  Old  lis.  iv.  265  to  i61.  +  Sec  ante  p.  221 . 

\  Diplomatic  Correspondence,  iii.  339  ;  viii.  150. — Secret  Journals,  iv.  61.  74. 


178L 


Birth  of  Mary  Ileckewelder. 


231 


U])on  the  16lh  of  April  in  this  year,  was  born  at  Salem  upon  the 
Muskingum  river,  Mary  Ileckewelder,  (laughter  of  the  widely 
known  JV'Ioravian  missionary  —  the  earliest  born  of  white  American 
children,  who  first  saw  the  light  north  of  the  Ohio ;  and  in  her 
laiij^uage  rather  than  our  own,  we  now  give  some  incidents  rela- 
tive to  the  Christian  Delawares  and  their  teachers. 

Soon  after  my  birth,  times  becoming  very  troublesome,  the  settle- 
niciils  were  often  in  danger  from  war  parties  ;  and  finally,  in  tlio  begin- 
ning of  September  of  the  same  year,  we  were  all  made  prisoners.  First, 
four  of  the  missionaries  were  seized  by  a  party  of  Huron  warriors,  and 
declared  prisoners  of  war;  they  were  then  led  into  the  camp  of  the 
Delawares,  where  the  death-song  was  sung  over  them.  Soon  after  they 
had  secured  them,  a  number  of  warriors  marched  off  for  Salem  and 
Shoeiibrun.*  About  thirty  savages  arrived  at  the  former  place  in  the 
dusk  of  the  evening,  and  broke  open  the  mission  house.  Here  they 
took  my  mother  and  myself  prisoners,  and  having  led  iter  into  the 
street  and  placed  guards  over  her,  they  plundered  the  house  of  every 
thing  they  could  take  with  them  and  destroyed  what  was  left.  Then 
going  to  take  my  mother  iUong  with  them,  the  savages  were  prevailed 
upon,  through  the  intercession  of  the  Indian  icmales,  to  let  her  remain 
at  Siilem  till  the  next  morning — the  night  being  dark  and  rainy  and 
almost  impossible  for  her  to  travel  so  far — they  at  last  consented  on 
condition  that  she  should  be  brought  into  the  camp  the  next  morning, 
which  was  accordingly  done,  and  she  was  safely  conducted  by  our 
Indians  to  Gnadenhutten. 

After  experiencing  the  cruel  treatment  of  the  savages  for  some  time, 
they  were  set  at  liberty  again  ;  but  were  obliged  to  leave  their  flourish- 
ing settlements,  and  forced  to  march  through  a  dreary  wilderness  to 
Upper  Sandusky.  We  went  by  land  through  Goseachguenk  to  the 
Walholding,  and  then  pardy  by  water  and  partly  along  the  banks  of  the 
river,  to  Sandusky  Creek.  All  the  way  \  was  carried  by  an  Indian 
woman,  carefully  wrapped  in  a  blanket,  on  her  back.  Our  journey 
was  exceedingly  tedious  and  dangerous  ;  some  of  the  canoes  sunk, 
and  those  that  were  in  them  lost  all  their  provisions  and  every 
thing  they  had  saved.  Those  that  went  by  land  drove  the  catde,  a 
pretty  large  herd.  The  savages  now  drove  us  along,  die  missionaries 
with  their  families  usually  in  their  midst,  surrounded  by  their  Indian 
converts.  The  roads  were  exceedingly  bad,  leading  through  a  con- 
tinuation of  swamps. 

Having  arrived  at  Upper  Sandusky,  they  built  small  huts  of  logs  and 
bark  to  screen  them  from  the  cold,  having  neither  beds  nor  blankets, 
and  being  reduced  to  thj  greatest  poverty  and  want ;  for  the  savages 
*  Muraviaa  Towns. 


232  Treat  me  ni  o/ the  Moravians.  1781. 

had  by  degrees  stolen  aliiiosi  every  thing,  both  from  the  luissionariLv 
and  Lidians,  on  the  journey.  We  Hvcd  here  extremely  poor,  oruii- 
tuues  very  little  or  notiiiug  to  satisfy  the  cravings  of  hungir ;  ami  ihr. 
poorest  of  the  Indians  were  obliged  to  live  upon  their  dead  cattle,  wIik  i. 
died  for  want  of  pasture.* 

To  tills  account  by  one  who  is,  from  her  a<^c  at  the  tiiiic, 
but  a  second-hand  witness,  we  may  add  the  followinj^  particn. 
lars.  We  have  already  mentioned  tlie  rise  of  the  Cliristian-Indiau 
towns  upon  the  Muskingum.  During  the  wars  between  the  north- 
west savages  and  tlie  Pennsylvania  ami  Virginia  frontier-nicii, 
tlie  quiet  converts  of  Post,  Zeisberger,  and  Ileckewelder  had  iui\ 
other  than  a  pleasant  position.  The  Wyandots  thought  they  be- 
trayed the  red  men's  interests  to  their  religious  white  kinsfolk  ;  tlic 
pale-i'aced  Indian-haters  of  the  Kenawha,  doubted  as  little  that  tin 
"  praying"  Delawares  played  tJietn  false,  and  favored  the  fierci 
warriors  of  the  lakes. f  Little  by  Httle  these  suspicions  and  jeal- 
ousies assumed  form,  and  the  missionaries  having  actually  htcn 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  interpreting  to  the  Delaware  chiefs,  certain 
letters  received  from  Pittsburgh,  measures  were  taken  by  the  Eiv^. 
lish,  as  early  it  seems,  as  1779,  to  remove  them  from  the  Ameri(;aii 
borders,  and  thus  prevent  their  interference.  No  result  followed 
at  that  time  from  the  steps  alluded  to ;  but  in  1780  or '81,  the 
Troquois  were  asked  at  a  council  held  at  Niagara  to  remove  the 
Muskingiim  Christians,  as  the  settlements  were  in  the  couiitu 
claimed  by  the  Five  Nations.  The  New  York  savages  were  \m- 
fectly  willing  the  thing  should  be  done,  but  were  not  willing  to  do 
it  themselves,  so  they  sent  to  the  Ottawas  and  Chippeways]:  a 
message  to  the  effect  that  they  might  have  the  Moravian  congre- 
gations to  make  soup  of.  The  Ottawas  in  their  turn  declined  the 
treat  and  sent  the  message  to  the  Ilurons,  or,  as  they  are  most 
commonly  called,  the  Wyandots.  Tl  jc,  together  with  Captain 
Pipe,  the  war  chief  of  the  Delawares,  who  was  the  enemy  of  the 
missionaries  because  they  taught  peace,  carried  the  wish  of  the 
English  into  execution,  in  the  manner  narrated  by  the  daughter  iM 
the  Moravian  leader.  At  Detroit,  whither  four  of  the  Europf'aii> 
were   taken   in  October,  Ileckewelder  and  his  co-laborers  were 

*  American  Pioneer,  ii.  224. 

t  In  Oct.  1777,  n  party  of  Americans  crossed  the  Oliio  to  attack  tlie  Moravian  towns.— 
Ileckewelilcr's  Narrative,  Ulf). 

4  Tlie  Ojibbeways  or  Odjibways,  as  it  is  lately  written  in  conformity  with  the  tni. 
sound  and  old  writing. — Sclioo!craf\"s  .(Mgio  Researches. — American  State  Paper-*,  V 
707.718. 


1781 


17SI, 


Treatment  of  the  Moravians. 


233 


ssiunaric, 
or,  oflcii- 
;  anJ  iht 
lie,  wliirL 

he    lime, 

;  paiiicu- 
iu-lii(Jiaii 
he  nortlr 
ilier-iiicii, 

•  had  aiu 
t  they  Ijf- 
sfolk  ;  tlir 
e  that  tin 
the  fierce 

and  jeal- 
lally  heeii 
t's,  certain 

•  the  Eiiij- 
Anierit:aM 
:  followed 
r  '81,  the 

move  tin 
countr) 
were  per- 
iiiiX  to  do 
)e\vays|:  a 
U  eongre- 
lined  the 
are  most 
Captain 
iny  of  the 
<})  of  the 
Lurjhier  ol 
!uropean> 
Irers  were 

tan  towns.— 
|th    the  ini' 


tried  ;  hut  as  even  Captain  Pipe  could  find  no  other  charge  against 
them  tiian  that  of  interpreting  the  American  letters  .ihove  referred 
I),  tliey  were  discharged  and  returned  to  their  J'amilies  at  San- 
dusky, toward  the  close  of  Novemher.* 

While  the  English  and  thfir  red  allies  were  thus  persecuting 
ihe  poor  Moravians  and  their  discij)les  on  the  one  hand,  the 
Aiiierirans  were  preparing  to  do  the  same  thing,  only,  as  the 
event  proved,  in  a  much  more  eflectual  style.  In  the  spring  of 
1781,  Colonel  13rodhead  h-d  a  hody  of  troops  ifgainst  some  of  the 
hostile  Delawares,  ujion  the  Muskingum.  This,  a  portion  of  his 
fiilldwcrs  thought,  would  be  an  excellent  opportunity  to  destroy 
tjie  Moravian  towns,  and  it  was  with  difhculty  he  could  withhold 
tlieni.  He  sent  word  to  Ileckewelder,  and  tried  to  prevent  any 
altack  u})on  the  members  of  his  flock.  In  this  attempt  he  apj)ears 
to  have  succeeded  ;  but  he  did  not,  perhaps  could  not,  prevent 
the  slaughter  of  the  troops  taken  from  the  hostile  Delawares. 
First,  sivteen  were  killed,  and  then  nearly  twenty.  A  chief,  who 
cime  under  assurances  of  safety  to  Brodhead's  camp,  was  also 
murdered  by  a  noted  partisan,  named  Wetzel. f  From  that  time, 
tlie  Virginians  rested,  until  autumn,  when  the  frontier  men,  led  by- 
Colonel  David  Williamson,  marched  out  expressly  against  the 
towns  of  the  christian  Delawares;  but  they  found  that  the  Ilurons 
hiul  preceded  them,  and  the  huts  and  fields  of  the  friends  of  peace 
wore  deserted. I 

The  particular  caus«  of  this  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  Aineri- 
eans  was  tlie  scries  of  attacks  made  during  this  year  by  small 
bands  of  Indians,  along  the  whole  range  of  stations,  from  Laurel 
Hill  to  Green  river.  The  details  of  tliese  incursions  may  be 
tnind  in  Withers'  Border  Warfare,  225,  and  Marshall's  Kentucky, 
I.  115.  Among  these  details,  the  mass  of  which  we,  of  necessity, 
omit,  is  the  following,  which  seems  worthy  of  especial  notice. 
•Siiuire  Boone's  station,  near  Shelbyville,  being  very  much  ex- 
posed, those  within  it  determined  to  setk  a  place  of  greater 
•"trurity:  while  on  their  way  to  the  Beargrass  settlements  tliey 
\vere  attacked  by  the  Indians.     Colonel    Floyd,  hearing  of  this, 

*  See  a  full  account  in  lleckcweldor's  Narrative,  230 — 299. 

f  Hecke\velclcr>s  Narrative,  211. — Doddridge,  291,  (the  date  is  in  this  account  17S0, 
tut  wc  presume  wronjjly.) — Border  Warfare,  219;  Withers  follows  Doddridge,  hut  hoth 

K'lw  from  Ileckewelder,  who  says  17S1 For  a  full  aceeunt  of  Lt^wia  Wetzel,  the    ery 

I'^'iodiuient  of  the  most  reckless  class  of  frontier  men,  sec  Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany, 
'.121,  Itn,  109,  177. 
t  Burdcr  Warfare,  2:9.    Doddridge,  262. 


234 


JVohle  act  of  Captain  Wells. 


1781. 


hastened  with  twenty-five  men  against  the  enemy,  Ltit  fell  into  an 
ambuscade  of  two  liundred  savages,  and  lost  half  his  men. 
kmong  those  in  his  party  was  Captain  Samiud  Wells,  with  wliorn 
Floyd  had  been  for  some  time  at  feud.  This  gentleman,  as  he 
retreated,  saw  his  superior  ofTieer,  but  personal  foe,  on  foot,  nearly 
exhausted,  and  hard  pressed  by  the  invaders,  on  the  point  of 
falling  3  "^erifice  to  their  fury;  instantly  dismounting,  he  forced 
Colonel  Floyd  to  take  his  plaee  in  the  saddle,  and  being  himself 
fresh,  ran  by  the  side  of  the  horse,  supporting  the  fainting  rider, 
and  saved  the  lives  of  both.  It  will  readily  be  believed  their 
enmity  closed  with  that    lay.* 

In  addition  to  the  incursions  by  the  northern  Indians,  this  year 
witnessed  the  risings  of  the  Chickasaws  against  Fort  JeH'erson, 
whieh,  as  we  have  said,  had  been  unwisely  built  in  their  country, 
without  leave  asked.  The  attack  was  made  under  the  direction 
of  Colbert,  a  Scotchman,  who  had  acquired  great  influence  with 
the  tribe,  and  whose  descendants  have  since  been  among  their 
influential  chiefs.  The  garrison  were  few  in  number,  sickly,  and 
half  starved  ;  but  some  among  them  were  fool-hardy  and  wicked 
enough  to  fire  at  Colbert,  when  under  a  flag  of  truce,  which  pro- 
voked the  savages  beyond  all  control,  and  had  not  Clark  arrived 
with  reinforcements,  the  Chickasaws  would  probably  have  liad  nil 
the  scalps  of  the  intruders.  As  it  was,  the  fort  was  relieved,  but 
was  soon  after  abandoned,  as  being  too  far  from  the  settlements, 
and  of  very  little  use  at  any  rate.f 

Meantime  the  internal  organization  of  Kentucky  was  proceeding 
rapidly.  Floyd,  Logan,  and  Todd  weve  made  county  Lieutenants 
of  Jefferson,  Lincoln,  and  Fayette,  with  the  rank  of  Colonel; 
while  William  Pope,  Stephen  Trigg,  and  Daniel  Boone,  were 
made  Lieutenant  Colonels,  to  act  for  the  others  in  case  of  need. 
Clark  was  made  Brigadier  General,  and  placed  at  the  head  of 
military  affairs,  his  head  quarters  being  at  the  Falls,  between 
which  point  and  the  Licking  he  kept  a  row  galley  going,  to  inter- 
cept parties  of  Indians,  though  to  very  little  purpose.  George 
May,  who  had  been  surveyor  for  the  whole  county  of  Kentucky, 
afler  the  division  had  Jefferson  assigned  him  ;  while  Tlmma? 
Marshall  was  appointed  to  the  same  post  in  Fayette,  and  Jarae? 
Thompson  in    Lincoln.     Of  the    three,   however,    only   the   last 

•  Btitlnr,  2d   edition,  115. — Marshall,  i.  115. — Marshall,  says  this  took  place  in  Apri'i 
Butler  in  September,  and  refers  to  Colonel  F.'s  MS.  letters, 
t  Butler,  2d  editioUj  119. 


1781. 


Habits  of  Life  in  the  West. 


235 


I.  between 


opi'iiod  his  office  duririf^  this  year,  and  j^rcat  was  the  disrontcnt  of 
those  waiting  to  enter  the  fertile  lands  of  the  two  counlies  which 
wore  thus  kept  out  of  their  reach;  a  discontent  ten-fohl  the  greater 
in  ronse(iuence  of  the  laws  of  Virginia  in  relation  to  iier  depreci- 
ated currency,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  make  land  cost  in  specie 
only  half  a  cent  an  acre.* 

One  other  event  will  close  the  western  annals  of  1781,  and  no 
more  important  event  has  yet  been  chronicled :  it  w;.s  the  large 
emigration  of  y,->ang  unmarried  women,  into  a  region  abounding  in 
vniing  unmrtrriet.  men ;  its  natural  result  was  the  rapid  increase  of 
population.!  And  here,  in  imitation  of  the  first  liistorian  of  Ken- 
tucky, we  may  properly  introduce  some  notice  of  the  modes  of 
life  prevailing  at  that  early  period. 

Then,  the  women  did  the  ofTiccs  of  the  household  ;  milked  the  cows, 
cooked  the  mess,  prepared  the  flax,  spun,  wove,  and  made  the  garment 
of  linen  or  linscy ;  the  men  hunted,  and  brought  in  the  meal;  ihey 
planted,  ploughed,  and  gathered  in  the  corn  ;  grinding  it  into  meal  at  the 
hand-mill,  or  pounding  it  into  hominy  in  the  mortar,  was  occasional- 
ly ihe  work  of  either,  or  the  joint  labor  of  both.  The  men  exposed 
ihcmselvcs  alone  to  danger;  they  fought  the  Indians,  they  cleared  the 
land,  ihey  reared  the  hut,  or  built  the  fort,  in  which  the  women  were 
phfcd  for  safety.  Much  use  was  made  of  the  skins  of  deer  for  dre<3  ; 
w'  ile  ihe  bufTalo  and  bear  skins  were  consigned  to  the  floor,  for  beds 
and  covering.  There  might  incidentally,  be  a  few  articles  brought  to 
llie  country  for  sale,  in  a  private  way  ;  but  there  was  no  store  for  supply. 
Wodden  vessels,  either  turned  or  coopered,  were  in  common  use  as 
table  furniture.  A  tin  cup  was  an  article  of  delicate  luxury,  almost  as 
rare  as  an  iron  fork.  Every  hunter  carried  his  knife;  it  was  no  less  the 
implement  of  a  warrior:  not  unfrequently  the  rest  of  the  family  was 
left  wiih  but  one  or  two  for  the  use  of  all.  A  like  workmanship  com- 
posed the  table  and  the  stool  ;  a  slab,  hewed  with  the  axe,  and  slicks  of 
asimilar  manufacture,  set  in  for  legs,  supported  both.  When  tlie  bed 
was  by  chance  or  refinement,  elevated  above  tlie  floor,  and  given  a 
tixed  place,  it  was  often  laid  on  slabs  placed  across  poles,  supported  on 
forks,  pet  in  the  earthen  floor;  or  where  the  floor  was  puncheons,  the 
bedsteid  was  hewed  pieces,  pinned  on  upright  po>ts.  or  let  into  them 
1)}'  aii^rpr  holes.  Other  utensils  and  furniture,  were  of  a  corresponding 
description,  applicable  to  the  time. 

The  food  was  of  the  most  wholesome  and  nutritive  kind.  The 
richest  milk,  the  finest  butter,  and  best  meat,  that  ever  delighted  man's 
p^ilatc,  were  here  eaten    with  a  relish   which   health  and  labor  only 


•Mirsliall.i,  124. 


t  Ihid,  122. 


236  Ilalnfs  of  Li/,'  in  the  Went.  1781 

know.      Tlioric  were  shared  by  friend  and  stranger  in  every  cabin,  will. 
profuse  hospitality. 

Hats  were  made  of  the  native  fur;  and  llic  bufTalo  wool  employed  in 
the  roinposition  of  elolli,  as  was  also  the  bark  of  the  wild  nettle. 

'J'hcrc  was  some  paper  money  in  the  country,  which  had  not  depre- 
ciated one  half  nor  even  a  fourth  as  much  as  it  had  at  the  seat  of  govern 
mcnl.  If  there  was  any  gold  or  silver  ito  circulation  was  suppressei! 
The  price  of  a  beaver  hat,  was  five  hundred  dollars.* 

Tlie  hunting  shirt  was  universally  worn.  This  was  a  kind  of  loose 
frock,  reaching  half  way  down  the  thighs,  with  large  sleeves,  open  be- 
fore,  and  so  wide  as  to  lap  over  a  foot  or  more  when  belted.  The  cajit 
V  .'  lar';  ,  uid  aometimes  handsomely  fringed  with  a  ravelled  piece  of 
cl  •'.  ■  ;  difTerent  color  from  that  of  the  hunting  shirt  itself.  The 
boH"  ■>  'i'  t  dress  served  as  a  wallet  to  hold  a  chunk  of  bread,  cakp5. 
jerk,  ii/W  for  •  ">ing  the  barrel  of  the  rifle,  or  any  other  necessary  for 
ihe  hunter  or  warrior.  The  belt  which  was  always  tied  behind  an- 
swered sev  ral  purposes,  besides  that  of  holding  the  dress  together.  Ii; 
cold  weather  the  mittens,  and  sometimes  the  bullet-bag  occupied  tlic 
front  part  of  it.  'l"o  the  right  side  was  suspended  the  tomahawk,  and 
to  the  left  the  scalping  knife  in  its  leathern  sheath.  The  huntin;,'  shirt 
was  generally  made  of  linsey,  dometimes  of  coarse  linen,  and  a  lew  of 
dressed  deer  skins.  These  last  were  very  cold  and  uncomfortable  in 
wet  weather.  The  shirt  and  jacket  were  of  the  common  fashion,  k 
pair  of  drawers  or  breeches  and  Icggins,  were  the  dress  of  the  thigh: 
and  legs,  a  pair  of  moccasins  answered  for  the  feet  much  better  llian 
shoes.  These  were  made  of  dr  ssed  deer  skin.  They  were  mostly 
made  of  a  single  piece,  with  a  gathering  seam  along  the  top  of  the  foot. 
and  another  from  the  bottom  of  the  heel,  without  gathers,  as  high  as  the 
ankle  joint  or  a  little  liighei.  Flaps  were  left  on  each  side  to  reach 
some  distance  up  the  legs.  These  were  nicely  adapted  to  the  ankle? 
and  lower  part  of  the  leg  by  thongs  of  deer  skin,  so  that  no  dust,  gra^ 
vel,  or  snow,  could  get  within  the  moccasin. 

The  moccasins  in  ordinary  use  cost  but  a  few  hours  labor  to  make 
them.  This  was  done  by  an  instrument  denominated  a  moccasin  awl, 
which  was  made  of  the  back  spring  of  an  old  clasp-knife.  This  awl, 
with  its  buck-horn  handle,  was  an  appendage  of  every  shot  pouch 
strap,  together  with  a  roll  of  buckskin  for  mending  the  moccasins.  This 
was  the  labor  of  almost  every  evening.  They  were  sewed  together 
and  patched  with  deerskin  thongs,  or  whangs  as  they  were  commonly 
called. 

In  cold  weather  the  moccasins  were  well  stufied  with  deers'  hair,  or 


t'ler  It  was  u; 


leallier  of  wl 


•  See  Marshall'^  History  of  Kentucky,  i.  p.  123. 


17S1 
abin,  witK 

iploypil  in 
Lllc. 

not  (Icprc- 
of  govern- 
lUpprtssci! 


id  of  lt)Ose 
3,  open  be- 

The  capt 
L'd  piece  of 
tsclf.     The 
read,  cakes, 
scessary  for 
bchiiul  :ir- 
iffclhcr.    l:; 
ccupinl  tlio 
iaha\vl\,  and 
luiiting  shin 
and  a  few  of 
m  for  table  in 
fashion.    A 
f  tlie  liri!;h: 

better  lliaa 
,vcre  mostly 

of  the  foot, 

high  as  t!'.': 
Ide   to  reach 

the  ankle? 

o  dust,  gra- 

|or  to  make 

)ccasin  awl, 

This  awl, 

shot  poucli 

isasins.  This 

[ed  together 

commonly 

lers'  hair,  or 


IC 


81. 


ILthits  nf  T/ife  in  the  West. 


.n 


Iry  leaves,  so  as  to  keep  the  feet  coinfortal)Iy  warm  ;  but  in  wot  wca- 
ilicr  it  was  usually  suid  that  wearing  them  was  "  a  decent  way  of  going 
liarcfooted  ;"  and  such  was  tlic  fact,  owing  to  tlic  spongy  texture  of  the 
Icatlier  of  which  they  were  made. 

Owing  to  this  defective  covering  of  the  feet,  more  than  to  any  otlicr 
rjrcimislancc,  tlic  greater  number  of  our  hunters  and  warriors  were  af- 
llictod  with  the  rheumatism  in  their  limbs.  Of  this  dihoasu  they  were 
all  apprehensive  in  cold  or  wet  weather,  and  tl\ercforc  always  slept  with 
:hcir  feet  to  the  fire  to  prevent  or  cure  it  as  well  as  they  could.  Tliis 
practice  unquestionably  had  a  very  salutary  efTect,  and  prevented  many 
nf  tliein  from  becoming  confirmed  cripples  in  early  life. 

The  fort  consisted  of  cabins,  blockhouses  and  stockades.  A  range 
of  cabins  commonly  formed  one  side  at  least  of  the  fort.  Divisions,  or 
partitions  of  logs  [icparalcd  the  cabins  from  each  other.  The  walls  on 
the  outside  were  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  the  slope  of  the  roof  being 
turned  wholly  ii\ward.  A  very  few  of  these  cabins  had  '•iiichcon 
iloor.s,  the  greater  part  were  earthen. 

The  blockhouses  were  built  at  the  angles  of  the  fort,  'f  h.i  .to- 
jectcd  about  two  feet  beyond  the  outer  walls  of  the  cabins  a  ni  .  ock;.dcs. 
Their  upper  stories  were  about  eighteen  inches  every  w^j  i  t.o  v  in  di- 
mension than  the  under  one,  leaving  an  opening  at  the  comn.  jnccincni 
of  the  second  story  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  making  a  '  '^n'  nt  under 
;lieir  walls.  In  some  forts  instead  of  blockhouses,  the  angies  of  the  fort 
were  furnished  with  bastions.  A  large  folding  gate,  made  of  thick 
-labs,  nearest  the  spring  closed  the  fort.  The  stockades,  bastions,  cabins, 
and  blockhouse  walls  were  furnished  with  port  holes  at  proper  heights 
and  distances.  The  whole  of  the  outside  was  made  completely  bullet 
proof. 

It  may  be  truly  said  that  necessity  is  the  mother  of  invention  ;  for  the 
whole  of  this  work  was  made  without  the  aid  of  a  single  hail  or  spike 
of  iron,  and  for  this  reason,  such  things  were  not  to  be  had. 

In  some  places,  less  exposed,  a  single  blockhouse,  with  a  cabin  or 
uvo  constituted  the  whole  fort. 

For  a  long  time  after  the  first  settlement  of  this  country,  the  iuhabi- 
'inis  in  general  married  young.  There  was  ^lo  distinction  of  rank,  and 
Hry  little  of  fortune.  On  these  accounts  the  first  impression  of  love 
rt'sulted  in  marriage ;  and  a  family  establishment  cost  but  a  little  labor 
and  nothing  else. 

In  the  first  years  of  the  settlement  of  this  country,  a  wedding  engaged 
-le  attention  of  a  whole  neighborhood,  and  the  frolic  was  anticipated 
'v  old  and  young  with  eager  expectation.  This  is  not  to  be  wondered 
'•ti  when  it  is  told  that  a  wedding  was  almost  the  only  gathering  which 
•'■■s  not  accompanied  with  the  labor  of  reaping,  log  rolling,  building  a 
^''-bin,  or  planning  some  scout  or  campaign. 


238 


Habits  of  Life  in  the  West. 


1781 


III  llic  inntning  of  llio  wcdtling  day,  llic  groom  :irul  his  altciidanls  as- 
8(;mI)Ird  :il  llio  Iiou.sc  of  liin  failirT  fi»r  llic  purpose  of  rcacliiiig  llic  in;in- 
sion  of  Ills  liiido  l)y  noon,  which  \v;is  ilic  usual  liiiic  for  cclcbraiinjr  ihe 
nuptials  ;   uliich  for  ccitain  tnusi  take  place  before  dinner. 

Lei  ihc  roador  iiungiiic  an  asscinblagc  of  people,  without  a  store, 
tailor,  or  niaiituainalxcr  within  an  hundred  miles;  and  an  asdeml)ja;,'e  uf 
horses,  without  a  blacksmith  or  sadtller  within  uii  equal  distance.  The 
gentlemen  dressed  in  t>hocpacks,  moccasins,  leather  breeches,  lcgj;iiig.<, 
linscy  huittiiig  shirtis,  and  all  home-made.  The  ladies  dressed  in  litisty 
petticoats  and  linsey  or  linen  bed  gowns,  coarse  shoes,  stockings,  Imiid- 
kerchiefs  and  buckskin  gloves,  if  any.  If  there  were  any  buckk:, 
rings,  buttons,  or  ru'lles,  they  were  the  relics  of  old  times,  family  jiitcc; 
from  parents  or  griiiid-j)arent3.  The  horses  were  caparisoned  wiili  olJ 
saddles,  old  bridles  or  halters,  and  pack-suddlcs,  with  a  bag  or  hlaiiki; 
thrown  over  them  :  a  rope  or  string  as  often  constituted  the  girth  as  a 
piece  of  leather. 

'IMie  march,  in  double  file,  was  often  interrupted  by  the  narrowness 
and  obstructions  of  our  horse  paths,  as  they  were  called,  for  we  had  no 
roads:  and  these  difficulties  were  often  increased  sometimes  by  ilu 
good,  and  sometimes  by  the  ill  will  of  neighbors,  by  falling  trees  anJ  I 
tymg  grapo  vines  across  the  way.  Sometimes  an  ambuscade  was  formed 
by  the  way-side,  and  an  unexpected  disciiarge  of  several  guns  took 
place,  so  as  to  cover  the  wedding  company  with  smoke.  Let  the  reader  I 
imagine  the  scene  which  followed  this  discharge:  the  sudden  spring  of 
the  horses,  the  shrieks  of  the  girls,  and  the  chivalric  bustle  of  their 
partners  to  save  them  from  falling.  Sometimes,  in  spite  of  all  thai 
could  be  done  to  prevent  it,  some  were  thrown  to  the  ground.  If  a 
wrist,  elbow,  or  ankle  happened  to  be  sprained  it  was  tied  with  a  hand- 
kerchief,  and  little  more  was  thought  or  said  about  it. 

Another  ceremony  commonly  took  place  before  the  party  reached  ihej 
house  of  the  bride,  after  the  practice  of  making  whisky  began,  wliicii 
was  at  an  early  period  ;  whnn  the  parly  were  about  a  mile  from  the  plate 
of  their  destination,  two  young  men   would  single  out  to  run  for  the 
bottle;  the  worse  the  path,  the  more  logs,  brush,  and  deep  hollows  ihel 
better,  as  these  obstacles  alTordcd  an  opportunity  for  the  greater  dispL) 
of  intrepidity  and  horsemanship.     The  English  fox  chase,  in  point  oil 
danger  to  the  riders  and   their  horses,  is   nothing  to  this  race  for  liej 
bottle.  The  start  was  announced  by  an  Indian  yell  ;  logs,  brush,  muitdyl 
hollows,  lull  and  glen,  were  speedily  pa!<sed  by  the  rival  ponies.    Tii^l 
bottle  was  always  filled   for  the  occasion,  so  that  there  was  no  use  lorj 
judges  ;   (or  the  lirst  who  reuched  the  door  was  presented  with  the  \iniii 
with  which  he   returned   in  triumph  to  the  company.     On  approiichnjl 
them,  he  announced   his   victory  over  his  rival  by  a  shrill  whoop.    AM 
the  head  of  the  troop,  he  gave  t]»e  bottle  first  to  the  groom  and  ^ 


1781. 


Ifahils  of  Life  in  the  West. 


239 


rreulcr  dispU)' 
|c,  in  point  oi 
race  for  ili« 
Ibrush.muilJy 
ponies.    'I'l'' 
,'as  no  use  lot] 
iviih  ilii;  prize, 
In  approaelrnii 
|l  whoop.    ^^ 
[room  auJ  '■■'I 


attendant:*,  and  llicii  to  cadi  pair  in  suorpsNion  to  llic  rear  of  the  line, 
givin(T  each  a  drsim  ;  nntl  tlicn  putting  iho  holilc  in  the  hosoru  of  his 
liuniins,'  shirt  took  liis  station  in  the  company. 

The  ccromony  of  the  marriaifc  prcccili  ■  the  dinner,  which  was  a  ciib- 
stniilinl  backwoods  feast  of  beef,  pork,  fowls,  and  sotnelitncs  vcni.son 
m\  hear  meat,  roasted  and  boiled,  with  ph-nty  of  potatoes,  cabbage,  und 
oilier  vegetables.  During  the  dinner  the  greatest  iiibiiily  always  pre- 
vailed ;  although  the  table  might  be  a  large  .^lab  of  timber,  hewed  out 
with  a  broad  axe,  supported  by  four  sticks  set  in  auger  holes,  and  the 
furnilurc  some  old  pewter  dishes,  and  j)litcs,  the  rest  wooden  bowls 
snd  trenchers  ;  a  few  pewter  spoons,  much  battered  about  the  edges, 
were  to  be  seen  at  some  tables.  'I'hu  rest  were  made  of  horns.  If 
knives  were  scarce,  the  delicieney  was  made  up  by  the  scalping  knives 
which  were  carried  in  sheaths  suspended  to  the  bell  of  the  liuniing 
shirt. 

After  dinner  the  dancing  commenced,  and  generally  lasted  till  the 
next  morning.  The  figures  of  the  dances  were  three  and  four  handed 
reels,  or  square  sets,  and  jigs.  The  commencement  was  always  a 
fqiiarc  four,  which  was  followed  by  what  was  called  jigging  it  ofT; 
that  is,  two  of  the  four  would  single  out  for  a  jig,  and  w(  re  followed  by 
the  remaining  couple.  The  jigs  were  often  accompanied  with  what 
was  called  cutting  out ;  that  is,  when  either  of  the  parties  became  tired 
of  the  dance,  on  intimation  the  place  was  supplied  by  some  one  of  the 
company  without  any  interruption  of  the  dance.  In  this  way  a  dance 
was  often  continued  till  the  musician  was  heartily  tired  of  his  situation. 
Toward  the  latter  part  of  the  night,  if  any  of  the  company,  through 
weariness,  attempted  to  conceal  themselves,  for  the  purpose  of  sleeping 
ihey  were  hunted  up,  paraded  on  the  floor,  and  the  fiddler  ordered  to 
play  "  Hang  on  till  to-morrow  morning." 

About  nine  or  ten  o'clock,  a  deputation  of  the  young  ladies  stole  oflf 
thfi  bride,  and  put  her  to  bed.  In  doing  this,  it  freqiienlly  happened  that 
ihey  had  to  ascend  a  ladder  instead  of  a  pair  of  stairs,  leading  fr(jm  the 
dining  and  ball  room  to  the  loft,  the  floor  of  which  was  made  of  clap- 
boards lying  loose  and  without  nails.  This  ascent,  one  might  think, 
would  put  the  bride  and  her  attendants  to  the  blush  ;  but  as  the  foot  of 
iiie  ladder  was  commonly  behind  the  door,  which  was  purposely  opened 
for  the  occasion,  and  its  rounds  at  the  inner  ends  were  well  hung  witli 
liiinting  shirts,  pellicoals,  and  other  articles  of  clothing,  the  candles 
being  oil  the  opposite  side  of  the  house,  the  exit  of  the  bride  was  noticed 
bui  by  few.  This  done,  a  deputation  of  young  men  in  like  manner 
'tole  off  the  groom,  and  placed  him  snugly  by  the  side  of  his  bride. 
The  dance  still  continued  ;  and  if  scats  happened  to  be  scarce,  which 
«"is  ofien  the  case,  every  young  man,  when  not  engaged  in  the  dance, 
*3s  obliged  to  ofTer  his  lap  as  a  seal  for  one  of  the  girls ;  and  the  offer 


210 


Ilahits  of  Life  in  tho  Went. 


17S1 


wa»  sure  lo  1)0  nccoptcd.  In  the  tnidst  of  this  hilarity  the  britlo  ainl 
proom  were  not  forgotten.  I*r<'lly  late  in  iho  niglil,  somo  one  woull 
remiiul  tfip  company  i!i:it  the  nrw  couple  mn«t  stand  in  nood  of  *onir 
rcfrcslirnnnt :  l)lni'k  Motty,  which  was  the  name  of  the  bottle,  was  rallr! 
for,  and  sent  up  the  ladder,  but  somrlinies  black  Hclty  did  not  go  nlonr, 
I  have  many  times  seen  w*  much  bread,  beef,  pork  and  cabbnge  <ioti! 
along  with  her,  as  woidd  afford  a  good  meal  for  half  a  dozen  luin^'rv 
men.  'i'he  young  couple  were  compelled  to  cat  and  drink,  more  or  Ickj, 
of  whatever  was  offered  tliejn. 

It  often  happened  tlial  some  neighbors  or  relations,  not  being  nskrd  to 
the  wedding,  took  olfence  •  and  the  mode  of  revenge  adopted  by  thorn 
on  such  occasions,  was  that  of  cutting  off  the  manes,  foretops,  and  taiN 
of  the  horses  of  the  wedding  company. 

I  will  proceed  to  state  the  usual  manner  of  settling  a  young  couple  i;i 
the  world. 

A  spot  was  selected  on  a  piece  of  land  of  one  of  the  parents,  for  their 
linbitation.  A  day  was  appointed,  shortly  after  their  marriage,  1': 
commencing  the  work  of  building  their  cabin.  The  fatigue  party  con- 
sisted of  choppers,  whose  business  it  was  to  fell  the  trees  and  cut  them 
off  at  proper  lenglhs.  A  man  with  a  team  for  hauling  them  to  the 
place,  and  arranging  them,  properly  assorted,  at  the  sides  and  ends  of 
the  building,  a  carpenter,  if  such  he  might  be  called,  whose  busiiics'U 
was  to  search  the  woods  for  a  proper  tree  for  making  clapboards  (or  the 
roof.  The  tree  for  this  purpose  must  be  straight  grained  and  from  three 
to  four  feet  in  diameter.  The  boards  were  split  four  feet  long,  uiilii 
large  frow,  and  as  wide  as  the  limber  will  allow.  They  were  used  will,- 
out  planing  or  shaving.  Another  division  were  employed  in  getting  pun- 
cheons for  the  floor  of  the  cabin  ;  this  was  done  by  splitting  trees,  aboiii 
eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  hewing  the  faces  of  them  with  a  hroad 
axe.  'I'hey  were  half  the  length  of  the  floor  they  were  intended  o 
make. 

The  materials  lor  the  cabin  were  mostly  prepared  on  the  first  day  an! 
sometimes  the  foundation  laid  in  the  evening.  The  second  day  was 
allotted  for  the  raising. 

In  the  morning  of  ».ho  next  day  the  neighbors  collected  for  the  raising. 
The  llrst  thing  to  be  done  was  the  election  of  four  corner  men,  wlioj^ 
business  it  was  to  notch  and  place  the  logs.  The  rest  of  the  company 
furnished  them  with  the  timbers.  In  the  meantime  the  boards  and  pii;i- 
cheons  were  collecting  for  the  floor  and  roof,  so  that  by  the  time  iLi' 
cabin  was  a  few  rounds  high  the  sleepers  and  floor  began  to  be  lai'l 
The  door  was  made  by  sawing  or  cutting  the  logs  in  one  side  so  as  'm 
make  an  opening  about  three  feet  wide.  This  opening  was  sceiirei 
by  upright  pieces  of  timber  about  three  inches  thick,  through  \vlii''' 
holes  were  bored  into  the  ends  of  the  logs  for  the  purpose  of  piiini";! 


i:si. 

:hptii  fast.     A 

fhiinney.  Tl 
and  jambs  of 
dilitren  inclii 
Hire  Cidlc'd,  ai 
Mipporled.  'i 
:i  siiiijle  log  fu 
vtrrc  placed,  t 
lelow  them  ai 
upon  lliem. 

The  roof,  ai 
ihe  raising.     A 
.eu'liiig  off  lilt 
Has  made  of  a 
holes.    Some  tl 
pins  »tiick  in  i 
ioards  which  s 
placed  wiih  its 
leiied  to  a  joist 
iiie  end  ihrougl 
was  crossed  by 
Jiioihcr  crfjck. 
of  ilie  end  of  ih 
torn  of  the   bed 
liiile  distance  ab 
loo:  of  the  bed, 
A  few  pegs  arou 
3iid  hunting  sliir 
[joijtfor  the  rifle 
'n  the  mean  I 
'•'■c  limber  of  w 
'•^linking  up  the 
jlsrje  bed  of  mor 
[formed  the  back 
The  cabin  beir 
[Wore  the  youno- 

I'lie  house- V 
kde  up  of  the 
p'  die  day  ibilo 
piisioii. 

•^'  house  raisi 
f^Pccled  to  do  hi 
'^fe  of  labor  oi 
i.awrcuce,"  or 
16 


1781. 


Ilnhits  of  LiJ'r  In  tliv   Wist, 


•211 


waB  cnllfi: 


•hem  last.  A  similar  oprninj,',  Ixit  wider,  wast  matlr  at  the  orid  for  ihr 
ohiinncy.  This  wa«  built  of  \ogn  and  made  largo  to  admit  of  a  bark 
anil  jaiiil)«  of  fllono.  At  the  pipiarr,  two  end  logs  projected  n  foot  or 
oiijliipcn  inrhrs  lioyoiid  the  wall  to  rerrivo  tlip  hiiltitip  poh'H,  as  thev 
wtrf  calitMl,  acairiHl  whicfi  the  ends  of  the  first  row  of  clapboards  was 
Mipporled.  The  roof  was  formed  by  makinjf  the  end  loj,'s  shorter  'inlil 
a  sincle  loij  formed  the  comb  of  the  roof,  on  these  Iojjh  the  ehipboards 
wrrc  placed,  the  ranges  of  them  taping  some  distance  over  those  next 
tclow  them  and  kept  in  their  places  by  logs,  placed  at  proper  distances 
upon  them. 

The  roof,  and  sonietimes  the  floor,  were  finished  on  the  same  day  of 

ihc  raising.     A  ihir J  day  was  commonly  spent  by  a  few  carpenters  in 

leveling  otl*  the  floor,  making  a  clapboard  door  and  a  table.     This  last 

Has  made  of  a  split  slab,  and  supported  by  fonr  round  logs  set  in  auger 

holes.    Some  three  legged  stools  were  made  in  the  same  manner.    Some 

jiins  stuck  in   the   logs  at  the  back  of  the  house  supported  some  clap- 

wirds  which  served  for  .^helves  for  the  table  furniture.     A  single  fork, 

Ipljcetl  with  its   lower  end  in  a  hole  in  the  floor,  and  the  upper  end  fas- 

leiied  to  a  joist  served  for  a  bedstead,  by  placing  a  pole  in  the  fork  with 

(lie  end  through  a  crack  between  the  logs  of  the  wall.     This  front  pole 

I  nu9  crossed  by  a  shorter  one  within  the  fork,  with  its  outer  end  through 

another  crack.     From  the  front  pole,  through  a  crack  Ijetwccn  the  logs 

lofllieend  of  the  house,  the  boards  were  put  on  which  formed   the  bot- 

lom  of  the   bed.     Sometimes  other   poles,  were  pinned  to   the  fork   a 

liiile  distance  above  these,  for  the  purpose   of  supporting  the  front  anil 

[foot  of  the  bed,  while  the  walls  were  the  supports  of  its  back  and  head. 

A  few  pegs  around  the  walls  for  a  display  of  the  coats  of  the  women, 

luiUing  shirts  of  the  men,  and  two  small  forks  or  bucks'  horns  to  a 

Ijcistfor  the  rifle  and  shot  pouch,  completed  the  carpenter  work. 

In  the  mean  time  masons  wore  at  work.     With   the  heart  pieces  of 
I'lc  timber   of  whicl;  the   clapboards  were    made,  they  made  billets  for 
nkinf^  up  the  cracks  between  the  logs  of  the  cabin  and  chimney,  a 


V\\\\ 


|brje  bed  of  mortar  was  made  for  daubing  up  those  cracks  ;  a  few  stones 
brmed  the  back  and  jambs  of  the  chimney. 

The  cabin  being  finished,  the  ceremony  of  house-warming  took  place, 
iMlore  ihe  young  couple  were  permitted  to  move  into  it. 

The  liouse-vi  rming  was  a  dance  of  a  whole  night's  continuance, 
jiude  up  of  the  iclalions  of  the  bride  and  groom,  and  their  neighbors. 

':i  tlie  day  following  the  young  couple  took  possession  of  their  new 
inaiisioii. 

At  house  raisings,  iug  rollings,  and  harvest  parties,  every  one  wa.^ 
Impeded  to  do  his  duty  faithfully.  A  person  who  did  not  perforn\  his 
fii^re  of  labor  on  these   occasions,  was  designated   by  the  epithet  of 

i,:j\vrcii(;e,"  or  some  other  title  still  more  opprobious  ;  and  wlicu  it 
16 


•242 


llahits  of  Life  in  the  West. 


ITsi 


cainc  lo  liis  turn  to  require   the   like  aid  from  lii:>   lu  ighlior.s,  iho  iillt 
soon  ft  It  Iiis  puiiislimeiit,  in  their  refusal  lo  atteiul  tolii-s  ealls, 

Alllioui'h  tlieie  was  no  legal  eonipiilsion  lo  tlie  perforinanrc  of  nii!,- 
lary  duly,  yet  every  man  of  full  age  and  size  was  cxpeeled  to  do  liis  fi,.; 
sliarc  of  public  service.  If  lie  did  not  do  so  he  was  "  Haled  out  as  i 
coward."  Even  the  want  of  any  article  of  war  etniipineiits,  such  i« 
ammunition,  a  sharp  flint,  a  priming  wire,  a  scalping  knife  or  tmiir.. 
hawk,  was  thought  highly  disgraceful.  A  man,  who  without  a  reason,. 
uhle  cause  failed  to  go  on  a  scout  or  campaign  when  it  came  to  histurr., 
met  with  an  expression  of  indignation  in  the  countenances  of  all  h,, 
neighbors,  and  epithets  of  dishonor  were  fastened  upon  him  wilho;,; 
mercy. 

Debts,  which  make  such  an  uproar  in  civilized  life  were  but  liiiic 
known  among  our  forefathers  at  the  early  settlement  of  this  couniry. 
After  the  depreciation  of  the  continental  paper  they  had  nomonivi; 
any  kind;  every  thing  purchased  was  paid  for  in  produce  or  labor.  A 
good  cow  and  calf  was  often  the  price  of  a  bushel  of  alum  salt.  I;' 
a  contract  was  no'  punctually  fulfilled,  the  credit  of  the  delinquent  w.- 
at  an  end. 

Any  petty  theft  was  punished  with  all  the  infamy  that  could  be  lioap- 1 
ed  on  the  ollcnder.     A  man   on  a  campaign   stole  from   his   comradca 
cake   out  of  the   ashe«,  in   which   it  was  baking  :   he   was    immediaitiy 
named   "  The  bread  rounds."     This   epithet  of  reproach   was  baii(litJ| 
about  in  this  way,  when  he  came  in  sight  of  a   group  of  men,  onr  .; 
them  would  call  "  Who  comes  there  ?"     Anollter  would  answer,  "T:;e| 
bread  rounds."     If  any  one  meant  to  be  more  serious  about  the  iniiiifr,| 
he  would  call  out  "  Who  stole  a  cake  out  of  the  ashes  ?"     Another  re- 
plied, by  giving  the  name  of  the  man  in  full  ;  to  this  a  third  would  giV'.l 
conlirmation,  by  exclaiming,  "  Tliat  is  true  and  no  lie."     This  kiiidii 
"  tongue-lashing"  ho  was  doomed  to  bear,  fjr  the  rest  of  the  campaig' 
as  well  as  for  years  after  his  return  home. 

If  a  theft  was  delected,  in  any  of  the  frontier  setUements,  a  suimuaryl 
jnode  of  punishment  was  always  resorted  to.     The  first  settlers,  as  ijrl 
as  I  knew  of  them,  had  a  kind  of  innate,  or  hereditary  deicstalioiiiij 
the  crime  of  theft,  in  any  shape  or  degree,  and   their   maxim  was,  \.L\\ 
"  a  ihlef  must  be  whipped."      If  the  theft  was   of  something  of  soirej 
value,  a  kind  of  jury  of  the  neighborhood,  after  hearing  the  testimony, 
would  condemn  the  culprit  to  Moses  Law,  that  is  to  forty  stripes  sa't 
one.     If  the  theft  was  of  some  small  article,  the  ollender  was  dooiiici 
to  carry  on  his  back  the  flag  of  the  United  Slates,  which  then  consistu 
of  thirteen   stripes.     In  cither  case,  some  able   hands  were  sclocioil 
ixecule  the  sentence,  so  that  the  stripes  were  sure  to  be  well  laid  on. 
This  punishment  was  followed  by  a  sentence  of  exile.     He  then  «:'j 


Ilohifs'  of   l[f\'  iv  (he  West. 


->I3 


nformed  that  he  must  dommp  in   so  ninny  days,  and  bo  scon  there  no 
ninrp  on  penalty  of  having  tfie  number  of  his  stripes  donbled. 

ir  a  woman  was  given  to  tatding  and  slandering  her  neighbors,  sho 
vas  furnished  by  common  consent,  with  a  kind  of  patent-iight  to  say 
v(hatevcr  she  pleased,  without  being  believed.  Her  tongue  was  then 
qid  to  be  harmless,  or  to  be  no  scandal. 

W  ith  all  tlieir  r\ideness,  these  people  wore  given  to  hospitality,  and 
iieelv  divided  their  rough  fare  wiili  a  neigldior,  or  stranger,  and  would 
!i;ivo  been  offended  at  the  offer  of  pay.  In  their  settlements  and  forts, 
•,',ov  lived,  they  wori<ed,  they  fought,  and  feasted,  or  sullVred  together, 
,:u'nr(iial  harmony.  They  were  warm  and  constant  in  their  friendship.^. 
On  the  other  hand  they  were  revengeful  in  their  resentments.  And  the 
noint  of  honor  sometimes  led  to  personal  combats.  If  one  man  called 
jiinllier  a  liar,  he  was  considered  as  having  given  a  challenge  which  the 
icrson  who  received  it  must  accept,  or  be  deemed  a  coward,  and  the 
'.arirr  was  generally  answered  on  the  spot,  with  a  l>low.  If  the  inji;r- 
fil  person  was  decidedly  unable  to  fight  tlic  aggressor,  he  might  gel  a 
riond  to  do  it  for  him.  The  same  thing  took  place  on  a  charge  of  cowar- 
licp,  or  any  other  dishonorable  action,  a  battle  must  follow,  and  the 
pfrson  who  made  the  charge  must  fight,  either  the  person  against  whom 
r.Miiadc  the  charge  or  any  champion  who  choose  to  espouse  his  cause. 
Thus  circumstanced,  our  people  in  early  times  were  rnucli  more  cautious 

f  speaking  evil  of  their  neighbors  than  they  arc  at  present. 

Sometimes  pitched  liattles  occurred,  in  wliidi  time,  place  and  second-', 
'icrc  appointed   beforehand.     I    remember   having  seen  one   of  those 

iiclied  battles  in  my  father's  fort,  wlien  a  boy.    One  of  the  young  men 
^nr\v  very  well  beforehand  that  he  should  get  the  worst  of  the  I)altle, 

•nd  no  doubt  repented  the  engagement  to  fight;  but  there  was  no  getting 
K'vrr  it.     The  point  of  honor  demanded  the  risk  ol'  battle.     He  got  hifi 
>v!iipping;  tlioy  then  shook  hands  and  were  good  friends  aff^rwiirds. 

Till.'  mode  of  single  combats  in  llioso  days  was  dangcious  in   the  e.\- 

r^nic;  although  no  weapons  were  used,  fists,  teeth,  and  feet  were  em- 
j;.iyL'J  at  will,  but  above  all,  the  detestalile  practice  of  gouging,  by  which 

yes  were  sometimes  put  out,  rendered  this   mode  of  lighting  friglafiil 
I  .uoed;  it  was  not  however,  so  deslruclivc  as  iIk;  stilello  of  an    I'alian, 

.tkiiifc  of  a  Spani.ird,  the  small  sword  of  the  I'renchmi.n,  or  the  pi  UjI 

f  the  Ametieati  or  English  duelist, 
hisliuices  of  seduction  and  bastardy  did  not  freciueiuly  li.ip|)en  in  our 

if'<y  limes.     I  remember  one  instance  of  the  former,  in   which  the  lii'i; 

I  iho  man   was   put  in  jeopardy  by  the   resentment   of  the   fimily   to 
I  vhirh  the  jrirl  beloncfed.     Indeed,  considering  the  chivalrous  temper  of 
r  people,  this  crime  could  not  then  take  place  without  gre;it   prrsoml 

'i"L'or  from  the  brothers,  or  other  relations  of  the  victims  of  seduction, 

'ii'ly  honor  being  then  estimated  at  au  high  rate. 


244 


Murder  of  Moravian  Indians. 


1782 


I  do  not  rtcoUc'ct  lliat  profune  language,  was  much  more  prcvakiu  . 
our  early  limes  tliuii  at  present. 

Among  the  people  with  whom  I  was  most  conversant,  there  was  n, 
other  vestige  of  the   Cliristian  rehgion  than  a  faint  observation  of  Sui 
day,  and  tliat  merely  as  a  day  of  rest  for  the  aged,  and  a  play  day  f  ■ 
the  young." 


17  8-2. 


Tlio  suflerinets  of  the  Monivians  did  not  close  with   1781.    I 
the  followiiitr  sprinn;,  some  of  them  who  had  been  literally  staivi!:. 
throut^h  the  winter,  returned  to  their  old  pla('es  of  abode,  to  ^'atlll 
what  they  eould  of  the  remainder  of  their  property,  and  husic: 
themselves  in  eoUeeting  the  eorn  whieli  had  been  left  in  tlie  field- 
About  the  time  tlu-y  returned  for  that  purpose,  parties  of  W^andn- 
came  down  upon  the  settlements,  and  slew  many.     This  cxtiir 
the  frontier-men,  and  believing  a  eonnecliun  to  exist  bi-twct  n  il,' 
acts  of  the  Wyandots  and  the  lale  movements  of  the  Moraviaii>,  r 
was  de'ternuned  to  attack  and  extirmiinitc   the  latter,  or  at  Ica^t  ; 
waste  their  lands  and  ('eslroy  their  towns.     Eighty   or  ninety  mv. 
met  for  the  purj)ose  of  ellecling  the  objects  just  named,  and  maniin: 
in  silence  and  swiftness  upon  the  devoted  villages.      ihey  reacln 
tliein ;     by   threats   and   lies  got   hold    of  the    gleaners    scallurt . 
among  them,  and  bound  their  prisoners,   while    they  delihi'ratv 
upon  their  late.     Williamson,  the  commander  of  the  party,  put  ili' 
question;  hhall  these  men,  women  ami  children  be  taken  to   I'iti- 
'  urg,  or  be  killed?     Of  the  eighty  or  ninety  men  present,  sixtnii 
or  eighteen  only  were  for  granting  their  lives;  and  the  prisoiui- 
were  told   to  prepare   for    deaih.      Tliey   j)re})ared   for  death,  aii' 
iioon  were  dead  ;  slaughtered,  some  say  in  one   way,  and  soim  " 
another;   but  thus  much  is  certain,  liiaf  eighty  or  ninety  Aiiuru.i: 
men  murdercnl,  in  cold  blood,  about  forty  men,  twenty  women,  air. 
and    Ihirty-four    I'hildren, — all    del'enceless    and    innocent    liH"'' 
Cliiislians.* 

*  See  bukJdridgc'ii  NoIch,  i'arl  Secoiiil. 

T  ll<'ck('wflilt>r's    Niinvlivu,  JU.  3:2S.     J>oil(liidj{c,  .;'lj.  Cj.'(.     Withers'  l)oruti\\ 
tjiro,  232.  2  i9.     Anicrican  Pioneer,  ii.  42o.  \32, 


■:78-2. 


Crn\i'fonl  Taken. 


245 


It  was  in  ^^^^r■ll  of  17S2,  lliat  this  i^roat  mnrflor  wns  rommittcMl. 
\nil  li^  'Ik'  lig'T,  liaving  onnc  tasted  lilnod,  lont^s  fnv  Itlnod,  so  it  was 
villi  the  fronticr-nu'ii ;  and  anotlicr  expedition  was  at  once  organized, 
'  make  a  dash  at  the  towns  of  the  Moravian  Didawares  and  Wyan- 
i's  upon  the  Sandusky."  No  Indian  was  to  be  s])ared  ;  friend  or 
;i If,  every  red  man  was  to  die.f  Tlie  commander  of  the  evpedi- 
•;(in  was  Colonel  William  Crawford,  Washington's  old  agent  in  the 
vest.  He  did  not  want  to  go,  but  found  it  could  not  be  avoided. 
I'hr  troops,  numbering  nearly  five  hundred  men,  marched  in  June 

ilie  Sandusky  miinterrupted.  There  they  found  the  towns  de- 
..ried  and  the  savages  on  the  alert.  A  battle  ensued,  and  tho 
•vliites  were  forced  to  retreat.  In  their  retreat  many  left  the  main 
:^oily,  and  nearly  all  who  did  so  perished.  Of  Crawford's  own  fate 
ve  have  the  following  account  by  Dr.   Knight,  his   companion.:]: 

Monday  luorniiig  tlie  tenth  of  June,  we  were  paraded  to  march  to 
buiidiisky,  about  thirty-three  miles  distant;  they  had  eleven  prisoners  ol 
,<  ;inu  four  s<c;dj)s,  ihe  Indians  being  seventeen  in  number. 

Colonel  Crawford  was  very  desirous   to  see  a  c(>rtain  Simon  Cirty, 

^s\\{)  lived  with  the  Indian*,  and  was  on  tliis  account  pormillcd  to  go  to 

nvn  the  same  night,  with  two  warriors  to  guard  liim,   having  orders  at 

'!;p  same  time  to  pnss  by  the  place  where  the  Colonel  liad  turned  out 

i«  horse,  that  they  might,  if  possible,  find  him.     The  rest  of  us  were 

ikon  as  far  as  the  old  town,  which  was  within  eight  miles  of  the  new. 

Tuesday  morning,  the  elcvrnlli.  Colonel  Crawford  was  brought  out 

.0  IIS  en  purpose  to  he  marched  in  with  the  other  prisoners.     T  asked 

■/)e  Colonel  if  he  had  seen  Mr.  Ciirty  ?     He  told  me  he   had,  and  that 

Girty  had  promised  to  do  every  thing  in  his  power  for  him,  but  that  the 

'ndiiMis  were  very  much  enraged  against   tlie    prisoners ;    particularly 

'  aptuiu  Pipe,  one  of  the  chiet's  ;   he  likewise  told  me  that  Girty  had  in- 

niiicJ  him  that  his  son-in-law.  Colonel   Harrison,  and   his    nephew, 

\\illiaiii  Crawford,  were  made   prisoners  by  the    Sliawancso,    but   had 

•'cii  ,)ardoncd.     This   Captain  Pipe  had  come  from  the  town   about  ;:il 

Diir  before  Colonel  Crawford,  and  bad  painted  all   the  prisoners'   faces 

lack.     As  he  was  painting  me  he  told  me  I  should  go  to  the  Shawa- 

'Oii  till'  2(lili  oC  Ma)  ol"  this  yciir,  ailvciliMim'tits  arc  said  to  have  Ui'Oii  made  at 
■\!i<'cliii;;,  of  a  now  stato  to  tio  toiiiidod  on  the  ^!l|■  kiinruiii  :  iIk-  [nan  was  liradcd  liv  a 
Tinin  .1.  \vli()  liad  l)oon  in   lCii(»land.     Sec  Day's  Historical  Collrctionsi  of  I\'nnsylvania, 

;  Ml. 

'  IriMii  Ilf'rkewpldor  (N'arrativo,  342.)  wo  learn  tliat.  the  Indians  knt  \v  t)iir<  dctorinina- 
ti :  till  ir  spies,  will)  were  constantly  aliroad — having;  fmmd  it  written  «itli  coal  ii|)Oii  tlio 
•||<"i  trees  iif  the  criiii[>,  near  tlu"  Ohio.      All  <iicli  writinj^s  tliey  co|iied  and  took  to  some 
<  uliii  could  read  ihein. 

'•  f  AnierK'.-.ii  I'ionei  r,  ii.  1^1,  a  statement  ill  rived  from  the  Wyandots',  to  the  i  llVi' 
•''■  r'\  wi^liid  to  cive  Crawford  ;  not  from  iii<  ri\ ,  lowevcr,  liiit  on  sjieciilution. 


240 


Cra wj'ord 's  Death . 


17b-.' 


nose  towns  and  sec  my  friomls,     When  the  (.'olonel  arrived  he  painif ; 
liini  black  also,  told  hhn  fir  vva.s  ghul  to  see  him,  and  that  hi    woidil  \w\ 
him  shaved   when  ho  came   to  &ec  his  friends  at  the  Wyandot  town. 
When  we  marched  the  Colonel  and  I  were  kept  hack  between  ri|)o  an! 
\Vyn<,^cnim,  the  two  Delaware  chiefs  ;    the  other  nine  prisoners  wip 
sent  forward  witli  another  party  of  In(han3.     As  we  went  along  we  sav 
four  of  the  prisoners  lying  by  the  path  tomaluiwked  and  scalped,  som, 
of  them  were  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile  from  each  other.      Wlieii  wt. 
arrived  within  half  a  mile  of  the  place  where  the  Colonel  was  exccutt! 
\VG  overtook   the  five  prisoners  that  remained  alive  ;  the    Indians  I  i. 
caused  them  to  sit  down  on  ihe  ground,  as  they  did  also  the  CoIoik. 
and  me  at  some  distance  from   them.     1   was  there  given  iu  charge  i 
an  Indian  fellow  to  be  taken  to  the  Shawanese  towns. 

In  the  place  where  we  were  now  made  to  sit  down,  there  was  a  luim 
bcr  of  squaws  and  boys,  who  fell  on  the  live  prisoners  and  toniiihawlvi 
then).  There  was  a  certain  John  McKiniy  amongst  the  prisoners,  lur 
merly  an  olficcr  in  the  lUlh  Virginia  regiment,  whoh^  iiead  an  old  .s  [u  v 
cut  ofT,  and  the  Indians  kicked  it  about  upon  the  ^'jound.  The  ymi!,. 
Indian  fellows  came  often  where  the  Colonel  and  I  were,  and  d^i^licl 
the  scalps  in  our  faces.  W^e  were  then  conducted  along  toward  t', 
place  where  the  Colonel  was  afterwards  execmed ,  ^  *ien  we  came  wit!- 
in  about  half  a  mile  uf  it,  Simon  Girty  met  ViJ  ,  wiii'  •  everal  Indians  oi. 
horseback;  he  spoke  to  the  Colonel,  but  as  I  w.;s  about  one  liutnlre: 
and  fifty  yards  behind,  could  not  hear  whai  patesed  between  them. 

Almost  every  Indian  we  met  struck  us  either  M-ith  sticks  or  their  fisi? 
Girty  waited  till  I  was  brought  up  and  ask'  d,  „  ;  that  the  Doctor?  i 
told  him  yes,  and  went  towards  him  rt'acamg  o\.i  wy  hand,  but  he  bi. 
me  begone,  and  called  me  a  danin^u  rasoal,  upo;)  wliich  the  fellows  \vh 
hud  me  in  cluiij;  ;^  ulU  I  me  along.  Girty  rode  up  after  iiie  and  lolJ  iii' 
I  was  to  go  to  the  Shav, au    e  towns. 

Wiien  Si  went  io  xlw  Tu.   the  Colonel  waf?  stripped  naked,  ordered  lo 
sit  down  by  the  fire,  and  then  they  beat  him  with  sticks  and  tlicir  fi;'- 
Frcsently  after  I  was  treated  in  the  same  manner.     They  then  liei! 
rope  to  the  fool  of  a  post  about  fifteen  feet  high,  bound  the  Coloiid- 
hands  behind  his  back  and  HLslened  the  rope  to  the  ligature  between  I'A 
wrists.     The  rope  was  long  enough  for  iiim  to  sit  down  or  walk  romi. 
tlie  post  once  or  twice,  and   return  the  same  way.     The  Colonel  thir.l 
ealicd  to  Girty  and  asked  if  they  intended  to  burn    him?     Girty  ;i 
swered,  yes.     The  Colonel  said  he  would  take  it  all  patiently.    Ip'' I 
this,  Captain  Pipe,  a  Delaware  chief,  made  a  speech  to  the  Indians,  viz 
about  thirty  or  forty  men,  sixty  or  seventy  squaws  and  boys. 

When  the  speech  was  finished  they  all  yelled  a  hideous  and  IumH}! 
assent  .)  what  had  been  said.  The  Indian  men  then  took  up  tlieir  !l'i!i' 
and  siiot  powder  into  the  Cylontl's  body,  from  l.ii  feet  as  far  up  ■'•>  I- 


1782. 


CraxiifonVs  DeatJi. 


247 


fe  came  wr: 


e  Doctor '.    i 


sifck.  I  think  tli:it  not  loss  than  spvonly  londs  wrrr  (lisclinrcjpil  upon 
liis  nakod  holy.  They  then  crowded  al)Oiit  liini,  :ind  to  the  host  of  my 
observation,  cut  o(T  liis  ears;  whon  the  thronsr  had  disucrsed  a  little,  I 
sinv  the  blood  running  from  holh  sides  of  liis  head  in  conscqiicnc' 
thereof. 

The  fire  was  about  six  or  seven  yards  from  the  post  to  which  the 
Colonel  was  tied  ;  it  was  made  of  small  hickory  pole",  burnt  quite 
ihroiijfh  in  the  middle,  each  end  of  the  poles  rcmainin^f  about  »ix  fed  in 
leii!.i:''li-  Three  or  four  Indians  by  turns  would  take  up,  individually, 
one  of  these  burning  pieces  of  wood  and  apply  it  to  his  naked  body, 
already  burnt  black  with  the  powder.  These  tormentors  presented 
ijuiii^elves  on  every  side  of  him  with  the  burning  faggots  and  [lolcs. 
Some  of  the  squaws  took  [)road  boards,  upon  which  they  would  carry  a 
qiniility  of  burning  coals  aiiil  hot  embers  and  throw  on  I'.iin,  so  that  in 
aflu'rt  time  he  had  nothing  but  coals  of  fire  and  hot  ashes  to  walk  upon. 

Ill  the  midst  of  these  extreme  tortures,  he  called  to  Simon  Girly  and 
hpil'jred  ef  him  to  shoot  him  ;  but  Girty  making  no  answer,  Vc  i;aried  to 
him  again.  Girty,  then,  by  way  of  derision,  told  the  (Colonel  he  had 
no  gun,  at  the  same  time  turning  about  to  an  Indian  wlio  was  behind 
aughed  heartily,  and  by  all  his  gestures  seemed  delighted  at  the 


iimi, 


scene. 


horrid 

(Jirty  then  came  up  to  me  and  bade  me  prepare  for  death.  He  said, 
however,  I  was  not  to  die  at  that  |)lace,  but  to  be  burnt  at  the  Sliawa- 
ncse  towns.     He  swore  by  G — d  I  need  not  expect  to  escape  death,  but 


jOU 


Id  siilVcr  it  in  all  its  extremities. 


He  then  observed  that  some  prisoners  had  given  him  to  inulcrslaiid. 
th.it  if  our  people  had  him  they  would  not  hurt  him  ;  for  his  part,  he 
sai.l,  he  did  not  believe  it,  but  dcsir<'d  to  know  my  opinio.i  of  the  mat- 
ter, l;ul  being  at  that  time  in  great  anguish  and  distress  for  the  torment!- 
'.he  Colonel  was  suffering  before  my  eyes,  as  well  as  the  cxpctation  of 
undergoing  the  same  fate  in  two  days,  I  made  little  or  no  answer,  il^' 
expressed  a  great  deal  of  ill  will  for  Colonel  Gibson,  and  snid  he  vv:;f-- 
one  of  his  greatest  enemies,  and  more  to  the  same  purpose  •  all  whicl 
I  paid  very  little  attention. 

Colonel  Crawford  at  this  period  of  his  sufl'erings  b(  lught  the  Al- 
mighty to  have  mercy  on  his  soul,  spoke  very  low,  an  '  l)ore  his  tor- 
ments with  the  most  manly  fortitude.  He  continued  in  ill  the  extrem- 
iiies  of  pain  for  an  hour  and  three  quarters  or  t\.-o  lioi  onger,  as  near 
as  I  can  judge,  when  at  last,  being  almost  exhausted,  h.  1  ly  douii  on  hi.- 
belly;  they  then  scalped  him,  and  repeatedly  threw  the  scalp  in  my  \\\ct\ 
telling  me,  "  that  was  my  great  captain."  An  old  squ.w  (who.se  ap- 
pearance every  w;iy  answered  the  ideas  jieople  rntcrtain  of  the  Devil, 
eot  a  bo.ud,  took  a  parcel  of  coals  and  ashes  and  laid  them  on  liis  back 
jfid  heail,  after  he  had  been  scalped,  he  tlien  raised  hinself  upon  his 


248 


Trent ninU  of  tlie  Moravians  by  the  British 


17S:' 


fct'l  :uul  bfj^in  t.)  \v:il!v  round  llic  posl ;   llicy  next  put  :i  Imniing  slick  t,; 
liiiii  iis  iisiiiil,  l)ut  lie  scoincd  inon"  ii)soiiMl)In  of  pain  llian  l)cfnrc. 

TliP  Iidian  fellow  who  had  me  in  rharpe,  now  took  me  ;nv;iv  tr 
Cnj)t;iin  Pipe's  house,  about  tlir('e-qiiart'..'rs  of  a  mile  from  the  placp  w 
the  rohjncl's  execulioii.  T  wis  hound  fdl  ni^ht,  and  thus  prevrntfi! 
from  seciniT  the  last  of  tlie  horrid  spectacle.  Next  morning,  heinjj  Junr 
12tli,  the  Indian  untied  me,  painted  nic  black,  and  we  sri  off  for  the 
Shawniiese  town,  which  he  told  mo  was  somewhat  less  tlian  forty  niilee 
distant  from  that  place.  We  soon  came  to  the  spot  where  the  Colonci 
had  been  burnt,  as  It  was  partly  in  our  way  ;  1  saw  his  bones  lying 
amongst  the  remains  of  the  lire,  almost  burnt  to  ashes  ;  I  su|)pose  :ilVr 
lie  was  dead  they  laid  his  body  on  the  fire.  The  Indian  told  me  i!u; 
was  my  big  Captain,  and  gave  the  scalp  halloo. 


•ill'  Mivafjos; 


In  sliiinge  liiif  pleasant  contrast  to  the  treatment  of  the  C'luiv 
tiaii  Indians  upon  tlic  Muskin^iini,  we  liavc  to  rcfonl  nect  the  e<i;. 
duct  of  the  British  toward  their  religious  leaders  during  this  v;iii|. 
spring,  ^'ii'ty,  wlio  early  in  the  season  liad  led  a  liand  of  AVv;iii- 
dots  against  the  American  frontiers,  had  left  orders  to  have  Ilecki- 
wi'lder  and  liis  comrades  driven  like  lieasts  from  Sanclusky,  win ;. 


tliev 


had  wiiiti'red 


to  Di 


etroit  ;  specially  enjoining   liru 


tality 


■>var 


KMl, 


them.  Hul  his  agents,  or  rather  those  of  the  Eng1i>li  coniniai 
in  till-  wesi,  together  with  me  traders  who  were  called  upon  to  iiii! 
ill  thrir  removal,  distinguished  themselves  by  kindness  and  ccii. 
sideralioii,  aiding  the  r.issionaiies  on  their  march,  defending  tin 
cajilives  from  the  outrageous  hrutality  of  Ciirty,  who  overtook  tluii; 
at  Lower  Sandusky,   and   who   swore  he   M'ould   have   their  liv(-, 


leir  surviving  disrip 


)les  at 


a   Sr' 


and  at  length  re-uniting  thcin  io  tl 
tiemcnt  upon  the  river  Huron.* 

!t  was  in  Marcji  that  Williamson's  canijiaign  took  place,  nip; 
during  the  same  month  the  Moravians  were  taken  to  Michigan.  I' 
was  in  lliat  month  also  ]  that  an  event  took  jdace  in  Kenfu(l\. 
'lear  tin  present  town  of  Mt.  Sterling,  in  Montgoniery  county. 
which  has  bei'ii  dwelt  upon  with  more  interest  by  her  historiaiiN 
than  almost  any  otlier  of  <'(pial  nniin[)orlance  ;  we  refer  to  FOslrH'^ 
deli  at  by  a  party  of  Wyandots.  The  interest  of  this  skiriiii^!. 
arose  from  the  e(piality  of  numbers  on  tlie  two  sides;  the  suppo>n' 


•owardice  of  Miller,  Estill's  litnitenaiit,  who   was  sent  t 


o  ou 


tllaiik 


:iii;,iit  have  in 


•  !((•(  krwoldrr's  Narrnfivo,  30S.  naO-iM!). 

t  ftt:irsli;ill  (i.  lj(i)  says  Ma\  ,  «>  Hillow  Cliicf  Jilstiro  IIdIxtIsoii,  iiiiotrd  liy  11"'' 
[\-l\  W'-u)  ^^ll(>  s-ays  Maicli  -'2.  Si'c  also  Cii,fs  Cinciiiiiati  MisiclhiDv,  i.  3,  'I'lii-  ■- 
■  If'taileil  account 


17S-2 

ling  sticli  ti; 
fore. 

nc  ;i\v;iv  |i 
lie  pl;ii"p  u] 
9  prevptitfd 
,  beinjr  Jnw 
ofT  for  ihf 
1  forty  miles 
the  Oolonei 
bones  lying 
.ippose  iilVt 
old  me  ilui 


the  C'liri^- 
ct  the  fd;. 

f  this  sniiit 
of  AVv;iii- 

ivc  ITrckf 

sky,  wilt ;, 
ility  io'-varl 
nminiiiiihiri' 
upon  1o  iiiii 
s  and  ci'i. 
'(•iidiiiL;-  !].■ 
rtook"  tjul; 
their  livt-, 
s  at   a  si'- 

Marc,  nip: 
hiiraii.  I' 
I\ciiturl\. 
rv  coiiiiiv. 
historian^. 

to  F<:sirir< 

s   skiriiii^li 

MippOM  ;' 

()  oulllaiik 


tc.l  l.v    lliit  ' 
3.     Till-  '• 


;;S2.         EsfilPs  Bifvot  and  Jlttack  on  Bryant's  Station . 


219 


im 


iif  savages;   and  tlie  conscHpH'iil  death  of  the  leader,  a  brave  and 

pillar  man.  lis  efTeel  ujx)!!  tlie  settlers  was  nieridy  to  ixeite  a 
Itcpti  hostility  toward  the  Indian  raees. 

N'nr  did  the  red  men  on  their  part  show  any  signs  of  losing  their 
iiiiiii'isily,  KUiot,  MeKee  and  (lirty  urged  them  on  with  a  fury 
iiiit  it  is  not  easy  to  aecouiit  for. 

Again  the  vvoods  teemed  with  savages,  and  n(t  one  was  safe 
;r(iin  attack  beyond  the  walls  of  a  station.  'I'he  influence  of  the 
Briii-"!!,  and  the  constant  pressure  of  the  Fiong  Knives  upon  the 
-iil-iiicn,  had  pnxluced  a  union  of  the  various  tribes  of  the  north- 
Atst,  who  seemed  to  be  •ralheriii'T  a":ain  to  strike  a  fatal  blow  at 
111  frontier  settlements,  and  had  they  beep  led  by  a  Philip,  a  Pon- 
iiic,  or  a  Tecumlh*',  it  is  impossible  to  es!iinate  the  injury  they 
:iii|,'lil  have  inflicted. 

June  and  July  j)assed,  liowever,  and  August  was  half  gone,  and 
<'ill  the  anticipated  storm  had  not  burst  upon  tlie  pioneers  in  its 
ill  force,  when,  upon  the  night  of  the  1  1th  of  the  latter  month, 
ill  main  body  of  the  Indians,  five  or  six  hundred  in  number, 
.atliered,  silent  as  the  shadows,  round  Bryant's  station,  a  i)ost  on 
ii  ■  hank  of  the  Elkhorn,  about  live  miles  from  Lexingtiui.  'I'he 
:;urison  of  this  post  had  heard  on  the  evening  of  the  1  lib,  of  the 
iitViit  of  a  party  of  whites  not  far  distant,  and  ':  :ing  that  night 
vi re  l>usy  in  preparations  to  mar«'h  with  da^-ln  'v  to  the  assist- 
11  X'  of  their  neighbors.  All  night  huig  their  |)repaiaiions  contin- 
.'il,  1111(1  what  little  sound  tic  savages  math'  as  they  apjJroaclM'd, 
»ii^  unheard  amid  the  comparative  tumult  within.  Day  stole 
Moiigh  the  forest;  the  woodsnvn  rose  from  tlieir  brief  slumbers, 
^"ik  their  arms,  ami  were  on  thr>  [loint  of  opening  their  gates  to 
janli,  when  the  crack  of  rifles,  mingU'd  with  yells  and  howls,  told 
ill  111  in  an  instant  how  narrowly  they  had  escajied  capti\  ity  or 
liatli.     Rushing  to  the  loop-holes  and   crannies,  they  saw  about  a 

'imlrcd  red-men  firing  and  gostieulating  in  lull  view  of  the  fort. 
Ilic  young  bloods,  full  of  ragi'  at  Kslill's  sad  defeat,  wished  in- 
■luitly  to  rush  forth  upon  the  attackers,  but  there  was  something 
:i 'lit  manner  of  the  Indians  so  peculiar  that   the  older  heads  at 

inc  suspected  a  trick,  and  looked  anxiously  to  the  opposite  side 
Mill' fort,  where  they  judged  the  main  body  of  the  enemy  were 
;rol)ul)ly  concealed.  Nor  were  tlie}(leceived.  The  savages  were 
'il  liy  Simon  (Jirty.  'I'his  white  sa\age  liad  jiroposed  by  an 
■liitk  upon  one  side  of  the  station  with  a  sniitll   part   of  his  force, 

iliiiw  out  the  garrison,  and  then  intended,  with  the  main  body 


250 


'Utitvk  on    liri/diifs  Stulion. 


17S' 


to  Jiill  midii  tlic  otlicr  sidf  1111(1  secure  the  loit  ;  but  his  phiu  u,i. 
(li'l'eiiled  I))  llif  ovcr-adiii^  of  his  i\m1  allies,  and  tjic  sa^iiiiis  ,,; 
his  ()|)|)(iiieiits.      'riicse  oppouciits,   however,   had   slill   a  sad  ditli. 


cu 


lt\  lo  ciicouiilcr  ;  the  toil  was  not  supplied  with  \vat»'r,  an 


ii  1 


spriii;f  was  at  some  distanci-,  and  in  the  inunediate  vicinity  (,|  th. 
thicket  ill  which  il  was  supposi-d  the  main  Ibiee  ol' tho  Indians  Im 
concealed.  The  daiij^er  of  ^oin^  or  sending  for  water  \vas  |ilinii, 
the  alisoliite  necessity  of  having  if  was  equally  so;  and  Ikiw  j- 
could  he  procured  was  a  cpiestion  which  made  many  a  liead  sli;iki\ 
many  a  lieart  sink.  At  length  a  plan  e(pially  sagacious  and  \u\V\ 
was  hit  upon,  and  successl'ully  carrii'd  into  execution  hy  as  irii;r 
an  (>xerti()n  of  womanly  presence  of  mind  as  can,  perhai)s,  he  fmini', 


on  record 


Tftl 


II'  savatres  were,  as  was  supposed,  concea 


d, 


de.l 


Ilea: 


the  spring,  il  was  heheved  they  wouhl  not  show  themselves  imti' 
they  had  reason  to  htdieve  tlieir  trick  had  succeeded,  and  the  iiar- 
risoii  had  left  the  fort  on  the  other  side.  It  was  therefore  proposed 
to  all  the  females  to  go  with  their  buckets  to  the  sj)ring,  fill  thcin. 
and  return  to  tlii'  fort,  before  any  sally  was  made  against  the  ;r- 
tacking  parly.  The  dangi'r  to  whii'h  they  must  l)e  r-xposiMl  \v,i> 
not  to  be  concealed,  but  it  was  urged  upon  them  that  this  iiiiisi  In 
done  or  all  perish;  and  that  if  tliey  were  steatly,  the  Indians  wouk 
not  molest  tlu-m ;  and  to  tlie  iionor  of  their  sex  be  it  said,  tinn 
went  forth  in  a  body,  and  directly  under  live  hundred  rifles,  lilkc 
their  biudvets,  and  returned  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  suggest  to  tlii 


(piick-sigjited  savages  tliat  their  presence  in  the  thicket   was 


su<- 


Th 


(1( 


lis  (lone,  a  small   numi)er  ot  tlie  jjarnson  were  sen 


)V\<  Il 


pectcd.' 

forth  against  th'  .idackers,  with  (  rders  to  multiply  their  niiml 
the  ear  by  constant  fning,  wiiile  the  main  body  of  the  whites  Uiol 
their  places  to  repel  the  anticipated  rush  of  those  in  conceahiunt 
The  plan  succeeded  perfectly.  The  whole  boily  of  Indians  rusiin: 
from  their  ambuscade  as  they  lu'ard  the  firing  upon  the  oppi^iu 
side  of  the  fort,  and  were  receivcid  by  a  fair,  well-directed  dis- 
charge of  all  the  rilles  left  within  the  station.  Astonished  and  lim- 
ror-stricken,  the  assailants  tiiriu'd  to  the  forest  again  as  (piicUy  a> 
they  had  left  it,  having  lost  many  of  their  nundjcr. 

In  the  morning,  as  soon  as  the  presence  of  the  Indians  \va> 
asceitained,  and  before  their  nuinl)ers  were  suspected,  two  iiicsstii- 
gcrs  had  broken  through  their  line,  Ijcaring  to  Lexington  tidini:- 
of   the    si'ig(>   of   Bryant's    station,    and    asking    succors.     TIk-^ 


We  liavc  It    nil    tli(!    |)ost    uullioritv 


iDWcvcr,   that  Siiim 


tfliioii   ^':llll 


1  tl 


Hi  ^^  1- 


roiiiaiH-C)  liy  ins  a<'i  omit  tiii.Te  was  a  c(jvi  rtil  \vu_v  to  llir  j-pniig. 


178-i. 


Gir(y''s  talk  vnth  Rt'tjnolds. 


251 


,U((()is  ( aiue  uljout  Iwo  in  tlu-  ulU'iiKJon;  sixlfcii  mt'ii  ln'iiig 
jaiiuiiti.ll,  and  thirty  or  more  on  loot.  'The  savagt's  fxpccli'tl  lla-ir 
aiiival,  and  prcjjart'd  to  dcslroy  tlieni,  but  the  liorsciiuMi,  I)}  rapid 
liiliii^S  and  inivclopfd  in  dust,*  rcaciicd  thu  lort  uidiarnuil,  and 
ol'ilic  tuf>*imc'n,  alter  an  hour's  hard  li^htin<^,  otdy  two  wt-re  killed 
ami  lour  wounded.  The  Indian's  eoura^^e  rarely  supports  him 
tliroiit^di  lonj>-  continued  evertion  ;  and  fiirty  found  Ids  men  so  far 
disluarttrticd  by  their  failures,  that  of  the  mornini^  in  the  attempt 
to  take  the  fort,  ami  that  in  the  afternoon  to  destroy  the  troops 
from  Lexington,  tliat  before  night  they  talked  of  abandoidng  the 
sic^a-.  This  tlieir  leader  was  very  unwilling  to  have  done  :  and 
tliiiikiiig  he  miglit  scare  the  garrison  into  surrender,  he  managed 
to  get  within  speaking  distance,  and  there  from  behind  a  large 
stump,  commenced  a  jiarley.  He  told  the  white  men  who  he  was, 
assured  them  of  his  great  desire  that  they  shoidd  not  .suller;  and 
ijil'orniing  them  that  lu'  looked  liourly  for  reini'orcements  with 
camion,  against  which  they  could  not  hoj)e  to  hold  out,  Ix^gged 
tliiiii  to  surrender  at  once;  if  they  did  so,  no  one  should  be  hurt, 
but  il  they  waited  till  the  caimon  came  up,  he  feared  they  would 
all  tall  victims.  The  garrison  looked  at  one  another  with  unci'r- 
taiiity  and  fear;  against  camion  tliey  could  do  nothing,  and  cannon 
liad  heen  used  in  1780.  wSeeing  the  eHect  of  dirty 's  speech,  and 
dislielicving  every  word  of  it,  a  young  man  nanu'd  Reynolds  took 
it  upon  himself  to  answer  the  renegade.  "  You  need  not  Ite  so 
particular,"  he  cried,  "to  tell  us  yoiu'  name;  wt'  know  your  name, 
ami  you  too.  I've  had  a  villanous,  untrustworthy  cur-dog,  this 
luuu,  while,  named  Simon  Girty,  in  compliment  to  you  ;  he's  so 
liki'  you — just  as  ugly  and  just  as  wicked.  As  to  the  cannon,  let 
tlicm  come  on  ;  the  country's  roused,  and  the  scalps  of  your  red 
cut-throats  and  your  own  too,  will  be  drying  on  our  cabins  in 
twiMity-four  hours.  And  if  by  any  chance,  you  or  your  allii's  do 
git  into  the  fort,  we've  a  big  store  of  rods  luitl  in  on  })urpose  to 
si'ourge  you  out  again." 

The  method  taken  by  Reynolds  was  much  more  efl'ertual  than 
any  argument  with  his  comrades  would  have  been,  and  Oirty  had 
to  return  to  tlie  Indian  council-lire  unsuccessful.  JUit  he  and 
till'  chiefs  well  knew  that  though  their  reinforcements  and  cannon. 
Wiif  all  imaginary,  the  expected  aid  of  tlu>  wliites  was  not 
l>i' ';u',  Todd,   and    Logan  would   soon  be  upon  them  ;  the  ablest 


"  t  isi's  Ciiiciiiiiiili  Miscellany,  i.  238.    The  account  is  l)y  E,  E.  Williams,  who  was  a 
ti'n  Ml  tlic  bUUuu  at  the  tiiiiu  of  the  attack. 


25i> 


Kinfurkians  pursue  dirty. 


nv) 


K-: 


\\\\{\  Iiiildcst  of  llio  pioneers  woiihl  rtit  ihcm  oH' from  a  rtlnni' 
the  Oliio,  anil  ihrir  dcsfniclion  would  he  insured.  On  the 
liaiid,  il'  lliey  now  l»e^an  (o  retire  and  were  jiiu^ucd,  as  tl,,  ■, 
surely  woidd  lie,  lliey  eoidd  elioosc  llieir  own  j^ritund,  an*!  alwin. 
figlii  willi  llieir  way  home  dear  heliind  them.  All  ni;j,'lH  tlie\  l;i\ 
slill,  their  (ires  l)urnin|^,  hut  when  da)  hroke,  the  whole  hod)  f,i 
sava<;es  was  fi;one.* 

I»\  noon  ol  the  ISlh  of  August,  ahout  one  hundred  Mhd  •  i^ht', 
men  had  f^alheri'd  at  lir} ant's  station  ;  anionj^  them  were  nnum 
and  his  youngest  son.  Thev  had  iioniitial  commanders  hut  n,, 
true  discipline,  and  al)er  a  disorderly  discussion,  determined  iiji,.;. 
immediate  j)ursuit,  without  waitin;^  for  the  arrival  of  flriura! 
Lojran  ;  accordinj^ly,  in  the  afternoon  of  the  ISth,  the  whole  IkkK 
set  forward,  Colonid  John  Todd  aclinj^  as  leader.  The  trail  u\ 
the  sava<^es  was  as  plain  as  could  he  wished;  inde»'(l,  to  IVuin. 
and  the  more  reflectirif;,  it  was  clear  that  the  retiring'  arms  lia ' 
taken  jjains  to  make  il  so,  and  fuir  sagacious  woodsmen  at  nmr 
concluded  that  a  surjirise  at  some  point  was  intended,  anil  tli;/ 
point  T^oone  was  confident  was  tlie  Tiower  llliie  liicks,  whcr(  tin' 
nature  of  the  ground  eminently  favored  such  a  plan.  Willi  -^w.x 
caution  the  little  army  proccfdcd  until,  ii[)on  the  t'ollowin;;;  il,iv, 
tliey  reacheil  the  Licking'  river,  al  the  point  designated  hy  IV»ni,c 
as  the  one  where  an  attack  nii<i;ht  he  expected  ;  and  as  they  imhh 
in  si^'li'  tif  the  (»j)posite  hank,  they  discovered  ujion  its  hare  rii!i:i 
a  few  Indians,  who  <^a/ed  al  them  a  moment  and  then  j)assc(l  iiitu 
the  ravine  heyond.  Tlu'  hills  ahout  the  Blue  liicks  are  even  now 
alnK»st  wholly  witlioul  wood,  and  the  scattered  cedars  whicli  a' 
present  lend  them  some  <j;reen,  did  not  exist  in  1782.  As  ymi 
ascend  the  ridj^e  of  the  hill  ahove  the  spring,  you  at  last  reinli  ;t 
point  where  two  ravines,  thickly  wooded,  run  down  finm  the  liari 
ground  to  tli(>  right  and  lefi,  afHtrdiiig  a  place  of  concealmciil  f"; 
a  very  large  hody  of  men,  who  could  thence  attack  on  front,  (laiil;, 

•  The  (liffiriilty  iif  tolling':  iiiiy  ttiin;;  ahout  (IctaiU  in  our  wpstrrii  border  Btorios.  \*  «('l 
nIiowii  liy  the  uncortniiity  which  uxititM  uh  to  how  long  the  IiidiiiMB  were  hcl'ore  Hryarit'i 
Btatioii. — Iluticr  says  they  came  on  llic  ('vemii;^  ol' the  1  Uli,  and  loll  on  llic  niornmi;  i 
the  fourth  day,  or  ISlh. — .McCluii^;  Kays  thi'v  cauH'  cui  tlie  iii;;hl  of  tlic  I  Itli,  am!  iiniilii- 
that  thoy  left  on  fhfi  mornin({  of  the  l.Oth. — (iovcmor  Morohead  iipr«'C8  with  MrCiiiML'.— 
ISoonc's  Sk(!tch«'s  HayH  thr  invcstnictit  look  placo  on  llif  l.'ilh,  and  that  liicy  rctinil  iIm' 
third  day,  or  \7th;  tlioiigh  Iuh  letter  to  tiie  flovertior  of  Nirguiia,  d.ited  Au^;ii>t  ;!i'li:. 
1782,  sayH  th«'  attiiek  was  lui  the  Kith,  and  the  retreat  (i}itnil  Itii  (/'c/of/.- the  iie\l  il,n 
while  llio  arrnunt  in  Cisfs  Ciiieirniati  Miscellany,  i.  ODd,  hy  one  [)res'ent,  makes  il:'' 
nttack  on  the  Ullh,  and  the  retreat  lufitrr  ildijli'^hl  on  the  i7th.  lloonc's  letter  is  iii  ih'' 
aj)j>eudix  to  Governor  Moorclicad's  adilre.ss  at  Uoonesboro, 


,'•1(1  rear,  an 
^'ri'iiiid :   in  I 
iiniiiders  ("or 
lit  priiposed 
M  cross  the 
rtiir,  while  I 
Boone's  plan 
party,  Major 
•'hroke  from 
"iiiiil  called 
hiiii,  and  thu 
irilers,  into  t 
|mrsiiit  of  oil 
IIK'II    that    (n 
lli,'lit    with    t 
iiiKUic   in    hi; 
iOth,  17S-2,  1 
loiis  circum> 
>M(l(len    and 
('o(i|)er  and 
•ihcovering  tl 
line,  and  mar 
'litTc  was  a  Q 
:iiys('If  on  the 
i:'.'  advance 
bil  formed,  i 
!  >iif  with  a  v 
ill'  line  to   Cf 
:!<ilifd  up   an 
iitiiiy  got  i.. 
■  iss  of  seven 
<  the  impress 
^me  keen   p 
I'lu're  he  says 
'"ing  ignoran 

lliiijamiii  .\.  C 

•'  ii  from  St.  Lou 

*S.e  Marshall, 
Vi-llary  at  the  hnai 

i  Col.  C'()oj)er  saj 
• .  'Ill's  station  ?) 

'iv  tlio  si-rns  we  t 
•>iigh  the  calculal 


ns-2. 

rttrc;it  '. 

tlir     (llli,.; 
,     !l<^    ill.  •, 

ml  iiKviu. 

¥ 

iJftd  I  i'^lit; 
("IT  Hooiic 
rs  l)iit  i|(i 
liiit'd  iijinn 
if  Ciciirr;i! 

'Iiolf    l)Ull', 

II'    tl'llll   III 

Id    Hooni 

;irin\  li;ii! 

'11    al    niicp 

,   and  tli;r 

avIh  r(    till' 

A'itli  :;rrir 

wiiij;-  il;iy, 

by  Ilioiir 

tlu'y  cwiw 

bare  iii!i:i 

»ass('d  into 

even  iiiiw 

wliicli  ;i' 

,      As  ynii 

st  rcai'li  a 

II  tlif  h;r.' 

aliiiciit  fo: 

<,iil,  (laiil<, 

torios.  i^  "''I 
ore  lirv.inl* 

ic  iiiiiriuiii;  I- 
,  .iiu!  iiiii'li'- 
I  McCliinL'.— 
•y   rftirc'tl  til'' 

Aiii,Mi^t  :;'^iii- 

llic  IH'\I  iln*  • 
It,  lii:iki'>.  ll'' 
(•Iter  IS  in  iK'' 


178; 


Ihidle  i>J'  n/ue  Lii/is. 


25:j 


11(1  rrar,  any  wbo  were  piiisiiinn;  \]u>  main  trace  abm^  ibc  hi;^lu  : 
lid:   in  (hrsf  ravines,  Hoonr,  who  was  Itjokcil  to  by  the  coni- 


-'iiiii 


IliillK 


b'ls  lor  roiinsci,  said  thai  the  Imlians  were  pi  iiably  hidden 
lit  jiroposed,  tlii.'relore,  that  lliey  shoulil  si'iul  a  pari  of  their  men 
1 1  cross  the  lJi-kiii>{  farther  up,  and  fall  upon  the  Indians  in  the 
rear,  while  the  riniainiiif^  troops  attaek«'<l  them  in  lr(»nl.  While 
IjDone's  |)lan  was  under  diseus-^ion  by  tlie  ojlieers  of  the  pursiiint* 
parly,  Major  Miii^li  MeCJary,  acc()rdin<4  to  the  common  account, 
"broke  from  the  eoumil,"  (to  use  the  words  o<'  one  j)resent,*) 
"and  called  upon  tlie  troops  wlio  were  not  cowards  to  follow 
liiiii,  and  thus  colleetiriL^  a  band,  went  without  order,  and  atj;aiiist 
irilers,  into  the  action,  and  in  consecpience  of  this  act  a  j^eneral 
juirsiiit  of  ofbcers  and  men  took  place,  more  to  save  the  ilesjierale 
iiicii  that   followed  McCJary,   than  from    a  lioj)e    of  a    successtui 


irht   with    tlie    Indians."     Il    is   to   be    noticeil,    h 


owever 


that 


llooiie  ill  his  letU'r  to  the  Governor  of  Virfrinia,  daled  Aui^ust 
iOtli.  17<S2,  nol  only  fails  to  mention  McfJary's  conduct,  but  inen- 
loiis  circumstances  which  seem  wholly  al  variance  with  such  a 
>iukleii    and    disorderly    charffef    as    that    described    by    Colonel 


'iioper   and    the   common 


tradif 


ion. 


II 


IS    wor( 


Is   are   tliese: — 


orv 


iisfoverinj]^  the  enemy  —  "  We  formed  our  columns  into  one  sin<j;le 
d  marched  up  in  tlieir  front  within  about  forty  yards  before 


no,  an 


'lit'fe  was  a  Lijun  fired.  Colonel  Tri^^ijj  conunanded  on  the  ri'j^ht, 
:iiys('lf  on  tlie  left.  Major  Mcdary  in  the  centre,  and  Major  Harlan 
i;'.'  advance  party  in  the   front.      From   the  manner  in  which  we 


,;ul  formed,  it   fell  to 


my 


lot    to  brint;  on  the   attack.     "^Pliis  was 


!>iK'  with  a  very  heavy  fire  on  both  sides,  and   extended  back  of 
ill'  line  to   Col.  Trigg,  where   the  eiuniy  was  so  strong  thai  the) 


las! 


hod 


up 


an 


d   broke  the   riirhl  win<r  al   tlie  first  fire.     Thus  the 


iiiiiiy  got  i..  our  rear,  and  we  were  compidled  to  retreat  with  the 
!)s.s  of  seventy-seven  of  our  men  and  twelve  wounded."  Nor 
<llie  impression  of  this  passage  altered  by  the  statement  of  the 
niu'  keen  pioneer,  as  given  in  his  account  of  his  adventures. 
riure  he  says  :  "The  savages  observing  us,  gave  wav,  and  we, 
ing  ignorant  of  their  numbers, |  passed  the    river.     When  the 

Dinjuinin  .\.  (.'ori])L'r'.s  ccrlirHiutc  in  I"i;uiki'i>il  ('i)iiiiii(iii\V(\iltli,  of  .laiiiiar)  l.'itli,  IStO"  . 

'•ll  friiin  St.  Liiiiis  r.ra,  and  furuislitd  that  ])a(ic'r  !))■  Mann  !lntlpr. 

*  Src  MarHliall,  i.  13S.  Iln  spraks  nftho  whiios  advancing,'  without  any  regular  order, 
■Vrdary  at  lii»!  h<!ud.     Tin!  saint'  account  is  jjivcn  in  Stipp. 

i  l-ol.Ciiuper  8ii}.-i  he  was  with  Uuonu  \\\wn  by  tounliii;^tlic  Indian  liros,  (ijucry,  bd'onj 
■.'■iit's  station?)  he   concluded  tlicrc  were   at   li'ast  ."((Hi  s,iva},'is.     Hoonc'.^  letter  say, 

'■>  tlio  sifrns  wc  thoii^'ht  flio  Indians  hail  exceeded  four  hundred"' — l)Ut  thi«  he  says  ,n 
■'ligh  the  calculation  had  boon  made  al\t'r  the  battle, 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


V] 


i9 


/}. 


/a 


VI 


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V 


/J. 


1.0 

Hi  Ki    12.2 

I.I 

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^^^= 

11.8 

1.25 

1.4       1.6 

^ —     o 

Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


^ 
^ 


,*v 


;V 


\ 


\ 


9> 


^ 

^ 
^ 


6^ 


'^U 


'%^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


r-x^ 


•254 


Batlle  of  Blue.  Licks. 


nso. 


oncmy  saw  our  proroodings,  having  greatly  the  advantage  of  U'^  in 
situalion,  Uicy  formed  the  line  of  battle,  from  one  hond  of  I/k  kino; 
to  th(!  other,  about  a  mile  from  the  Blue  Licks.  An  exreedin'r 
Hcrce  battle  immediately  began,  for  about  fifteen  minutes,  wlun 
A'e,  being  over])o\vered  by  numbers,  were  obliged  to  retreat  wiih 
the  loss  of  sixty-seven  men,  seven  of  whom  were  taken  prisomis."' 
Governor  Morehead,  however,  has  derived  from  the  accounts  ot 
eye-witnesses,  received  through  R.  WicklifFe,  some  particulaiv, 
which,  if  correct,  will  reconcile  most  of  the  common  story  wiili 
Boone's  statement,  and  these  we  give  in  the  words  of  his  address; 
leaving  our  readers  to  judge,  1st,  as  to  the  probability  that  P»oone 
would  entirely  omit  all  reference  to  the  conduct  of  McGary  ;  and 
•2d,  as  to  the  likelihood  of  McGary  and  his  followers  pausinir 
when  once  under  way.  It  is  also  to  be  noticed  that  Colonel 
Cooper,  Marshal,  and  Stipp  say  nothing  of  the  pause  alluded  to. 

Scarcely  had  Boone  submitted  his  opinions,  when  Major  McGary 
"raised  die  war- whoop,"  and  spurring  his  horse  into  the  river,  called 
vehemently  upon  all  who  were  not  cowards  to  follow  him,  and  hf 
would  show  them  the  enemy.  I'resently  the  army  was  in  moiion, 
The  greater  part  suffered  themselves  to  be  led  by  Mcdfary — the  re- 
mainder, perhaps  a  third  of  the  whole  number,  lingered  a  while  wiih 
Todd  and  Boone  in  council.  All  at  length  passed  over,  and  at  Boone's 
suggestion,  the  commanding  officer  ordered  another  halt.  The  pioneer 
then  proposed,  a  second  time,  that  the  army  should  remain  where  it 
was,  until  an  opportunity  was  afforded  to  reconnoitre  the  suspected 
region.  So  reasonable  a  proposal  was  acceded  to,  and  two  bold  but 
experienced  men  were  selected,  to  proceed  from  the  lick  alonff  the 
bufTalo  trace  to  a  point  half  a  mile  beyond  the  ravines,  where  the  road 
branched  off  in  difl'crent  directions.  They  were  instructed  to  examino 
the  country  v/ilh  the  utmost  care  on  each  side  of  the  road,  especi;!!)' 
the  spot  where  it  [)assed  between  the  ravines,  and  upon  the  liu'! 
appearnnce  of  the  enemy  to  repair  in  haste  to  the  army.  The  spic- 
discharged  the  dangerous  and  responsible  task.  They  crossed  over 
the  ridge — proceeded  to  the  place  designated  beyond  it,  and  returiic! 
in  safety  without  having  made  any  discovery.  No  trace  of  the  enemy 
was  to  bo  seen.  The  litde  army  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  two  nieii 
now  marched  forward — Colonel  Trigg  was  in  command  of  the  riirl't 
wing,  Boone  of  the  If  ft,  McGary  in  the  centre,  and  Major  Harlan  wii'i 
the  party  in  front.t 

After  the   disastrous  defeat  of  the  Blue  Licks,  the  Kentuekiai.': 


*  Hiiiler,  12'),  on  the  authority  of  General  Clark. 
+  Morcliead's  Address,  p.  99, 


17^-2, 


178-2 


Clark  attacks  Shawanesc. 


o: 


30 


;(.'  ot  u^  m 

itcs,  wllt'll 

jtrcrit  with 
prisntuTs." 
ccounts  of 
particular-;, 
story  Nvitli 
lis  address; 
that  P.onnc 
^Gary ;  and 
ers  paiisina 
\at    Colonel 
lliulod  to. 

ijor  McGary 
river,  called 
him,  and  /k 
IS   in  motion, 
iary— die  re- 
a  while  with 
nd  at  Boone's 
The  pioneer 
nair\   where  it 
the  suspected 
two  bold  but 
ick  alonff  the 
here  the  road 
led  to  examine 
lad,  especial  y 
.ipou    the  lii-''. 
.     The  spic^ 
crossed  over 
and  retunul 
of  the  enemy 
|hty  two  nieii 
of  the  risr!:! 
,r  Harlan  ^sV^ 

Kontuckiai.^ 


i^iiifd  until  they  met  Logan  who  had  advanced,  Cojoni  1  C'oop'T 
^avs,  Init  six  miles  north-ea.st  of  13ryant's  .station;  and  iVum  tin; 
<aiiic  source  we  learn  that  the  common  .story  is  wrong,  in  respect 
•o  the  expectation  of  Todd,  Boone,  and  others,  before  the  battle, 
lit' a  rrinforeement.  In  this  short,  but  severe  action,  Todd,  'I'rigg, 
llarliuid,  and  ]5oone's  son,  all  fell.  It  was  a  sad  day  for  Ken- 
lucky.  The  feelings  and  fears  of  the  Fayette  county  settlers  may 
•If  o;iiessed  from  the  l()llo\ving  extract  from  lioone's  letter  to 
Virginia;  when  he  felt  anxiety,  what  must  they  have  sullered! 

By  ilie  signs  wc  thought  tiie  Indians  had  exceeded  four  iunulrcd  ; 
while  the  wimle  of  this  militia  of  the  county  docs  not  amount  to  more 
than  one  hundred  and  thirty.  From  these  facts  your  Excellency  may 
lurin  an  idea  of  our  situation.  I  know  that  your  own  circumstances 
arc  critical,  but  arc  we  to  be  wholly  forgotten  \  I  hope  not.  I  tru.'?t 
iiboiit  five  hundred  men  may  be  sent  to  our  assistance  immedialily.  If 
these  shall  be  stationed  as  our  county  lieutenants  shall  deem  necessary, 
it  may  be  the  means  of  saving  our  part  of  the  country  ;  but  if  ihey  are 
placed  under  the  direction  of  General  Clark,  they  will  be  of  lildo  or  no 
service  to  our  settlement.  The  Falls  lie  one  hundred  miles  west  of  us, 
iiiJ  die  Indians  ncrth-east ;  while  our  men  are  frequenUy  called  to 
piotcct  them.  I  have  encouraged  the  people  in  this  county  all  diat  1 
oxdd,  but  I  can  no  longer  justify  them  or  myself  tc  risk  our  lives  here 
iimler  such  extraordinary  hazards.  The  inhabitants  of  this  county  are 
very  much  alarmed  at  the  thoughts  of  the  Indians  bringing  anudier 
campaign  into  our  country  this  fall.  If  dus  should  be  the  ca?e,  it  will 
break  up  these  settlements.  I  hope,  therefore,  your  Excellency  will 
take  the  matter  into  your  consideration,  and  send  us  some  relief  a.s 
quiek  as  possible.* 

Clark,  of  course,  soon  learned  how  severe  a  blow  had  been 
^fuck  by  the  northern  savages,  and  determined,  as  soon  as 
possible,  again  to  lead  an  expedition  into  the  Miami  valleys.  It 
was  the  last  of  September,  however,  before  a  thousand  men  could 
V^  gathered  at  the  mouth  of  the  Licking,  whence  they  marched 
northward.  But  their  coming,  though  expeditious  and  sccr(^t,  Avas 
iiscovered  by  the  natives,  and  the  towns  on  the  Miamies  and  Mad 
River  abandoned  to  their  fate.  The  crops  were  again  destroyed, 
he  towns  burned,  the  British  store,  (Loramie's)  with  it-;  goods, 
imnihilated,  and  a  few  prisoners  taken,  but  no  engagemen'  of  any 
lon.sequence   took  place. f     Such,  however,  appears  to  have  l;cen 

*  See  Morehead's  Address,  p.  173. 

M'laik's  It'Ucr  in  Butler,  2d  edition.  53G;  also  in  AInion's  Remembrancer,  for  lT^3, 
I'Jrt  ii.  p.  93. 


25G 


Treaty  of  Peace. 


1783 


the  impression  made  hy  Clark  upon  the  Shawanese,  that  no  larg, 
body  of  Indians  thenceforward  invaded  the  territory  south  of  th.. 
Ohio. 

In  November,  after  the  return  of  tlie  Kentucky  troops,  Messrs 
May  and  Marshall  opened  their  land  offices,  and  the  scranihle  for 
choice  locations  began  again,  and  in  a  way  which  laid  the  ibunda- 
tion  for  infmite  litigation  and  heartburning. 


1783. 


311  end,  non( 


Upon  the  30th  of  November,  1782,  provisional  articles  of  peaci 
had  been  arranged  at  Paris  between  the  Commissioners  of  Eng- 
land and  her  unconquerable  colonies.  Upon  the  20th  of  the 
January  following  hostilities  ceased;  on  the  19th  of  April,  —  tlu 
anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  —  peace  was  proclaiinid 
to  the  army  of  the  United  States,  and  on  the  3d  of  the  next  Sep- 
tember, the  definite  treaty  which  ended  our  revolutionary  struggk 
was  concluded. —  Of  that  treaty  we  give  so  much  as  relates  to  tlit 
boundaries  of  the  West. 

"The  line  on  the  norUi  was  to  pass  along  the  middle  of  Lakt 
Ontario,  to  the  Niagara  river;  thence  along  the  middle  of  suid 
communication  into  Lake  Erie,  through  the  middle  of  said  lakt, 
until  it  arrives  at  the  water  communication  between  that  lake  and 
Lake  Huron ;  thence  through  the  middle  of  said  lake,  to  the  water 
communication  between  that  lake  and  Lake  Superior;  thenrtr 
through  Lake  Superior,  northward  to  the  isles  Royal  and  Philipe- 
aux,  to  the  Long  Lake ;  thence  through  the  middle  of  the  said 
Long  Lake,  and  the  water  communication  between  it  and  ilio 
fiake  of  the  Woods,  to  the  said  Lake  of  the  Woods ;  theiict 
through  the  said  lake,  to  the  most  northwestern  point  thereof;  and. 
tVom    thence,    on    a  due  west    course,  to  the    river   Mississippi' 


|"''i',  thence  t( 


1783. 


Im71(I  f'prnthdion  sfmngcr  tlwn  Lmr 


2o7 


ary  stniggli 
tlates  to  tilt 

He  of  Lakt 
LUUe  of  saui 
If  said  hV^' 
]at  lake  aiul 
to  the  \vati'! 
hor;    thence 

lud  Plilip*^^- 
of  the  saiel 

it  and  tlif 

kIs;    theiict 

iiercof;  ami 

Mississippi 


tlionro,  bv  a  line  to  be  drawn  along  tlio  niiddli;  of  tlio  said  rivtr 
Mississippi,  until  if  shall  intersect  the  northernmost  part  of  the 
^liiiiv-first  degree  of  ntn'th  latitude.  So'tfh  by  a  line  to  be  drawn 
:]\n;  cast  from  the  determinnlion  of  the  line  last  mentioned,  in  the 
litimde  of  thirty-one  degrees  norlb  of  flu-  equator,  to  tlie  middle 
nf  the  river  Appalachicola  or  Ca'aliouche ;  thence  along  the  mid- 
He  thereof,  to  its  junction  with  the  Flint  river;  thenee  straight  to 
^he  head  of  St.  Mary's  river;  and,  thence  down  :i!ong  the  middle 
of  Si.  Mary's  river  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean." 

Ihit  the  cessation  of  hostilities  with  England  was  not,  ncce'^sa- 
nlv,  the  cessation  of  warfare  with  the  native  tribes;  and  while  all 
liopcd  that  the  horrors  of  the  border  contests  in  the  West  were  at 
an  end,  none  competent  to  judge,  failed   to  see   the  probability  of 
a  continued  and  violent  struggle.    Virginia,  at  an  early  ])erio(l,  (in 
Octnl)or  1779,)  had  by  law  discouraged  all  settlements  on  the  part 
if  her  citizens   northwest   of  the    Ohio ;  *  l)ut   the    spirit  of  land 
;perulation  was  stronger  than  law,  and  the  prospect  of  peace  gave 
atw  energy  to  that  spirit;  —  and  how  to  throw  open   the   immense 
reijion  beyond  the   mountains,  without  driA'ing  the  natives  to  des- 
peration, was  a  problem  which  (mgaged  the  ablest  minds.     Wash- 
iii'iton,  upon  the  7ih  of  Septeml)er  1783,  writing  to  James  Duane 
Congress,  enlarged   upon  the   difficulties  whi(di  lay  before  that 
body  in  relation  to  the  public  lands.     lie  pointed   out  the  neces- 
pi'y  which    existed    for    making    the    settlements    compact;    and 
rrnposod  that  it  should  bo  made   even  felony  to  settle  or  surA'cy 
hnds  west  of  i:  line  to  be  designated  by  Congress  ;  which  line,  he 
aided,  might  expend  from  the  mouth  of  the  Great  INTiami  to   Mad 
rvc!',  thence  to  Fort  Miami  on  the  Maumee,  and  thence  northward 
sasto  include   Detroit;  or,   perhaps,   from   the   Fort   down    th.e 
r.vcr  to  Lake  Erie.     TTe    noticed   the  propriety  of  exeluding    the 
I'  iiaii  Agents  from  all  share  in  the    trade   with  the   red    men,  and 
piwcd  the  wisdom  of  forbidding   all    purchnscs  of  Innd    from  the 
Indians  except  by  the  sovereign  power, —  ('ongress  or  llu^    State 
slature  as  the  case   mi2;ht  be. —  Uidess    some   such    strinjxent 


wris 


vasures   were    adopted    he    propheeied    renewed    border    wars, 

Ihich  would  end   only  after   great   expenditure  of  money  and  of 

'    ?)Ut  before  the   Congress  of  the   freed  Colonies  could  take 

li.y  efficient  steps  to  secure  the  West,  it  was  necessary  that  those 

psurcs   of  cession    which    commenced  in  1780-Sl,   should  Lc 

r  Revised  Statutes  of  Virginia,  hy  B,  Watkins  Leigli,  ii.  378. 
I"  Sparks'  Washington,  viii.  477. 

17 


25S 


Land  cpssion  hij   J'lrgi/ii'/. 


ITS!] 


fC)iiij)l('!(  (!.  New  Yoik  liad  coiKlltioiiiilly  ;j;l\('n  vi\)  licr  cluiii,, 
upon  the  1st  ot"  Marcli,  ^781,*  and  Congress  had  acceptcil  In; 
(h:('d,  '.Jilt  Vir<^ir.ia,  as  we  have  said,  liad  riMjuired  fioni  the  Cii'itr' 
(Slates  a  guaiantee  of  the  territories  retained  by  her,  whidi  thr, 
were  not  willing  to  give,  and  no  acceptance  ol"  her  pio\i'-inii' 
re(h'  li;id  taki'n  ])lare.  I'nch'r  thesi'  circinnslances,  Congitw. 
(i])r)ri  the  iSth  ol"  April,  again  pressed  the  necessity  of  ccssidiiv,' 
and  upon  the  13th  of  September,  —  siv  days  after  Washinif'i(i!i'> 
Jotter  above  referred  to,  —  stated  the  terms  upon  wliich  tliey  won!! 
receive  the  j)roposals  of  the  Ancient  I)ominion4  l'^^  tliesc  inn.. 
the.  Virginians  acceded,  and  upon  the  20t]i  of  Deccmhei'  ;i'i- 
tliorized  their  delegates  to  mi.ke  a  (h'cd  to  the  United  iSfat(s  o- 
all  t]>.eir    right    in    the   territory    nortliwest   of   the  river  Oliio^- 

Upon  condition  that  the  territory  so  ceded  shall  be  laid  out  and  formed 
into  States,  containing  a  suitable  extent  of  territory,  not  less  than  one 
liundrod,  nor  more  than  one  hundred  and  lifty  miles  square,  or  as  near 
thereto  as  circumstances  will  admit:  and  that  the  States  so  formed  ahW 
be  distinct  republican  States,  and  admitted  members  of  the  Fcderji 
Union,  haviiiir  the  same  rights  of  sovereignty,  freedom,  and  indepciitl 
ence,  as  the  other  States. 

That  the  reasonable  and  necessary  expenses  incurred  by  this  Siaie 
in  subduing  any  British  posts,  or  in  maintaining  forts  arid  gurrisrons 
within,  and  for  the  defence,  or  in  acquiring  any  part  of  the  territory  ■ 
ceded  or  relinquished,  shall  be  fully  reimbursed  by  the  United  State> 
at'.d  that  one  commissioner  shall  bo  appointed  by  Congress,  one  by  ihi-; 
Commonweallh,  and  another  by  those  two  commissioners,  who,  or :. 
majority  of  them,  shall  be  authorized  and  empowered  to  adjust  an! 
liquidate  the  account  of  the  necessary  and  reasonable  expense:^  inciirreJ 
by  this  State,  which  they  shall  judge  to  be  comprised  within  the  iiitci.; 
and  meaning  of  the  act  of  Congress  of  the  tenth  of  October,  one  ihoiij- 
and  seven  hundred  and  eighty,  respecting  such  expenses.  Thai  the 
French  and  Canadian  inhabitants,  and  olb.er  settlers  of  the  Kask:i.«kic- 
St.  Vincents,  and  the  neighboring  villages,  who  have  professed  iliem- 
selves  citizens  of  Virginia,  shali  have  their  possessions  and  titles  con 
firmed  to  them,  and  be  protected  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  rights  a;w 
liberties.  That  a  quantity  not  exceeding  one  hundred  and  ilfiy  thni:- 
pand  acres  of  land,  promised  by  this  State,  shall  be  allowed  and  graiilc- 
to  the  then  Colonel,  now^  General  George  Rogers  Clark,  and  to  I't 
oflicers  and  soldiers  of  his  regiment,  who  marched  with  him  when  i!" 
posts  of  Kaska:-kics  and  St,  Vincents  were  reduced,  and  to  the  offici''- 


*  Land  Laws,  95. 

\  Old  Journals,  iv.  189. 


+  Old  Journals^  iv.  267. 


rs.i 


InsfrncliDns  fo   huVntn   Coininissioncrs. 


2'/J 


:,',\i\  sdldicr.^  tluit  have  been  since  iiicorporatod  into  the  said  regiment, 
in  be  hiid  oflT  in  one  tract,  the  Icngtli  of  wliich  not  to  exceed  double  the 
|.ron(iih,  in  such  place,  on  the  noilh-west  side  of  the  Ohio,'a.s  a  majority 
nfihc  officers  sliall  choose,  and  lobe  afterwards  divith'd  among  the  said 
nlTiccrs  and  soldiers    in  duo  proportion,  according  to  the   laws  of  Vir- 
ginia.    That   in  case  the  quantity  of  good  land  on  the  poiilh-east  side 
of  the  Ohio,  npon  the  waters  of  the  Cumberland  river,  and  between  the 
Green   river  and   Tennessee  river,  which  have  been  reserved  I)y   law 
ii)r  the  Virginia  troops  upon  Continental  establishment,  should,  from 
ihe  North  Carolina  line,  bearing  in  fuither  upon  the  Cumberland  lands* 
iliaii  was  expected,  piove  insullicient  for  their  legal  bounties,  the   deli- 
licncy  should  be  niado   up  to  the  said    troops,  in  good  lands,  to  be  laid 
o;T  between  the  rivers  Scioto  and   Lillle  Miami,  on  the  north-west  side 
vi  the  river  Ohio,  iu  such  proportions  as  have  been  engaged  to  them  by 
;he  laws  of  Virginia.     That  all  the  lands  within  the  territory  so  ceded 
;o  the  United   States,  and   not  reserved   for,  or   appropriated  to,  any  of 
the  before  mentioned  j)urposes,  or  disposed  of  in  bounties  to  the  ofhcors 
md  soldiers  of  the  American  army,  shall  be  considered  a  common  fund 
for  the  use  and  benefit  of  such  of  the  United  Slates  as  have  become,  or 
5hall  become,  inembers  of  the  confederation  or  federal  alliance  of  the  said 
stales,  Virginia  inclusive,  according  to  their  usual  respective  proportions 
111  the  general  charge  and  expenditure,  and  shall  be  faithfully  and  bona  fide 
iisposed  of  for  that  purpose,  and  for  no  other  use  or  purpose  whatsoever.* 

And,  in  agreement  with  these  conditions  a  deed  was  made  Mareli 
1, 1784.  But  it  was  not  possible  to  wait  the  final  action  of  Vir- 
jinia,  before  taking  some  steps  to  soothe  the  Indians,  and  extin- 
luish  their  title.  On  the  22d  of  September,  therefore,  Congress 
t"rbade  all  purchases  of,  or  settlements  on,  Indian  lands,!  and  on 
;lii'  15th  of  October,  the  Commissioners  to  treat  with  the  natives 
'Acre  instructed, 

1st.     To  require  the  delivery  of  all  prisoners : 

■2d.  To  inform  the  Indians  of  the  boundaries  between  the  British 
possessions  and  the  United  States: 

3d.  To  dwell  upon  the  fact  that  the  red  men  had  not  been 
lailhful  to  their  agreements : 

4tli.  To  negotiate  for  all  the  land  east  of  the  line  proposed 
u\  Washington,  namely,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami  to 
Mad  river,  thence  to  Fort  Miami  on  the  Maumee,  and  thenct 
Jown  the  Maumee  to  the  Lake : 


•  See  Land  Laws,  p.  98. 
+  Old  Journals,  iv.  275. 


■2G()  IHforln  to  obbtin  Del  roil  and  olhcr  Wcslcni  Ports.       17S:i, 

5l1i.     Tu  hold,  il"  ])().s.sibk',  one   Conccntion  with  all  llic  Irll), 

7lh,  To  Iciuii  ill!  llay  could  ics|)(,'C'ting  the  French  of  Kuskiis- 
kia,  &,c. 

iSlh.     To  confirm  no  grants  by  the  natives  to  iii(I!vi(liiiils;  ati'!, 

!Mli.  To  look'  after  American  stragglers  beyond  the  (Jhio,  i, 
signify  the  displeasure  of  Congress  at  tin;  invasion  of  the  IiHliai; 
lands,  and  to  prevent  all  further  intrusions,  Upon  tlie  19th  of  tli. 
following  March,  the  4th  and  5th  of  these  instructions  werf  n- 
lirely  changed  at  the  suggestion  of  a  committee  headed  Ijy  M;. 
Jederson;  the  western  boundary  line  being  made  to  run  due  iionli 
from  the  lowest  j)oint  of  the  Falls  of  the  Ohio,  to  the  nortliin: 
limits  of  tin;  United  States,  and  the  Commissioners  being  told  t . 
treat  with  the  nations  at  various  places  and  (llj/'crent  times.* 

Meanwhile  steps  had  Ix^en  taken  by  the  Americans  to  Dlita:: 
possession  of  I)(;tr()it  and  the  other  western  ])osts,  but  in  vaii:. 
Upon  the  U2th  oi"  Jidy  Washington  had  sent  Daron  Sfcubrn  • 
Canada  for  that  })urpose,  with  orders,  if  he  found  it  advisable,  U' 
embody  the  French  of  Michigan  into  a  militia  and  place;  the  I  r 
at  Detroll.  in  their  hands.  But  when  the  IJaron  presented  IiIium!: 
near  (iu(;bec,  General  Ilaldimand,  while  he  received  him  \v:\ 
politely,  refused  the  necessary  passports,  saying  that  he  l.il 
received  no  orders  to  deliver  up  the  posts  along  the  Lakes.  TL:- 
measurc  failing,  one  Cassaty,  a  native  of  Detroit,  was  sent  tlii'Ii' 
in  August  to  learn  the  feelings  of  the  people  and  (b)  wlia'  li' 
might  to  make  the  American  side  popular. f  7\bout  the  same  l!i;i' 
Virginia,  having  no  longer  any  occasion  for  a  western  army,  am! 
being  sadly  pressed  for  money,  withdrew  her  commission  froii: 
George  Rogers  Clark,  with  thanks  liowever,  "  for  his  Aery  gn a' 
and  singular  services.":):  lie  and  his  soldiers  in  the  distrilnili'M. 
of  lands  were  iiol  forgotten  either,  and  in  October  a  tract  of  cii' 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres  of  land  was  grant(Ml  them  ii'miL 
of  the  Ohio,  to  be  located  where  they  pleased  ;  they  cIk  sc  tli 
region  opposite  the  Falls,  and  the  town  of  Clarksville  was  tlic:. 
founded.  II 

*  Secret  .loiivnals-,  i.  S").';,  -Kil.     April  IGtl),  in  order  to  expedite  iniifterH,  the  tiiiir?  r;' 
[daces  of  iuc(!liii^  were  left  to  the  rotnmissioiiers. — Secret  Journals,  i.  26-1. 

+  Sparlis'  Wasliiiigton,  viii.  103,  -170.— >T,irshall,  (i.  175,)  gives  the   letters  of  Stcubor.  I 
and  Ilaldimand. 

4  See  Covernor  Harrison's  letter.     Butler,  I'JO. 

[1  llcvisc'l  Statutes  of  Virginia,  by  G,  W.  Leigh,  ii.  405. 


!T91.      Vijpnil/irs  helwcon  flmif  liiitnin  and  J'nifr'l  S/tifrs.        QCA 

\VliiIi'  llicsc  various  stops,  hcnrinj^  upon  the  intcrrsts  of  llic 
,vliolr  \V("^t,  were  1;ilvcii  l)y  Congress,  Wasliinj^ton,  aiid  tlir  A^^rm- 
Mv  of  Mrginia,  Kentucky  was  orgnni/.ing  lierself  upon  a  new 
la^is  Virginia  having  united  flie  three  counties,  with  their  sepa- 
-atc  courts,  into  oiu'  District,  having  a  court  of  conunon  law  and 
rliiiiicery  for  tlie  wliole  territory  tliat  now  foims  the  Slate,  and  to 
illis  District  restored  the  for-a-ti  ne-discar(h(l  name,  Keiitiichy. — 
The  sessions  of  the  court  thus  organized  resuUed  in  the  foiinda- 
tlf)ii  of  DanviUe,  which  in  conseipionce  for  u  season  became  the 
(cntrc  and  capital  of  the  District.* 


1781. 


It  might  hnvc  been  reasonably  hoped  that  peace  with  the  mothei 
ioiintry  would  have  led  to  comparative  prosperity  within  the  newly 
ffrmod  nation.  But  f;uch  was  not  the  case.  Congress  had  no 
power  to  compel  the  States  to  fulfd  the  provisions  of  the  treaty 
which  had  been  concluded,  and  Jiritain  was  not  willing  to  comply 
Un  her  side  with  all  its  terms,  until  evidence  was  given  by  the 
I  oiher  party  that  no  infraction  of  them  was  to  be  feared  from  the 
rashness  of  democratic  leaders.  Among  the  provisions  of  tliat 
treaty  were  the  following : 

Art.  4.    It  is  agreed  that  creditors  on  either  side  shall  meet  widi  no 
i^iwfiil  impedinient  to  the   recovery  of  the  full  value,  in  sterling  money, 
I  of  all  bona  fide  debts  heretofore  contracted. 

Art.  T),     It  is  agreed  that  the  Congress  sliall  earnestly  recommend  it 

1 10  the  Legislatures  of  the  respective  Slates,  to  provide  for  the  restitution 

if  all  estates,  rights,  and  properties,  which  have  been   confiscated,  be- 

l<)n^\\\S,  to  real  British  subjects,  and  also  of  the  estates,  rights,  and  pro- 

;"riics  of  persons  resident  in  districts  in  the  possession  of  his  Majesty'.s 

'MurshuU,  i.  159. 


Sfi'i 


Provisions  oj  Trvnhj  of  Pinrr. 


1781, 


arms,  iiiul  wlio  Iiavn  not  liortu;  artiis  a;r;iiii>-t  []iv.  said  IJiiiU'd  Slutcs.  Ar,; 
that  ji(r.''oriH  (if  any  other  (h'scripiioii  shall  Iiavo  free  lihorly  lo  jro  •. 
any  [lart  or  parts  of  i.riy  of  the  tliirtncn  IJiiilctl  Slatrs,  and  tlifrcin  n 
remain  twidvf;  months,  nnmolrstr'd  in  their  cridravors  to  ohiain  ih.'  ri^':. 
tutioii  of  Hiich  of  their  eslatns,  rii,'lits,  and  jiroperties,  as  may  have  lufr. 
conflseated  ;  and  thai  ('orifjress  shall  also  earnestly  recommend  to  il.c 
sev(  ral  Slates  a  reconsideration  and  revisiim  of  all  arts  or  laws  reifiirdin? 
the  premises,  so  as  to  render  the  said  laws  or  acts  ijerfeclly  consisunt, 
not  only  with  justice  and  equity,  i)ui  with  that  8j)irit  of  Cdncili.iiior, 
which,  on  the  return  of  the  hlcssin(,'s  of  peace,  should  universally  pre. 
vail,  And  that  ('ongress  shall  also  tarnestly  recommend  to  the  hevini 
Slates,  that  the  estates,  rif^hts,  and  properties,  of  such  last  memioncii 
persons,  shall  he  restored  lo  them,  they  refiindinfr  to  any  persons  wLo 
may  lie  now  in  possession,  the  buna  fide  price  (where  any  has  boea 
giv(  iij  wiiicli  such  persons  may  have  paid  on  purchasing  any  of  i!,; 
said  lands,  rights,  or  properties,  since  the  confiscalion.  And  it  is  airr'd, 
that  all  persons  wlut  have  any  iiitere>t  in  coiifiscated  lands,  eillior  'jv 
debts,  marriage  settlements,  or  otherwise,  sh;dl  meet  with  no  lawful  in:- 
pediment  in  the  prosecution  of  their  just  rights. 

Akt.  6.  That  there  shall  he  no  future  confiscations  made,  nor  !inv 
prosecutions  commenced  against  any  person  or  persons  for,  or  by  r(;i«or, 
of,  the  part  which  he  or  they  may  have  taken  in  the  present  war;  an; 
that  no  person  shall,  on  that  account,  suffer  any  future  loss  or  daiuHL"" 
either  in  his  person,  liberty,  or  property;  and  that  those  who  maybe 
in  conlinement  on  such  '  harges,  at  the  time  of  the  ratification  ol  the 
treaty  in  America,  shall  be  immediately  set  at  liberty,  and  the  prosecu- 
tions so  commenced  be  discontinued. 

Art.  7.  'I'herc  shall  be  a  firm  and  perpetual  peace  between  lii.s  liri' 
tannic  Majesty  and  the  said  Slates,  and  between  the  sul)jects  of  the  one 
and  the  citizens  of  the  other,  wherefore,  all  hostilities,  both  by  seaaiil 
land,  shall  from  henceforth  cease:  all  prisoners,  on  both  sides,  shall  Ijc 
set  at  liberty;  and  his  IJritannic  Majesty  shall,  with  all  convenient speei!, 
and  without  causing  any  destruction,  or  carrying  away  any  negroes  or 
other  property  of  the  American  inhal)itants,  withdraw  all  his  armii?. 
garrisons,  and  fleets,  from  the  said  United  States,  and  from  every  po«!. 
place,  and  fiarbor,  within  tlie  same;  leaving  in  all  fortifications  the 
American  artillery  that  may  be  therein  ;  and  shall  also  order  and  cause 
all  archives,  records,  deeds,  and  papers,  belonging  to  any  of  the  fii^ 
States,  or  their  citizens,  which,  in  the  course  of  the  war,  may  have  falb 
into  the  hands  of  his  ofiTicers,  to  be  forthwith  restored  and  delivered  to 
the  proper  States  and  persons  to  whom  they  belong.* 


•  Scf!  Land  Laws,  p.  11. 


;si. 


y'lr^hnn  refuses  InJ'ulJil  Treaty. 


•J( 


)•> 


made,  nor  any 
r,  or  by  rcrisoa 
sent  w;ir ;  anl 
)ss  or  (laiiiHL"'. 
)0  u  ho  may  be 
ilicalion  ol  ihe 


That  lli('s«.  .stipiiliitioiis  were  wist;  ami  jiisl,  none,  |)(rliiij)s  doul)!- 
(1;  hut  ihcy  ojicMi'd  a  (hxir  for  (lisputcs  ;iii<l  IrouMi'S,  through 
.vliii'h  Irouhhs  cnoui^h  swariind  in;  iuid  \\v  jiiay  now,  wilh  as 
iuikIi  pioprii't^y  as  at  an)  tiiuc,  n.i)  thi:  lillKj  thai  our  liiiiils  will 
illiiw  us  to  say,  in  rcrcrfncc  to  ihoM-  (lisa^rccnn'iils  hclwccii  Mnj^- 
!,iiiil  and  Anit'iira,  which  lor  so  hwi^f  a  time  ki'iil  alivr  the  hojtcs 
mil  ctnnitics  v\'  the  Indians,  (■<»ntcndin<^  as  tiicy  were,  lor  ihrir 
native  lands  and  the  hnrial  places  (»|'  their  lathers.  The  ori'dn  ol' 
the  (liirundty  was  an  alle^id  infraction  of  the  provisional  treaty, 
xjifiird  Novendjer  .'5()lli,  17S2,  on  the  pint  of  the  IJritish,  who 
xjiiiwed  an  intention  to  lake  jiway  with  them  from  New  York 
vrlaiii  negroes  cliiinn'il  as  the  "properly  of  the  American  iidiab- 
i;,uits,"  none  ol"  whii  li,  li)  the  lernis  hoth  of  thai  and  the  defniilivc 


iva 


ly,    was   to    ot;    renio 


Ve( 


1.     A 


ranisl    this  intention 


Was! 


iiniiion 


hail  remonslraled,  and  (^'on^^ress  resolved  in  \ain:  in  rej)ly  to  all 
;.  iiiiiiistranccs  il  was  said  ihiit.  the  slaves  wert:  either  booty  taken 
m  war,  and  as  such,  by  the  laws  of  war,  belonircd  to  the  captors, 
mil  could  not  come  within  the  meaninir  of  liii!  treaty;  or  were 
•rriiien  and  could  not  b(,'  enslaved.*  It  was  nndonbtedly  true  in 
ic'jai'd  to  many  of  the  nejj;roes,  that  they  were  taken  in  war,  and  as 
^'ii'li,  (if  propei'ty  at  all,)  the  boot\'  rif  the  captors;  hut  it  was 
Hjiially  certain  that  another  portion  of  thein  consisted  of  runa- 
vavs,  ;uid  by  the  ternisof  the  treaty,  as  tin;  AnH-rif'ans  all  tliou;j;lit, 
>liMulil  have  been  restored  oi'  j)aid  for.f  Ft  was  in  Ajjril,  17S.'{, 
'lui'  llic  j)urposes  of  l''n<(land  in  relation  to  the  neirroes  became  ap- 
.aiviit 


•ictl 


in  May  tln^  Connnander-in-chief  at;d  ('ont^ress  tried,  as 
liav(!  said,  ineireclnally,  to  bririf^  about  a  dilferent  course  of 
oil.      Lpon  the  'M  of  September,  tin,-  de(initi\'e  treaty  was  sign- 


al I 


aris ;  on 


the  :25th  of  NoveJiiber  the   JJrilish   left  New    Vork 


ariyinf^  the  ne(rroes  clainujd  by  tin;  Americans  with  them  ;  while 
Lpon  the  4tli  of  the  following  January,  1781,  the  Ireaty  was  ratifl- 
■il  by  the  United  Slates,  and  on  the  9tii  of  April  by  lMi<^land. 
I  iider  tiiese  (;ircnmstances  Vir<^inia  and  several  other  Slates  saw 
!i' to  decline  compliance  with  tin,'  article  r(;spectin<(  the  recovery  of 
!e!)ts;  refused  lo  repeal  the  laws  prc\'iously  exislini^  at^ainsl  Mrilish 

rf'ditors;  and  upon  Ihe  22d  of  next  June,  after  the  ratification  f)t 
P'ncf'  by  both  parlies,  the  (3ld  Dominion  expressly  declined  to  ful- 

VM:irsli,ill,  i.   173. 

■^  Sen  Mr.  .lay'a  fxcrijpnt  statomorit  of  (acts  nnd  principles.  Socrct  Journals,  iv.  275. 
|^asliiii(,'toii  thoii^lit  tii<;  lirilisli  iiiifiiir  and  dislioiicst  in  tlif.ir  rolcntion  ot'tlif;  w(!Htcrn  posts, 
'•'111  considered  the  non-payment  of  their  debts  liy  tlie  Americans,  as  used  by  thcni  for  a 
-tri!  ('xi.use.     S])arks'  Washington,  iv.  1G3.   17f>. 


201 


Posts  rvlaini'A  by  DiUisli. 


17Si 


i'i> 


ill  llir  tiruly  ill  lis  coinph  tcm>s.  'I'liis  n'fiiMil,  or  nc^lcri,  ul,i, 
was  ('(jui\  alciil  in  a  rflii>al,  on  llic  (larl  ol'  ilic  Slatrs  lo  ahidc  stiii  'I 
1)}  tlic  Ileal),  caiisi'd  l'ai}4iaiiil,  on  tin  oilier  liaiid,  lo  ulain  | 
.sus.sion  of  llic  western  posis,  and  threalt  ned  lo  involve  liir  tu 
countries  a<^ain  in  o|)tii  uaiiare. 

'I'lir  disj)iile,  llierelore,  oii^inaltd  in  a  dillerenee  of  (ijiliiidii  In 
tween  the  parlies  as  to  the  nieaniiii>°  of  ihal  pail  of  the  seNinil, 
artieh'  wliieh  rehiles  to  the  "  eairyin^  awa)  nej^roes  :"  this  was  |ii|. 
lowed  h)  a  phiiii  inrraelion  oi'  the  i'oiirth  ailieh'  on  the  {tail  el  t||, 
States;  and  thai  h)  an  e(|nall)  phtin  viohilion  of  llie  provision  n, 
re^^ard  lo  evaeiiatin^^  the  posts  (artieU-  7)  on  the  side  ol'  (irci' 
Britain. 

In  Maieh,  I7Sr>,  John  A(huiis  was  sent  to  En<rhiiid  to  "  reiinin" 
the  wilh(hawal  of  Ids  Majesty's  armies  from  \\\v  |)osls  still  1m  Id  !,, 
them.  This  recpiisition  he  madf  on  the  Sth  ol  the  followin.' 
Deeemlx-r ;  and  was  told  in  i'<'ply  that  when  the  I'oiirlh  arlici 
respeelcd  liy  IIk;  Slated,  the  se\tnlli  would  he  hy  Kii^r|iiiii|. 
Tliese  facts  ha\lii:^'  heen  l;ild  liefore  ('oii<fress,  that  IhxIn,  ii, 
Mareh,  17S7,  pressed  upon  the  Slates  the  iieressity  of  rcpi  iilini; 
all  laws  Niolaliii^'  Ihe  treaty;  hut  Virginia,  in  siihstanee,  refu.Mil  ti 
eoini)ly  with  the  reijuisition  I'espeeting  Hritish  creditors,  until  thi 
western  forts  were  evacuated,  and  the  slaves  that  had  heen  taktn, 


(■  \v;i 


(If 


or, 


Ihe  aj^^'iits  d 


returned  or  jmi 

l''roin  what  has  been  said,  it  will  he  (  asily  surmised  that,  loth' 
request  of  (iovernor  Clinton  of  New  York,  relative  to  the  abaiiddii- 
ment  of  the  western  posts  within  that  state,  Nia<fara,  Osut'i,f(i,  I  among  the  c 
&c.  —  as  well  as  to  the  demand  of  Con<;ress  in  the  ibllowinji;  July,  ■  a'  Louisville 
for  the  possession  of  all  the  strongholds  along  tin;  lakes  —  (jciicra! 
llaldimand  rej)lied,  as  he  had  done  to  Maron  St(!uhen,  "  I  havr 
received  no  orders  from  his  Majesty  to  deliver  them  up."t 

\VhiI(!  the  eondition  of  the  western  frontier  remained  t hits  un- 
certain, settlers  were  rapidly  gathering  about  the  inland  forts.  In 
the  spring  of  this  year,  Pittsburgh,  which  had  been  long  sck'd 
and  onc(;  before  surveyed,  was  regularly  laid  out  under  the  diirc- 
tion  of  Tench  Francis,  agent  for  the  Messrs.  Penn ;  wlio,  ii^ 
adherents  to  England  in  tlu;  revolutionary  struggle,  liad  forfeited 
a  large  part  of  their  possessions  in  America.  'I'he  lots  were  sooi; 
sold,  and  improvements  immediately  began  ;  though,  as  wdiild 
appear   from  the  following  extract  from  Arthur  Lee's  journal,  wli 


*  Secret  Journals,  iv.  1S5  to  *S7.-ritl<i 
I  Marsliall,  i.  117,  Stc. 


192  to  200.— Marshall,  i.  1G7  to  1S  = 


181. 


First  (n/ircnlion  in  Kiiilnihy. 


i2fj: 


()  "  rciiulrt' 


)rs,  until  till 
Incn  taken, 


j.issrd  tlirniijrli  Pitls!)iir;;li  on  liis  \v;i)  lo  llic  Iiidinii  comnil  al 
[■,iii  M<'fiiti>>|i,  it  \va»  lint,  liilf  ill  its  ru>t  }<ar,  vn)  jut  ihi>.sc, sing 
(,i  jirnniisint^  in  ••»••  apix'arancc : 

"  l'iltsl)iii<;li  .  .  .iliitcd  ALMOST  IMIHILN  !(}  Sfots  atid  Irisli, 
i\('   in  paltry   jdrj-lioiiso',  and  arc  as  dirty  as  if  in  llir  nnrlli 

Inland,  nr  rvin  Scotland.  'I'licic  is  a  j;rcal  deal  ol'  tradi' 
led  on;  llic  floods  licin;;  iiiotiniii  at  llic  vast  expense  ol'  forly- 
liw  shillinj^s  j)ei'  linndred,  IVom  IMiilad(  Ipliia  and  lialtiniorr. 
IJK  \  take,  in  the  shops,  inonc},  wheat,  (lour  and  skins.  'I'lieTc 
;irc  in  the  town  four  attoin('}s,  two  doctors,  and  not  a  piiest  ol 
iny  |)er^nasioti,  nor  chnrcli,  nor  chapel.  The  rivers  encroach  fast 
on  tlie  town;  and  to  snch  a  dcfifrcc,  that,  as  a  j^cnticrnan  lold  nu', 
till'  Allc'^dictiy  had  within  thirty  years  of  his  nieniory,  carried  away 


\Uli 


1,111 


one 


Innid 


red 


yar 


(IS. 


Th 


place 


Ix'llevc 


Wl 


never  he   v( 


(finsidcrahh: 


•0 


n« 


The    deteiilioii   of  the    western   rr)rtresses,    however,   tiionf^h    of 
tile  moment  to  Pcnnsylvarda,  was  a  very  serious  evil  tf)  the  more 
istDiit  settlers   of  Kentu(d<y.     The   northern    savages  aL^ain   pro- 
of repi  uliii;;  H  pared   their   scalpin<;  knives,  and  the  traders   from  Canada,  if  not 


aircnts  of  the   Britisli  irfjvernmeiit,   niiicd    them   to  1 


lai'ass 


tl 


le 


(r 


frontiers.  Althoiij^h  Kentucky,  therefore,  ^rew  raj)idly  durin 
ITS],  the  emij^rants  numberinif  twtdvc,!  and  the  whole  population 
;liirty  thousand  ;| — although  a  friendly  meetin<^  was  lield  by 
Ttioiiias  .].  Dalton,  with  tlu;  Piankeshaws,  at  Vincennes,  \'\  April  ;|| 
ami  tlioiijfh  trade  was  extendin<;  itself  into  the  (dearinii-s  and 
aiiioii^  the  canohrakes — ]Jaiii(;l  Hrodhead  havin<^  ojiened  his  store 


.ouisvi 


llethc 


e  previous  year,  ami  James  \\  ill^inson  liavm^  come 
to  Lexin<rtoii  in  February  as  the  leader  of  a  large  commercial 
''oinpany,  formed  in   Philadelphia  ;§ — still  the  cool  and  sagacious 


luiiul  0 


f  1. 


oixan 


led  him  lo  })repar(.'  his  fellow  citizens  for  trial 


anc 


iiardship.      lie   called,  in  the  autumn  of  17(S4,  a  meeting  of  the 
pie  at  Danville,  to  take  measures  lor  detending  the  country, 


i)('() 


':iiii  at  this  meeting  the  whole  subject  f)f  the  position  and  danger 
'f  Kentucky  was  examined  and  discussed,  and  it  was  agreed  that. 
ii  convention  should  meet  in  December  to  adopt,  some  measures 


Aiiicric;!!!  rionoer,  i.  .304. 


t  lnil;iy,  41. 


,'  filsoii,  22.  Filsoii'.s  worlt  was  jjrcparcd  tliis  year  (1781)  uiid  the  first  edition  printed 
St  Wilfiiuigton,  (ijucry,  North  Carolina  or  Delaware  ?) 

t  l-'ii.-on,  .)Ll. 

^  Mar.>^li,ill  i.  IGl.  1G5.  In  17S  1  Louisville  coiitiiiiicil  CU  houses  linishcd,  37  jjartly 
■-iislifil,  22  raised  but  not  covered,  and  nir)re  than  100  e  ;liin9.  (Letters  of  un  Ainericuii 
!'l;mter,  from  1770  to  178G.  Vol.  iii.  p.  422.) 


266 


Virginia  military  lands  surveyed. 


1784 


for  llif  scfiirily  of  the  scttlciiicrits  in  llii;  wilderness.  I'^xiw  \\.. 
27lli  oftliiil  month  it  inef,  nf)r  was  it  lon^^  Ix-fore  tlic  idea  IjccaKp 
[jroniincnt   thai    Ki;nlneky   nuisl    ask  lo  Ije   se\'ered   from  '>  'iL;iiii,! 


and 


to  lier  ov.ji  <(ui(lancc  ai 


id  control.      But  a 


s  no  siicli  (•( 


ception  was  <^eneral,  wlien  the  (Udegates  to  this  first  eonv chiiov 
were  eliosen,  they  deemed  it  best  to  appoint  a  second,  to  run- 
duriri;^f  the  next  jMay,  at  which  was  sj)ecial!y  to  Ije  consi(h  red  iln 
topic  most  inter(!Sting  to  those  who  wc-re  eaHed  on  to  think  hiv: 
votr'  —  a   comphtte    separation   from   the   parent   state;  —  poli 


in(let)en(lencc 


ami 


ut 


ft  was  (liirinL^   1784,  also,  that  the  military  cd 
idcr  the   laws  of  Viririnia,  heiran  their  locations.     All  tli 


of 


lir; 


Hill, 


tory  hetween  the  fjlreen  and  Cumberland  rivers,  ex'ceplini^  \h: 
granted  to  Henderson  &  Co.,  was  to  be  appropriated  to  soldi(rsf: 
th('  paicnt  stale;  and  when  that  was  exhausted,  tlie  laiids  i 
the  01ii(j,  between  the  Sci 


lor! 


oto  an 


d  Little  Miami  rivers.  In  ITS''. 
the  Continental  Line  had  chosen  Colonel  Richard  C.  Aiidcr'^^;. 
principal  surveyor  on  their  Ixdialf,  and  on  the  ITth  of  Dc'ccmlv; 
in  thai  }ear,  concbuh-d  with  him  a  contract,  under  which,  npnii 
the  20lh  of  the  following  .Inly,  he  opened  his  oiWcc.  near  houi- 
ville ;  and  entries  at  once  began.  'J'he  first  entry  north  of  iji'' 
Ohio,  however,  was  not  madt;  until  August  1,  1787.t 

'I'wo  subjects  which  in  ord(!r  of  time  belong  to  this  yenr,  '.V' 
defer,  the  on(!  to  1787,  the  other  to  178.5:  th{^  former  is  the  mc;;- 
sur(.'  adopted  by  Congress  for  the  gf)vernment  of  the  new  terri'on  : 
the  latter  th(!  first  treaty  with  the  Indians  rcdative  to  the  W(;st. 

•  Marshall,  i.  190  to  195. 

t  McDoiiiild'H   Skctclios,  22   to    21.  ][(■  f,'ivcH    thr;    contract.     Also  Icltcr  of  W.  M. 

And'Tsou.     (American  I'idiiccr,  i.  4!!'^.)  'I  he  iiimihftr  ofsoldicrs  in  tlio  \  irgiiiia  Collar."- 

.'q1  line  provf'd  to  bo  1)21.     (AtiH;rican  Stat(>  I'u])crs,  xviii.  .5  JT),) 


"  Of  tho  Siv 
-ngland  ;  tin;  0 
+  Son  Land  Li 


17S.5. 


letter  of  W.  .M 
rgini;i  Coiii:.'.-:  ■ 


In  speaking  of  PiUsbiirgh,  wo  referred  to  the  passage  of  Arthur 
,fc  through  that  place  late  in  1784,  to  attend  a  rouiicil  with  the 
idians  at  Fort,  Mcintosh.     Upon  the  22d  of  the  ])rfvious    Oeto- 


itl 


r,  tins  gentleman,  in  connection  with  Richard  Hutl 


•  ■r  arifl 


01 


Wnlrott,  had  met  the  hostile  tribes  of  tjio  T 


rof| 


uois. 


at  I' 


or 


iver 


Sfan- 


iv,  ;ind   liad   tlmre   concluded   a  treaty  f)f  peace,   among  the  arti 


•e^- 


of  wliich  was  tlie  followinrr; 


Art.  3.  A  line  shall  be  drawn,  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  a  creek, 
iboui  four  miles  east  of  Niagara,  called  Oyonwayea,  or  Johnston's 
Landing  Place,  upon  the  lake,  named  by  the  Indians  Oswego,  and  by 
J-  Uiiliu-io  ;  from  Uience  southerly,  iu  a  direction  always  fuur  miles  east 
jf  the  carrying  path,  between  Lake  Erie  and  Ontario,  to  the  mouth  of 
Tdio^croron,  or  HufTalo  Creek,  or  Lake  Erie;  thence  souUi,  to  the 
.orlh  boundary  of  the  State  of  Tennsylvania ;  (hence  west,  to  the  end 
f  t!ie  said  north  boundary;  thence  south,  along  the  west  l)oundary  of 
;lie  said  Stale,  to   the  river  Ohio;  the  said  line,  from  tl 


Oyonwayea  to  the  Ohio,  shall  be  the  wes 
'iie  Six  Nations  ;  so   that   the    Six  Nat 


le  mf)ut!i  of  the 

tern  boundary  of  the  lands  of 

ions  shall,  and  do,  vield   to  the 


niled  Slates,  all  claims  to  the  country  west  of  the  said  boundary  ;  anc 
en  they  shall   be  secured  in  the  peaceful  possession  of  the  lands  they 


nliabil,  east  and  north   of  the   s 


ame,   reserving  only  six  miles  square, 


round  the  fort  of  Oswego,  to  the  United  States,  for  the  support  of  the 

lame.t 

Tlie  old  indefinite  claim  of  the  great  northern  confederacy  to 
■!if!  west,  being  thus  extinguislied,  Mr.  Lee,  together  with  Ilitdiard 
iiiitler  and  George  Rogers  Clark,  procc'eded  to  treat  with  the 
Western  Indians  themselves  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  upon  the  21st  of 
January,  178.0.  The  nations  represented  were  the  Wyandots, 
Dclawares,  Chippcways,  and  Ottoways ;  and  among  the  represen- 

•Ofihn  Six    trilms,  the    Scnocas,  Moliawks,   Onondagas,   and   Cayugas,  had    joined 
•■■nglriri(l  ;  Uii-  Oneidas,  and  Tuscaroras  had  not. 
t  See  Land  Laws,  p.  122. 


2G8  Provisim^fi  of  the  Treaty  of  Fort  Mcintosh.  ITS', 

1ativ("<,  it  is  said,  was  llic  fcl('l)ra(c(l  war  fliicf  of  tlic  Dtlawans, 
IJuclsoni^aliclas.*  Tlit'  most  iiiiportaiit  provisions  of  Ihc  tr(jat\ 
agreed  up  were  the  seven  following, — 

Art.  n,  Tlif!  boundary  line  l)ctwccn  the  United  States  and  llio  AVv- 
andot  and  Delaware  nations,  shall  hegin  at  the  mouth  of  th(!  river  C;iva- 
hoga,  and  run  thence,  up  the  said  river,  to  tlic  porlago  between  tlmtand 
the  Tusearawas  braneh  of  the  Muskinirum  ;  then,  down  the  said  brnnch, 
to  the  forks  at  the  crossing  place  above  Fort  Lawrence,  [Laurens  ;]  tlipri, 
westerly,  to  the  portage  of  the  Big  Miami,  which  runs  into  the  Ohio, 
at  the  mouth  of  which  branch  the  fort  stood  which  was  taken  by  ihe 
French  in  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-two ;  then,  along  the 
said  portage,  to  llie  Great  Miami  or  Ome  Uiver,  and  down  the  soiuli- 
east  side  of  the  same  to  its  mouth  ;  thence,  along  the  south  sliore  ol 
Lake  Erie,  to  the  mouth  of  Cayahoga,  where  it  began. 

Art.  4.  Tiie  United  States  allot  all  the  lands  contained  within  the 
said  lines  to  the  Wyandot  and  Delaware  nations,  to  live  and  to  hunt  on, 
and  to  such  of  the  Ottowa  nation  as  now  live  thereon  ;  saving  and  re- 
serving, for  the  establishment  of  trading  posts,  six  miles  square  at  ilit 
nioulli  of  Mi.niii  or  Ome  River,  and  the  same  at  the  portage  on  that 
branch  of  the  Big  Miami  which  ru'.s  into  the  Ohio,  and  the  same  on 
the  Lake  of  Sandusky  where  the  fort  formerly  stood,  and  also  two  miles 
square  on  each  side  of  the  lower  rapids  of  Sandusky  Kiver ;  which 
posts,  and  the  lands  annexed  to  them,  shall  be  to  the  use,  and  under 
the  Ooverinncnt  of  tlie  United  States. 

Art.  .').  If  any  citizen  of  the  United  States,  or  other  person,  not 
being  an  Lulian,  shall  attempt  to  settle  on  any  of  the  lands  allotted  to 
the  Wyandot  and  Delaware  nations,  in  this  treaty,  except  on  the  lands 
reserved  to  the  United  States  in  the  preceding  article,  such  person  shall 
forfeit  the  protection  of  the  United  States,  and  the  Lidians  may  punish 
him  as  they  please. 

Art.  0.  The  Indians  who  sign  this  treaty,  as  well  in  behalf  of  all 
their  tribes  as  of  themselves,  do  acknowledge  the  lands  east,  south,  and 
west,  of  the  lines  described  in  the  third  article  so  far  as  the  said  Indians 
formerly  claimed  the  same,  to  belong  to  the  United  States  ;  and  none  ol 
their  tribes  shall  presume  to  settle  upon  the  same,  or  any  part  of  it. 

Art.  7.  The  post  of  Detroit  with  a  district  beginning  at  the  mouth 
of  the  River  Rosine,  on  the  west  end  of  Lake  Erie,  and  running  west 
six  miles  up  the  southern  bank  of  the  said  river,  thence,  northerly,  and 

•So  says  Dawson,  (lifo  of  Harrison,  S2,  note,)  ami  Tliatclicr  and  l!iill('r  Collnw  him ;  l)Ui 
tlic  nainp  of  tho  Chief  does  not  apjioar  in  tlu;  |>rocecdings. — lie  did,  however,  si(;ii  l!i' 
treaty  of  the  Great  Miami,  in  Jaiiniiry  17*^0,  as  a  witness. — (Dillon,  i.  -132,  '110.  Indii'i 
Treaties,  Washington,  li;37.)     Did  not  he  there  meet  Clark  and  not  at  Fort  Mclntorh 


1785. 

jhvnys  six 
shall  be  also| 

Art.  8. 
rlcpendencicj 
10  the  use  of 

Art.  t). 
on  any  citizj 
may  belong, 
punished  accj 

Thus  well 
•jic  Indian 
months  lateii 
ill'  mode  of 

In  April 
'^solutions 
lormed  Ironi 
lures  of  an 
were  afterw: 
ot  that  orga 
iletails  of  tlu 
Congress,  u} 
[lialive  (o  su 
vilcd  lands. 
jice.  This 
IS  New  Yorl 
'.vhicli  she  di 
nng  the  cess 
November.  | 

By  the  or( 
he  Indians  a 
'V  north  and 
iist  north  an 

I  the  weste 
■ania,  and  tj 

'  Sec  Land  La 

'  'riiiTi.'  was  a 
■;r;i:!(Uli,  17So, 

■  OKI  .Tournals 

■  I!y  tlie  first  c 
■■Ics  s(iiiaro. — S 


17S5. 


OnUiuincc  relative  fo  Wcsfcrn  Lands. 


2G9 


jhvnys  six  miles  west  of  the  strait,  till  it  strik(;s  the  Lake  St.  Clair, 
shall  l)c  also  reserved  to  the  sole  use  of  the  Unitoil  States. 

Art.  R.  Til  llic  same  manner,  the  post  at  !\Iichiiimackinae,  with  its 
^pppiideneies,  ami  twelve  miles  square  ahoiit  the  same,  shall  he  rcservoil 
to  the  use  of  the  United  States. 

Art.  9.  If  any  Indian  or  Indians  shall  rommit  a  rohhery  or  murder 
on  any  citizen  of  tlie  United  States,  the  tribe  to  which  such  od'cnders 
may  belonjj,  shall  be  bound  to  deliver  them  up  at  the  nearest  post,  to  be 
nuiiished  acccrdinff  to  the  ordinances  of  the  United  States. 


Tims  were  the  first  steps  taken  for  securing  to  the  United  States 
lu- Indian  titles  to  the  vast  realm  beyond  the  Ohio;  and  a  few 
months  later  the  legislation  was  commenced,  that  was  to  determine 
ilif  mode  of  its  disjjosal,  and  tlu;  plan  of  its  settlements. 

In  April  of  the  previous  year  Congress  had  adopted  certain 
I'solutioiis  in  relation  to  the  number  and  size  of  the  States  to  be 
!>iimcd  from  the  Western  Territory,  and  sketched  the  great  fea- 
tures of  an  Oixlinance  for  its  oi-ganization,  but  as  all  these  things 
Aire  afterwards  modified  in  1787,  we  have  deferred  tlie  subject 
of  that  organization  to  the  last  named  year,  liut  though  the 
iletails  of  the  government  of  the  West  were  not  as  yet  settled, 
Cdiiujix'ss,  upon  the  2()th  of  May,  1785, f  passed  an  or(bnance 
.'tlatlve  to  surveys  whicli  determined  a  plan  for  the  division  of  the 
vdcd  lands,  and  the  main  principles  of  which  still  remain  in 
;i'icc.  This  was  not  done,  however,  until  Massachusetts,  as  well 
IS  New  York  and  Virginia,  had  ceded  her  claims  to  the  Union ; 
vlikh  she  did  upon  the  19th  of  April  in  tliis  year,  the  Act  authori- 
nni,r  the  cession  having  been  passed  upon  the  13tli  of  the  previous 
November.  | 

By  the  or-dinance  above  referred  to,  the  teiTltoi-y  pui-cha.sed  of 
iic  Indians  was  to  be  divided  into  townships,  six  miles  squai-e,|| 
'V  north  and  south   lines    crossed   at   right  angles    by  others:  the 

I'st  north  and  south  line  to  begin  on  the  Ohio  at  a  point  due  north 

I  the  wester-n  termination  of  the  southei'ii  boundary  of  Peirnsyl- 
Minia,  and  the  first  east  and  west  line  to  begin  at  the  same  point 

'  Se(!  Liind  Laws,  p.  148. 

•  Thiirc.' was  an  onliiiaiici^  roporlcil  Alay  ;2S,  ITS  1,  (Old  Jourruils,  iv.  IIG;)  a  secoriil, 
'..nl  2i;ili,  1785,  (01(1  Joiinial.s,  iv.  507:)  that  of  May  20th  (lifri;rr-d  in  several  respects. 

:  Old  Journals,  iv.  500  to  50-1.     Land  Laws,  102. 

'  liy  the  first  ordinancn  these  were  to  have  been  ten  miles,  and  by  tlie  second  seven 
"Ics  square. — See  Journals. 


270 


Sdtlemenh  northwest  of  the  Ohio  forbuhlcn. 


1785 


;iii(l  cvfcnd  ih.ougliout  tlio  territory.  The  ranges  of  townsliij,- 
tlius  fDrmcd  were  to  be  iiuialjerfd  from  tlu;  Pftiiis)lv<uila  lin, 
westward;  the  townsliips  themselves  from  the  Ohio  northward. 
Kadi  lownsliip  was  to  Ije  subdivided  into  tliirty-six  parts  nr  sir- 
lions,  each,  of  course,  one  mile  s(piare.  When  seven  ranges  d; 
townsliips  had  been  thus  surveyed,  the  Geographer  was  to  niakf  i: 
return  of  them  to  the  Board  of  Treasury,  who  were  to  take  tlujn- 
from  one-seventh  part,  by  lot,  for  the  use  of  the  late  Contimuta! 
army ;  and  so  of  every  seven  ranges  as  surveyed  and  returned 
the  ]'emaining  six-sevenths  were  to  l)e  drawn  for  by  the  sevind 
States,  in  the  proportion  of  the  last  reepiisition  made  on  them;  ami 
they  were  to  make  ])ublic  sale  thereof  in  the  following  maniRT: 
range  1st,  township  1st,  was  to  be  sold  entire,  township  2(1  ij. 
sections,  and  so  on  alternately;  while  in  range  2d,  township  Is!. 
was  to  be  sold  in  sections,  and  township  2d  entire,  rctainiiiL' 
throughout  both  as  to  the  ranges  and  to^'nships  the  principle  o: 
alternation.  The  price  was  to  be  at  least  one  dollar  per  acre  i; 
specie,  "loan  office  certificates  reduced  to  specie  value,"  or  "ni' 
tificates  of  licjuidated  debts  of  the  United  States."  Five  section^ 
in  each  township  were  to  be  reserved,  four  for  the  United  Stati'^ 
and  one  for  schools.  All  saU'S  thus  made  by  the  States  woit  t( 
])e  returned  to  the  Board  of  Treasury.  This  ordinance  also  gavt 
the  mode  for  dividinf]r,  amon<i  the  Continental  soldiers,  the  land< 
set  apai'l  to  them;  reserved  three  townships  for  Canadian  refiigti'v 
secured  to  the  Moravian  Indians  their  rights;  and  excluded  froii. 
sale  till'  territory  between  the  Little  Miami  and  Scioto,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  provisions  made  by  Virginia  in  her  deed  of  cessioii 
in  favor  of  her  own  troops.  Many  points  in  this  law  w^ere  after- 
wards changed,  but  its  great  features  remained.* 

It  had  been  anticipated  that  so  soon  as  the  treaty  of  Fort  Mcin- 
tosh was  known,  settlers  and  speculators  would  cross  the  Ohio. 
and  to  prevent  the  evil  which  it  was  foreseen  would  follow  an} 
general  movement  of  the  kind  the  Indian  Commissioners  wen 
authorized  in  June,  to  issue  a  Proclamation  commanding  all  per- 
sons noi'thwest  of  the  river  to  leave  without  loss  of  time,  or  sta\ 
at  their  peril,  and  announcing  the  intention  of  government  as  soc; 
as  possible   to  sell  the  soil  as  fast  as  surveyed.!     The   peril  to  bt 


*  Land  Laws,  349  to  354.— Old  Journals,  iv.  520  to  52  J. 
+  Land  Laws,  354. — Old  Journals  iv.  538, 


:85. 


Attempt  at  settling  vpoii   huluin   Lamls, 


271 


ipprclu'iidL'd  from  llu-  weak  hands  of  the  confederacy  niij^hl  not 
liavc  deterred  fearless  men  from  filling  the  forhidden  hind,  hut  there 
wvw  those  near  hy  who  executed  the  laws  tliey  made  in  a  niannet 
wliiili  was  hy  no  means  to  hi'  disre^artled  ;  and,  as  we  learn  from 
'hu  honorahle  George  Corwin  of  Portsmouth,  when  four  families 
frnin  Redstone  attempted  a  settlement  at  the  mouth  of  the  Scioto 
ill  April  1785,  they  receiv^'d  sucli  a  notice  to  (juit  from  the  natives 
i:i  the  shape  of  rille-halls,  that  the  survivors,  (for  two  of  tlu>  men 
were  killed,)  were  glad  enough  to  a])andon  their  enterpri/.e,  and 
lake  refuge  at  Limestone  or  Maysville.f  Farther  west  tlie  experi- 
iRiit  succeeded  hetter,  and  some  years  hefore  tlie  time  of  which 
we  are  writing,  in  1781,  a  settlement  was  made  in  the  luMghhor- 
!:Oi)(l  of  the  old  French  forts  l)y  emigrants  from  Western  Vir- 
ginia, who  were  joined  during  the  present  year  hy  several  other 
lamilies  from  the  same  region.  Upon  the  American  stations  thus 
inlawfully  commenced  tlie  Kickapoos  began  to  commit  hostilities 
\i\  '86,  the  Osages  joined  them  in  '90,  and  from  that  time  until 
liter  the  treaty  of  Greenville  the  few  inhabitants  of  Illinois  led  the 
>aiiie  life  of  danger  and  excitement,  —  of  hair-breadth  escapes 
and  rriiraculous  deliverances,  which  the  frontier  mon  of  Virginia, 
Pt'iinsylvania,  and  Kentucky,  had  led  for  twenty  or  thirty  years 
previous: — the  details  may  be  found  in  an  article  by  J.  M.  Peck, 
'lad  before  the  Illinois  State  Lyceum  in  1832,  and  published  in 
:l!0  Western  Monthly  Magazine,  vol.  i.  p.  73,  (February  1833.) 

hi  Kentucky  during  1785  events  were  of  a  different  character 
irom  any  yet  witnessed  in  the  West.  Hitherto  to  live  and  resist 
'111'  savages  had  been  the  problem,  but  now  the  more  complicated 
i,uestions  of  self-rule  and  political  power  presented  themselves  for 
Jiscussion  and  answer.  The  Convention  which  met  late  in  1784, 
niuling  a  strong  feeling  prevalent  in  favor  of  separation  from  Vir- 
zinia,  and  unwilling  to  assume  too  much  responsibility,  had  pro- 
posed, as  we  have  slated,  a  second  Convention  to  meet  in  the  fol- 
'nving  May.  It  met  upon  the  23d  of  that  month,  and  the  same 
'pirit  of  self  dependence  being  dominant,  an  address  to  the  Assem- 
■ly  of  Virginia  and  one  to  the  people  of  Kentucky,  together  with 
'ive  resolutions,  all  relative  to   separation,  and  in  favor  of  it,  were 

iianimously  carried.  Two  of  these  resolutions  deserve  especial 
Mtice;  one  of  them  recognized,  what  the  Constitution  of  Virginia 


'  American  Pioneer,  i,  56. 


272 


Tliird  Convention  in  Kentucky. 


1785 


cJid  not,  tlie  prinfiplc  of  ctjiuil  representation,  or  a  roprrscntniioi. 
oj'  the  people  living-  in  a  certain  territory,  and  not  the  square  miles 
contaliuMl  in  it :  the  otlier  referred  tlie  whole  matter  again,  to  ;. 
third  Convention,  wliicli  was  to  meet  in  August  and  continue  i;s 
sessions  hy  adjournment  until  April  17SG.  As  the  memheis  ot'lLi' 
body  which  ])assed  this  resolve  had  been  chosen,  it  is  Ijilicvcd, 
on  the  basis  of  ecjual  representation,*  and  for  the  very  jjurposo  of 
considering  the  (piosfion  of  indei)endenct',  it  is  by  no  means  clear 
why  this  reference!  to  a  third  assembly  was  made.  It  may  have 
been  from  great  precaution,  or  it  may  have  been  througli  the  iuiji;. 
ence  of  James  Wilkinson,  who,  though  not  a  meml)er  of  tie' 
second  Convention  exercised  great  power  in  it ;  and  who  U'w: 
chosen  a  member  of  the  tJiird  became  its  leader  and  contrnller, 
by  the  combined  influence  of  his  maimers,  eloquence,  intclle.-, 
and  character.  This  gentleman,  there  appears  to  be  reason  io 
tliink,  deemed  the  tone  of  the  petition  to  Virginia  too  humljh-,  and 
wished  another  meeting  to  speak  both  to  the  Parent  State,  and  iIm 
people  of  the  District  in  more  rousing  and  exciting  words.  Ami 
his  wish,  if  such  was  his  wish,  was  fullllled.  Upon  the  8tli  ol 
August,  a  tldrd  Convention  met,  adopted  a  new  form  of  address 
to  the  Old  Dominion,  and  called  upon  the  people  of  Kentucky  to 
"arm,  associate,  and  embody,"  "to  hold  in  detestation  and 
abhorrence,  and  treat  as  enemies  to  the  community,  every  person 
who  shall  withhold  his  countenance  and  support,  of  such  nicasuiTS 
as  may  be  recommended  for  [the]  common  defence;"  and  to  pn- 
pare  for  offensive  movements  against  the  Indians,  without  waitini; 
to  be  attacked.! 

That  Wilkinson  in  this  address  to  the  people  of  Kentucky  sorni- 
whai  xaggerated  the  danger  of  Indian  invasion  is  probable ;  and 
the  propriety  of  his  call  upon  his  countrymen  to  invade  the  lands 
beyond  the  Ohio,  at  the  time  that  Congress  was  treating  with  the 
natives  owning  them,  and  seeking  to  put  a  stop  to  warfare,  is  mme 
than  questionable:  but  still  his  expressions  of  anxiety  lest  the 
whites  should  be  found  unprepared,  were  not  wholly  without 
cause.  In  August  an  Indian  Council  was  held  upon  the  Wabash 
clearly  hostile  in  its  character  :|  in  October  the  southern  savages 
were  engaged  in  hostilities;  ||   and  through  the  whole  season  smal! 


*  Marshall,  i.  105. 


t  Marsliall,  i.  196  to  220;  where  arc  all  the  original  papers  at  length. 
^  Dillon's  Indiana,  i.  201.  ||  Marshall,  i.  2*0. 


1785,  I  iTSfi. 


Virg'imn  offers  Kentucky  Terms. 


273 


)rcscnUiiK)ii 
quarij  luilis 
again,  to  ;i 
(■(jiiliiiut;  In 
iilxTS  ol'  \h: 
is  IhTk  vc'l, 
,•  purpose  (  ! 
int'ans  clear 
[t  may  Imvc 
^li  tilt'  iiilli;- 
aljcf  of  ill  ■ 
who  Ixiii': 
I   <'ontrollt'r, 
0,   inlclici'!, 
)(!  reason  io 
humble,  am! 
itatc.  and  tli'' 
vords.     Ami 
1  tlu"   Stli  01 
iTi  of  address 
Kcnlucky  In 
['Station  and 
vi'i-y  person 
li  measnn'^ 
and  to  pn  ■ 
out  wailinc; 

itucky  sorai- 
obable;  am! 
the  lands 
ino-  with  tli<' 
fare,  is  rn'o-' 
ety  lest  tk 
)lly  without 
the  Wabash 
icrn  savages 
season  suial! 


•inrtios  of  red  men  were  doing  mischief  among  the  settlements.* 

But  the  proper  source  of  action  in   the  matter  at  this  time  was  the 

•onfederation,   and   AVilkinson  and  his  associates   in  pro])osing  to 

invade  the  northwest  territory,  should  iiave  sought  to  act  under  its 

.anction,   and  not  as  leaders  of  a   sovereign  power.     Nor  was  the 

onfederation   at  this  very  time  unmindful   of  the  West:  in   the 

lutumn  of  '85  Major  Doughty  descended  the  Ohio  to  the  mouth 

f  the  Muskingum,   and  upon  the  point  north  of  the  former,  and 

\ost  of  the  latter,  river,  began  Fort  Harmar.f 


1786. 


The  address  or  petition,  though  the  last  name  seems  scarcely 
ipplicable,  which  the  Third  Kentucky  Convention  had  sent  to  the 
Assembly  of  the  parent  State,  was  by  that  body  duly  received  and 
listened  to,  and  the  reasons  for  an  early  separation  appearing  co- 
:ent,  Virginia,  in  January,  1786,  passed  a  law  by  which  Kentucky 
nisiht  claim  independence,  provided  she  were  willing  to  accept 
If'^rtain  conditions,!  which  conditions  were  to  be  submitted  to  a 

"  Border  Warfare,  272.     Marshall,  i.  195. 

^American  Pioneer,  i.  25  to  30,  and  frontispiece. 

:Thp  following  extract  of  a  letter,  dated  December  9th,  17S5,  from  IMadison  to  Wasli- 
■.'•011,  will  explain  these  conditions,  and  the  feeling  of  Kentucky.    (Sparks'  Washington, 
holO.) 

•'  Kentucky  made  a  formal  application  for  independence,     llcr  memorial  has  been  con- 

''rci\.  and  the  terms  of  fieparation  fixed  by  a  committee  of  tlie  whole.     The  substniiee 

|"!hcm  is,  that  all  private  rights  and  interests,  derived  from  the  laws  of  Virginia,  shall  be 

r-vurcd  ;  that  the  unlocated  lands  shall  be  applied  to  the  objects  to  which  the  laws  of  Vir- 

1  have  appropriated  them  ;  that  the  Ohio  shall  be  a  coniinon  highway  for  the  citizens 

■:!ic  United  States,  and  the  jurisdiction  of  Kentucky  and  Virginia,  as  far  as  the  remain- 

|-;  territory  of  the  latter  will  be  thereon,  be  concurrent  only  with  the  new  States  on  the 

>ili;  bhure ;  that  the  proposed  Stale  bhail  take  its  due  sh.ire  of  our  State  debts;  and 

I  'thn  separation  shall  not  take  place  unless  these  terms  shall  be  a|)provcd  by  a  conven- 

I' "to  be  held  to  decide  the  question,  nor  until  Coiiirress  shall   assent   thereto,  and  lix 

t-  terms  of  their  admission  into  the  Union.    The  limits  of  the  proposed  State  arc  to  be 

p  same  with  the  present  limits  of  the  district.     The  apparent  coolness  of  the  repre- 

-titives  of  Kent  icky,  as  to  a  separation,  since  these  terms  have  been  defined,  indicates 

■ihey  had  some  views,  which  will  not  be  favored  by  them.     They  dislike  much  to  be 

Fag  upon  the  will  of  Congress." 

18 


274 


Convention  with  Wesicrn  Tribes  Proposed. 


i78f;. 


Fourth  convcnlion  to  be  held  in  the  Ibllowing  ScptcmlxT.  Ii 
those  were  agreed  (o,  the  eonventinn  was  to  seleet  a  day  postetioi 
to  September  l.sl,  1787,  after  whieh  tlie  buvs  of  Vir<^inia  were  ii. 
cease  forever  to  be  of  loree  witliiu  the  western  district;  i'or  wliidi, 
nieaii while,  a  constitution  and  laws  were  to  be  prepared  by  a  Fijlli 
convention  to  be  called  for  that  purpose;  it  being  provided  that  tlii< 
act  was  to  be  edective  oidy  when  in  substance  approved  by  tin 
United  States.*  This  act  was  not,  however,  altogether  pleasant  lo 
the  more  zealous  of  the  advocates  of  self-rule,  and  an  attem[)t  \v;i< 
made  by  Wilkinson  and  his  friends  to  induce  the  people  of  the 
district  to  declare  tliemselves  independent  of  Virginia  before  llic 
comparatively  distant  period  fixed  by  the  law  in  (piestion.  Tip 
attempt,  however,  was  opposed  and  defeated;  the  ele(!tion  oi 
members  from  the  Fourth  convention  took  place  without  disturb- 
ance, and  in  September  it  would  undoubtedly  have  met  to  altcm! 
to  the  business  confided  to  it,  had  not  the  Indian  incursions  led  to 
a  movement  against  the  tribes  on  the  Wabash,  at  the  very  tiiiii 
appointed  for  the  assembly  at  Danville. 

Before  we  come  to  this  movement  beyond  the  Ohio,  however, 
it  is  necessary  to  mention  the  steps  taken  by  Congress  during  the 
early  part  of  this  year  to  secure  and  perpetuate  peace  with  tin 
north-western  tribes.  The  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  with  the  hn- 
quois,  was  upon  the  22d  of  October,  1784;  that  of  Fort  Mclntosli, 
with  the  Delawares,  Wyandots,  &c.,  upon  the  21st  of  January, 
1785;  upon  the  iSth  of  JNIarch  following  it  was  resolved  that  a 
treaty  be  held  with  the  Wabash  Indians  at  Post  Vincent  on  the 
20th  of  .June,  1785,  or  at  such  other  time  and  place  as  might  seni! 
best  to  the  commissioners.!  Various  circumstances  caused  llie 
time  to  be  changed  to  the  31st  of  January,  1786,  and  the  place  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Great  JMiami,  wliere,  upon  that  day  a  tieuty  \va< 
made  by  George  R.  Clark,  Richard  Butler,  and  Samuel  II.  Par- 
sons,—  not,  however,  with  tlie  Piankishaws  and  others  named  in 
the  original  resolution,  but  with  the  Delawares,  Wyandots  iiiiu 
Shawanese.|  That  treaty,  in  addition  to  the  usual  articles,  con- 
tained the  following.  II 


*  Marshall,  i.  222, 

t  Old  Journals,  iv.  487. 

if  Those  first  named  were  the  Potawntama,  Twiglitwces,  Piankishaw  and  other  wcftrr;; 
nations.  See  Old  .Journals,  iv.  528.  533.  538.  542.  The  resolution  on  the  page  last 
cited  (June  20.  17S5)  changes  the  pinrr  to  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami  or  the  Falls. 

J  Old  Journals,  iv.  627.    Land  I  r.ws,  2?L'. 


Letter  of  Cicncral  Pnmona. 


?7r) 


Art.  'i.  Thn  Sli;i\vniicc  nation  do  arknowlcdgo  tho  United  States  to 
Itc  the  sole  and  absolnle  sovereigns  of  all  the  territory  reded  to  them  liy 
n  treaty  of  peaeo,  made  between  tJiem  and  llic  kinp  of  Great  Ikilain, 
the  foiirtpentlj  day  of  Januaiy,  one  thonsand  seven  hundred  and  eighty- 
four.* 

Art.  0.  The  United  States  do  allot  to  the  Shawanee  nation,  lands 
within  their  territory  to  live  and  hunt  upon,  beginning  at  the  south  line 
of  the  lands  allotted  to  the  Wyandots  and  Delaware  nations,  at  the 
place  where  the  main  branch  of  the  Great  Miami,  which  falls  into  the 
Ohio,  intersects  said  line  ;  then,  down  the  River  Miami,  to  the  fork  of 
ihat  river,  next  below  the  old  fort  which  was  taken  by  the  French  in 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  fifty-two;  thence,  due  west,  to  the 
River  Dc  la  Pansc  ;  then,  down  that  river,  to  the  river  Wabash  ;  bc- 
yoiul  which  lines  none  of  the  c'u  ;ens  of  the  United  Stales  shall  settle, 
nor  disturb  the  Shawanecs  in  their  settlement  and  possessions.  And 
ihe  Shawauees  do  relinquish  to  the  United  Stales,  all  title,  or  pretence 
nf  title,  they  ever  had  to  the  l.-tnds  cast,  west,  and  south,  of  the  east, 
',rcsi,  and  south  lines  before  described. t 

The  absence  of  the  Wabash  Indians  from  this  council  was  not 
the  result  of  any  change  of  plans  on  the  part  of  the  Americans,  but 
solely  of  a  growing  spirit  of  hostility  among  the  savages,  fostered, 
ihere  is  too  much  reason  to  think,  by  the  sub-agents  of  England. 
The  temper  of  the  Indians  who  first  met  the  commissioners,  is  thus 
aicrred  to  by  General  Parsons,  in  a  letter  to  Captain  Hart  at  Fort 
Harmar,  dated  "J'ort  Finney,"  (mouth  of  Great  Miami,  where 
Major  Finney  was  stationed  for  the  time,:]:)  December  20th,  1785." 

Since  we  have  been  here,  every  measure  has  been  taken  to  bring  in 
;!ie  hulians.  The  Wyandots  and  Dclawarcs  are  here  ;  the  other  nations 
were  roming,  and  were  turned  bad;  by  the  Shawanesp.  Tiiese  at  last 
ant  two  of  their  tribe  to  examine  our  situation  and  satisfy  themselves 
of  our  designs.  With  these  men  we  were  very  open  and  explicit.  We 
told  tlieni  we  were  fully  convinced  of  their  designs  in  coming;  that  we 
were  fully  satisfied  with  it;  that  they  were  at  liberty  to  take  their  own 
way  and  time  to  answer  the  purposes  they  came  for;  that  we  were  de- 
sirous of  living  in  peace  with  them ;  and  for  that  purpose  had  come 
with  offers  of  peace  to  them,  which  they  would  judge  of,  and  whether 
peace  or  war  was  most  for  their  interest;  that  we  very  well  knew  the 
measures  the  British  agents  had  taken  to  deceive  them.     That  if  they 

*  Alluding  to  the  clcfmitivc  treaty  of  peace. 
!  Sco  Land  Laws,  299. 

^Cisfs  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  ii.  33.  He  was  witness  to  tlic  treaty.  See  the  treaty  in 
'■It  \Vas;iin"ton  Collccticn  of  1*^37. 


270 


Tiratij  at  month  (\f  (inat  Minmi. 


17Sfi. 


canio  to  tlio  treaty,  any  man  wlio  had  filWal  llicir  oars  with  tlinsn  stniiiy 
was  at  liberty  to  como  willi  tlicni  and  return  in  safely.  Hut  if  tlicy  re- 
fused to  treat  witli  us,  wc  should  consider  it  as  a  declaration  of  war  on 
llieir  part,  &n\  TlieHo  men  stayed  about  \n  eight  days,  and  then  told  u? 
they  were  fully  convinced  our  designs  were  good ;  that  they  had  hroii 
deceived;  that  they  would  retnin  home,  and  use  their  influence  to  briiiff 
in  their  nation,  and  send  out  to  the  other  nations.  Tiast  ni^ht  wc  ro- 
ceived  a  belt  of  Wampum  and  a  twist  of  tobacco,  with  a  meNsagc  llin; 
they  would  be  in  when  we  had  smoked  the  tobacco.  From  our  iiilor- 
malion  we  are  led  to  believe  these  people  will  very  generally  come  in 
and  heartily  concur  with  us  in  peace.  I  think  it  not  probable  the  treaty 
will  begin  sooner  than  January. 

The  IJrilish  agents,  our  own  traders,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Kentucky, 
I  am  convinced  are  all  opposed  to  a  treaty,  and  are  using  every  measure 
to  prevent  it.  Strange  as  this  may  seem,  I  have  very  convincing  proofn 
of  its  reality.  The  causes  I  can  assign,  but  they  arc  too  many  fur  the 
compass  of  a  letter.  Notvvithstanding  all  treaties  we  can  make,  I  ;:iri 
convinced  wc  shall  not  be  in  safety  until  we  have  posts  cstahliahcd  ii; 
the  upper  country.* 


Tlie  various  tribes  of  the  north-west  therefore  liad  boon  invite  1 
to  the  moutli  of  the  Mitiini,  but  owing  to  counter  innucncc,  ncitlif! 
attended  nor  took  any  notic(;  of  tlie  messages  sent  them  ;t  and 
those  who  did  finally  attend,  rame,  if  tradition  tells  truly,  in  no 
amicable  spirit,  and  but  for  the  })rofound  knowledge  possessed  by 
Clark  of  the  Indian  character,  and  the  high  rank  he  held  in  tlie 
estimation  of  the  natives,  the  meeting  of  January  31st  might  very 
probably  have  terminated  in  the  murder  of  the   commissinners.J 

From  a  late  work  by  Judge  Hall  we  take  the  following  passage, 
descriptive  of  the  scene  which  is  said  to  have  taken  i)lace.  The 
Indiajis  had  entered  in  a  disorderly  and  disrespectful  mannor, 
"the  commissioners,  without  noticing  the  disorderly  conduct  o! 
the  other  party,  or  appearing  to  have  discovered  their  meditated 


*  Sec  North  American  Review,  October,  1841,  p.  330. 
+  01(1  Journals,  iv.  657. 

:t  The  following  account  of  a  meeting  lictween  Clark  and  tlie  great  Delaware  cliioi' 
Curtloiig.iliclas,  took  placr,  we  prcsiiuir',  at  tl'.is  timo,  a;ul  not  as  commonly  s:iiilj  (O'ltlrr. 
153.  Dawson's  Harrison,  S'2,  note.  Tliatclior's  Indians,  ii .  ISO,)  at  Fort  Mcintosh,  in 
17S5.  His  name  does  not  appear  in  tlie  treaty  of  Fort  Mcintosh,  but  docs  in  that  ol 
Fort  Finney.  (Dillon's  Indiana,  i.  432.  440.  Indian  Treaties,  Wasliington,  ISi", 
"  When  the  peace  ("..icfs  had  addressed  the  commissioners,  Buckongaliclas,  not  deigning  to 
notice  tlic  colleagues  of  Clark,  took  the  latter  by  the  hand,  and  said,  ''  I  thank  the  Great 
Spirit  lor  having  this  day  brought  togetlier  two  such  great  warriors  as  Buckongahelas  aiH 
Oeueral  Clark." 


iTSn. 


Clark\'i  Treatment  <yf  the  Jndhms. 


'ill 


'naflici}',  <ipiii((l  ilic  council  in  ilnc  fonn.  'I'licy  lij^lilcd  llic 
ifai'('-|>ip"',  iiiid  aflcr  (liiuviii<^  !i  A-w  wliills,  passed  it  fo  tlic  rhicCs 
wlut  iccrivi'd  it.  Coldiu'l  (Miuk  tlicii  rose  to  cvitlaiii  the  [)iirj)OS(' 
for  wliioli  llic  treaty  was  ordered.  Witli  an  niieniliarrasscd  air, 
\u'li  tlie  lone  of  one  aeciistonii'd  to  coininand,  and  an  easy  as- 
vinance  of  perfcft  sccinity  and  self-jxjsscssion,  lie  staled  tlial  the 
(uiiinissioiM'rs  liad  been  sent  to  offer  peace  f,i  the  Sliawanese; 
'li;il  the  President  had  no  wish  to  continue  tlie  war;  hi'  had  no  rc- 
^(■lltnu■nt  to  gratify;  and,  if  tlie  red  men  desired  peace,  they  could 
bve  it  on  rcasonalde  terms.  'If  such  ho  the  will  of  the  Shawa- 
iiH'sr,'  h(!  rniudiided,  'let  some  of  their  wise  men  speak.' 

"A  chief  arose,  drew  up  his  tall  person  to  its  full  height,  and  as- 
suming a  haughty  attitude,  threw  his  eye  contemptuously  over  the 
^oiiimissioners  and  their  small  retinue,  as  if  to  measure  their  insii;- 


ifu 


^!;l 


cance,  \\\  comparison  with  his  own  niunerous  train,  and   tlien 
Iking  to  the  tahle,  threw  upon  it  two  helts  of  wampum,  of  dif- 


iTI'll 


t  col 


ors- 


tl 


le  war  anc 


I  the  p 


eace 


belt. 


"We   come   here,'  lie   exclaimed.    Mo  offer  you  two  pieces  of 
aiiipum  ;  they  are  of  different  colors;  you  know  what  they  mean: 
can  take  which  you  like!'  and  turtiing  upf)n  his  heel,  he  re- 
sumed his  seat. 
"  The  chiefs  dicw  themselves  up,  in  the  consciousness  of  lia\ing 


VOll 


liU 


rled  defianci'  in  the  teeth  of  the  white  me 


Tl 


u 


y 


o 


ffered 


an 


iiisiill  to  the  renowned  leader  (tf  the  I^ong  Knives,  to  which  they 
knew  it  would  he  hard  for  him  to  submit,  while  they  did  not   sup- 


jidsc 


tit'lT 


le  dare  resent  it. 


Th 


counc.il-pipc;  w 


as  laid  aside.     Those 


e  wild  men  gazed  intently  at  Clark.  The  Americans  saw  that 
'lit'  crisis  had  arrivi'd;  they  could  no  longer  doubt  that  the  Indians 
understood  the  advantage  they  possessed,  and  were  disposed  io 
"S('  it ;  and  a  common  sense  of  danger  caused  each  (ye  to  be  turn- 
tl  on  the  leading  commissioner,  lie  sat  undisturbed  and  appar- 
'  iitly  careless  until  the  chief  who  had  thrown  the  bells  upon  tlie 
'alile  had  taken  his  seat;  then  with  a  small  cane  which  he  held  in 


Ills 


hand,  he  reached  as  if  })layfully,  towards  the  war  bcdt,  entan- 
i^lcd  the  end  of  the  stick  in  it,  drew  it  towards  him,  and  then  with 
>i  switcli  of  the  cane  threw'  the  belt  into  the  midst  of  the  chiefs. 
The  effect  was  electric.  Every  man  in  the  council,  of  each  parly 
sprang  to  his  feet,  the  savage  with  a  loud  exclamation  of  astonish- 


nu'iit 
Hid, 


Hugh !'     T'he  Americans  in  expectation  of  a  hopeless  con- 


anainst  overwhelmin<2;   number; 


E 


ver' 


hand 


graspt 


"vea 


poD. 


278  Chi'k\s   Tiriitinent  of  ilu:  Indians.  ]',%, 

"Cliiik  iilono  was  unawcd.  Tlif  I'xprcs^iori  ol'liis  roiiiilcn.itir, 
cli;in;^c(l  lo  a  (rrocious  .sicrmicss  and  his  vy  (lashctl,  but  olln  rwi  , 
hi'  was  uniiiovc"!.  A  Lillir  smile  was  pcrcrjililiU'  upon  liis  c,!.,. 
prc'ssfd  ]\[)s,  as  he  n;ax(.'(l  upon  that  siiva^e  hand,  whost-  hiUKhtl 
eyes  wcrr  Ix'iil  ficiri-'  and  in  horrid  cvullalion  upon  him  as  Iln^ 
stood  lik(!  a  pa(!k  of  wolvi'S  al  ha)  thirsting  lor  hh)od,  and  rnul) 
to  rush  upon  him  whrncv*  r  one  hohh'r  than  tlic  rest  should  coiii. 
nu'ncc  the  attack.  It  was  oiw  of  those  moments  of  in(h'(isi(iii 
when  the  sHj^htest  wei^lit  thrown  into  eitluT  scale  will  luakt:  it 
preponch'iate ;  a  moment  in  wliieh  a  hohl  mau,  conversant  wi!ii  \]\< 
secret  sprinj^s  of  hinuan  action,  may  seize  upon  the  minds  oj'  nil 
around  him  and  sway  tiiem  at  his  will. 

Such  a  man  was  the  intre])id  V'ir^itdan.  He  spoke  and  llnri 
was  no  man  hold  enough  to  ^^ainsay  him — none  that  coidd  rotinn 
the  fierce  glance  of  his  eye.  Uaisint^  his  arm  and  waving  iiis  jiiuul 
toward  the  door,  he  exclaimed:  ^  J)()<rs!  i/oii  /nai/  go!^  The  liuii- 
ans  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  rushed  tuiaultuously  out  oi 
the  council  room."* 


•Ifnllin  Wilpy  nnd  I'litiinm'H  Lilimry.  —  Tlin  original  of  the  above  is  wo  prcsiimr,  tlu 
fullDwiiig  from  tho  Eiicyclopa'.dia  Americana  : 

"  Tlii^  Imlians  cunic  in  to  liie  tr  •it)  at  Tort  W'asliinglon  in  tlu.'  most  Iricnilly  milliner, 
except  tlic  Sliawiinces,  the  most  c(ini:i:it('(l  and  warlike^  oClhc  ahorifjiufs,  the  first  in  ;it  i 
battle,  a  .  the  last  at  a  treaty.  Three  hundred  of  their  fineHt  warriors  set  off  in  all  tln'i' 
paint  and  feathers,  and  tiled  into  tho  council-honse.  Their  numl)er  and  demeanor,  so 
unusual  at  an  occasion  of  this  sort,  was  ultogftiier  unexpected  and  suspicions.  Tin 
United  States'  stockade  iiiustered  seventy  men.  In  tlie  centre-  of  tho  liall,  at  a  little  tili!', 
Hat  the  eommissary-tienend  Clark,  tin;  in(lefatit,'ahle  scourge  of  tliese  very  marauder--, 
General  llichar<l  Itutler  and  Mr.  Parsons.  There  was  also  present  a  Captain  Denny,  wlw, 
I  believe,  is  still  alive,  and  can  attest  this  story.  On  the  part  of  the  Indians,  an  old  conn- 
cil-sacliem  and  a  war  cliieftook  tlie  lead.  The  latter,  a  tall,  raw-honed  fellow,  with  a;: 
imimdent  and  villainous  look,  made  a  l)oisterous  and  threatening  speech,  which  oprratiJ 
effectually  on  the  passions  of  the  Indians,  who  set  u])  a  prodii,'ious  whoo|)  at  every  paiisf 
He  concluded  by  presenting  a  black  and  white  wampum,  to  signify  they  were  pri'iiari, 
for  eitl)er  event,  peace  or  war.  ("lark  exhihited  the  same  unaltered  and  careless  coun- 
tenance he  liad  shown  during  tlu^  whole  scene,  his  head  leanirig  on  his  led  liand,  and  lu- 
elbow  resting  upon  the  table.  H(!  raised  his  little  cane,  and  pushed  the  sacred  wani|imii 
olf  the  table,  with  very  litile  ceremony.  J'^very  Indian  at  the  same  time  started  from  hi 
seat  with  one  of  those  sudden,  simultaneous,  and  peculiarly  savage  sounds,  which  stir;:o 
and  disconcert  the  stoutest  heart,  and  can  neither  be  described  nor  forgotten.  At  t!i;i 
juncture  Clark  rose.  The  scrutinizing  eye  cowered  at  his  glance.  He  stamped  his  foot  or. 
the  prostrate  and  insulted  symbol,  and  ordered  them  lo  leave  the  hall.  They  did  so,  ap- 
parently involuntarily.  They  were  heard  all  that  night,  debating  in  the  bushes  near  th' 
tort.  The  raw-boned  chief  was  for  war,  the  old  sachem  for  peace.  The  latter  prcvaileit, 
and  the  next  morning  they  came  back  and  sued  for  i)cace."  (Notes  of  an  old  ofTicf 
Sec  Encyclopaedia  Americana,  iii.  2,i2.) 

Judge  Hall  says  General  Harrison  confirmed  the  tale,  but  it  is  a  strange  matter  tli-' 
neither  Marshall  nor  any  of  the  other  early  historians  know  any  thing  about  it.  Is  it  aI^ 
a  "  myth?" 


*  Old  Journals 


trc  prosump,  the 


iTSfi.  Clitt/c\i  abortii'C  Expnlitim  up  fhc   IVihnsh.  27!> 

Hii'  Mio  tril)f's  iiuin'  distant  than  flic  Slinwancsi'  wcro  in  no  way 
,!isj)()sr(i  to  cease  tlicir  iiiciiiNiDnSj  and  upon  flic  IHlli  of  M;iy  thi- 
flovertior  of  Vir^^inia  was  f(»rccd  to  write  upon  the  snltjcrt  to  Con- 
;'r('ss,  wliicli  at  once  sent  two  com[»aiiics  down  the  Oliii  lo  tlic 
Falls,  .ind  upon  the  ;U)tli  of  June  aullioiixcd  flic  r:ii^in!^  of  niilifia 
In  Kentucky,  and  flic  invasion  of  flic  rounfiy  of  the  mischief- 
mnkcrs  under  the  coniniand  of  the  icadiiiLf  rnifed  States  o(!iccr.* 
We  do  not  learn  that  it  was  nominally  under  this  resolution  that 
(Ji'iieral  Clark's  oxpedition  of  the  ensuing  fall  was  undertaken; 
Imt  at  any  rate  this  act  on  the  part  of  Conj^ress  justified  offensive 
nuasiircs  on  the  part  of  the  Iventuckians  when  they  hccanic  neces- 
sary; and  it  heinj;  thoii^^ht  nt'cessary  to  act  upon  the  Wabash  hc- 
foro  winter,  a  body  of  a  thousand  nu-n  or  more  i^Mlhercd  at  the 
Falls,  and  marched  thence  toward  Vinceiuu'S,  which  place  they 
roaclied  some  time  in  September, f  17Sf). 

Here  the  army  remained  inactive  during;  nine  <lays,  waifin<^  the 
;inival  of  their  provisions  and  ammunition,  which  had  been  sent 
ilnwn  to  th(!  mouth  of  the  Wabash  in  boats,  and  were  delayed  by 
the  low  water.  This  stay,  so  diffcrenf  from  (lark's  old  mode  of 
prncceding,  was  in  opposition  to  his  advice, |  and  proved  fatal  to 
the  expedition,  'I'he  soldiers  became  restive,  and  their  confidence 
Iti  the  Ti'Mieral  being  destroyed,  by  discovering  the  fact  that  his 
dear  n)ind  was  too  commonly  confused  ami  darkeiu'd  by  the 
inlliU'iuH'  of  ardent  spirits,  thoy  at  last  refused  obedience;  a  body 
of  three  hundred  turned  their  faces  homeward,  and  the  rest  soon 
followed  in  their  track. 

Another  expedition  conducted  hy  Colonel  Logan  against  the 
Sliawanese,  who  in  spite  of  their  treaty  had  resumed  hostilities, 
'iiTininated  very  differently  from  that  under  the  conqueror  of  Illi- 
nois, their  towns  were  burned  and  their  crops  wasted. 

It  was  the  gathering  of  the  men  of  Kentucky  for  these  expedi- 
tions, which  prevented  the  meeting  of  the  convention  that  was 
to  have  come  together  in  September.  So  many  were  absent  on 
military  duty  that  a  quorum  could  not  be  had,  atul  those  who 
came  to  the  point  of  assembly,  were  forced,  as  a  committee 
inorely,  to  prepare  a  memorial  for  the  Virginia  legislature,  setting 


•  01(1  Journals,  iv.  657  to  660. 

tBiitlrr  (p.  If)!)  says  in  Octi)l)cr,  but  tlipy  roniainotl  at  Vincnnnrs  nine  ilay-^,  and  yrt 
'he  mcoting  after  the  (^xpeilition  was  abandoned,  was  on  October  Stli.  (Secret  Journals, 
IV.  311.) 

i  Marshall,  i.  250.— Butler,  153. 


280 


JVcgotialions  with  Spain. 


17SG, 


fortli  Iho  causes  wliicli  made  a  ronveiilion  at  llial  time  inipossiL',, 
and  askiiio- rcpiaiii  clianges  in  llie  Act  of  Separation.*  This  dfiUi, 
they  continued  their  meetings  l)y  adjournment  during  tlie  rtinai;,. 
der  of  the  year,  hoping  a  quorum  might  still  be  gathered;  whii.!. 
Avas  not  (lone,  however,  until  the  ensuing  January. f 

Meanwhile,  ])eyond  the  Alleghanies,  events  were  taking  pirn 
Avhich  produced  more  excitement  in  Kentucky  than  Indian  w;u\, 
or  Acts  of  Separation  even:  we  refer  to  the  Spanish  negoUatl(iii\ 
involving  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi.  In  17S0,  as  we  Lav-, 
stated,  Spain  expressi-d  her  determination  to  claim  the  eoulro]  n 
the  great  western  river:  in  January,  1781,  she  attacked  the  fort  i; 
St.  Joseph's,  and  took  possession  of  the  north-west  in  the  name  l; 
his  Catholic  Majesty:  on  the  15th  of  the  next  month,  Congress,  a: 
the  instance  of  the  Virginia  Delegates,  instructed  I\Ir.  Jay,  then  a' 
Madrid,  not  to  insist  on  the  use  of  the  Mississip})i  hy  the  Anmi- 
cans,  if  a  treaty  could  not  l)e  effected  without  giving  il  up. 
Through  1782,  the  court  of  Madrid  labored,  not  only  to  iiiducr 
the  United  States  to  give  up  the  stream  of  the  West,  but  a  grca; 
part  of  the  West  itself,  and  France  backed  her  pretensions  ;j:  and 
thus  matters  rested.  In  July,  1785,  Don  Diego  Gardoijiii,  ap- 
peared before  Congress  as  the  representative  of  Spain  ;||  on  tin. 
20lh  of  the  same  month,  I\Tr.  Jay,  the  Secretary  of  foreign  airiiiis 
Avas  authorised  to  negotiate  with  him;  and  in  IMay  of  the  year  df 
which  wo  are  writing,  negotiations  begun  between  them,  wen 
brought  to  the  notice  of  Congress.  This  was  done  in  consequcuci. 
of  the  fact  that  in  thes(;  transactions  !\Ir.  Jay  asked  the  special 
guidance  of  that  body,  and  explained  his  reasons  for  dning  so  a^ 
length. §  Tic  pointed  out  the  importance  of  a  commercial  Irtaty 
with  Spain,  and  dwelt  upon  the  two  difficulties  of  making  such  a 
treaty  ;  one  of  which  was  the  unwillingness  of  Spain  to  permit  tlu 
navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  the  other,  the  question  of  boun- 
daries. Upon  the  first  point  Mr.  Jay  was,  and  always  had  hccn, 
opposed  to  yielding  to  the  Spanish  claim  ;  but  that  claim  was  slill 
a.  'renuously  urged  as  iji  1780  ;  and  the  court  of  Madrid,  tluir 
ambassador  said,  would  never  abandon  it.  Under  these  circum- 
stances, the  interests  of  the  whole  Union  demanding  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  Spanish  commercial  treaty,  while  that  treaty  couli! 
apparently  be  secured  only  by  giving  \\\)  the  right  to  navigate  tli'. 


•Marshall,!.  2r)l.  f  Ibid,  253. 

\  Secret  .Touniiils,  iv.  03  to  80.     Dii)loniatic  Corrcsponiloncc. 

U  Old  Journals,  iv.  541.  §  Secret  Journals,  iv.  43.  45. 


Dissatisfaction  in  the   West.  231 

Mississippi,  whicli  \vas  in  a  manner  sacrificing  \\\c  West,  IMr.  J;iy 
proposed,  as  a  sort  of  compromise,  to  form  a  treaty  with  Spain  for 
;\venty-five  or  thirty  years,  and  durin;_^  that  lime  to  yield  the  riglit 
-)f  using  the  Mississippi  Ijilow  the  boundaries  of  the  United 
States.  To  this  proposition,  the  southern  mend)ers  in  Congress 
wore  vehemently  opposed,  and  an  attempt  was  ma(h'  ])y  them  to 
take  the  whole  matter  out  of  Mr.  Jay's  hands,  the  delegates  from 
Virginia  offering  a  long  and  ahle  argument  in  o])p()silion  to  his 
sflienie ;  but  the  members  of  the  eastern  and  middle  stales  out- 
votid  the  south,  and  the  Secretary  was  authorised  to  continue  his 
nigotiations,  without  being  bound  to  insist  at  all  ha/'ards  upon  the 


liate  use  of  the  rivei 


The  discussions  in  Conn^ress  relative 


;:i  the  Spanish  claims,  took  place  during  August,  and  the  rumor 
nf  them  and  of  the  Secretary's  proposal  in  due  iiuv^  reac-hed  the 
West;  but,  as  is  common,  the  tale  spread  by  report,  differed  from 
the  truth,  by  representing  the  proposition  as  mucli  more  positive 
tlian  it  really  was,  and  as  being  made  by  John  Jay,  without  any 
auction  of  Congress.  This  story,  which  circulated  during  the 
winter  of  178G-7,  produced  among  those  who  dwelt  upon  the 
wrstern  waters  great  indignation  ;  and  prepared  the  people  to  antici- 
patc  a  contest  with  Spain,  or  a  union  with  her,  and  in  either  ease, 
3dion  independent  of  tlie  old  Atlantic  colonies.  And  the  conduct 
of  Clark,  after  the  failure  of  the  Wabash  evpedifion,  was  well 
lalculated  to  cause  many  to  think  that  the  leading  minds  were 
already  prepared  for  action.  On  the  Slh  of  October,  a  board  of 
fiild  officers  at  Vincennes,  determined  to  garrison  that  point,  to 
raiM'  supplies  by  impressment,  and  to  enlist  new  troops.  Under 
iii^  determination,  Spanish  property  was  seized,  soldiers  were 
i.ml)odied,  and  steps  were  taken  to  hold  a  peace  council  with  the 
natives;  all  under  the  direction  of  General  Clark.  Soon  afiei'  this, 
ni  December,  Thomas  Green  wrote  from  Louisville  to  '  ,.  f '-u'er- 
■  i\vn\  Council  antl  Lecjislature  of  Geor<i;ia — whice  Sia'  A'as 
iavdlved  in  the  boundary  quarrel  with  Spain  —  that  S  •:'-'■  pro- 
perty had  been  seized  in  the  north-west  as  a  hostile  measi..e,  and 
not  merely  to  procure  necessaries  for  the  troo}is,  which  Clark 
afterward  declared  was  the  case  ;  and  added  that  the  General  was 
ready  to  go  down  the  river  with  "  troops  sufficient"  to  take  pos- 
•^ession  of  the  lands  in  dispute*,  if  Georgia  wouhl  countenance  him. 
This  letter  Clark  said  he  never  saw,  but  as  he  paid  equally  with 


•  Secret  Journals,  iv.  81  to  132. 


28-2 


Expc.dUioa  (igdinal  Spain  proposed. 


Green  lownrds  llie  expenses  of  the  messenger  who  was  lo  take  • 
to  tlie  sonlh,  it  was  natnral  enougli  lo  think  him  privy  to  all  if, 
plans  rehitive  to  the  disputed  territory,  whatever  they  may  ji^v. 
been.  And  what  they  were,  in  some  minds  at  least,  may  p.-. 
liaps,  he  judged  l)y  the  loHowing  extract  from  a  letter,  nN, 
WTitten  from  Louisville,  professedly  to  some  one  in  New  Enghnil, 
and  very  prohahly  by  Green  ;  and  which  was  circulated  widely  in 
Frankland,  Tennessee.     It  is  dated  December  4,  '86. 

Our  situation  is  as  bad  as  it  possibly  can  bo,  tlierefore  every  cxcrtio: 
to  retrieve  our  circumstances  must  bo  manly,  eligible  and  just. 

We  can  raise  twenty  thousand  troops  this  side  the  Alleghany  ani! 
Apalaeliian  Mountains;  and  tlie  annual  increase  of  them  by  emigration, 
from  other  parts,  is  from  two  to  four  thousand. 

We  have  taken  all  the  goods  belonging  to  the  Spanish  merchants  of 
post  Vincennes  and  the  Illinois,  and  are  determined  they  shall  not  trade 
up  the  river,  provided  they  will  not  let  us  trade  down  it.     Preparaiioiis 
are  now  making  here  (if  necessary)  to  drive  the  Spaniards  from  tlieir 
settlements,  at   die   mouUi  of  the    ^Aississippi.     In   case   we  are  not  j 
countenanced  and  succored  by  the  United  States  (if  we  need  it)  our 
allegiance  will  be  thrown  off,  and  some  other  power  applied  to.     Great 
Britain    stands   ready   with   open   arms   to    receive    and   support  us. 
They  have  already   offered  to  open  Uieir  resources  for  our  supplicf.  j 
When  once  re-united  to  diem,  "farewell,  a   long  farewell  to  dl  your 
boasted  greatness."     The  province  of  Canada  and   the   inhabitants  of| 
these  waters,  of  diemselves,  in  time,  will  be  able  to  conquer  you.    You 
are  as  ignorant  of  dns  country  as  Great  Britain  was  of  America.    These 
are  hints,  if  righdy  improved,  may  be  of  some  service;  if  not,  blame  j 
yourselves  for  the  neglect.* 


Wells,  Green's  messenger,  on  his  way  to  Georgia,  showed  ]ii< 
papers  to  various  persons  at  Danville ;  copies  were  at  once  taken 
of  them,  and  inclosed  in  a  letter  written  on  the  22d  of  December  to 
the  executive  of  Virginia,  by  fifteen  of  the  leading  citizens  ot 
Kentucky,  among  whom  was  James  Wilkinson.  In  February, 
1787,  the  Council  of  Virginia  acted  upon  the  subject;  condemnci! 
General  Clark's  conduct,  disavowed  the  powers  assumed  hy  liim. 
ordered  the  prosecution  of  the  persons  concerned  in  the  seizure  ol' 
property,  and  laid  the  matter  before  Congress.  It  was  presontiJ 
in  detail  to  that  body  upon  the  13th  of  April,!  and  upon  the  24t!i 

•  Secret  Journals,  iv.  323. 

t  Secret  Journals,  iv.  301  to  323. 


Putnam  and  Tupper  propose  to  move  west. 


2S3 


^li'that  month,  it  was  ri'.solvcd  that  the  troops  of  the  ruited  Slates 
If  crnph)yo(l  to  dispossess  the  luiauthorised  iiitniders  who  had 
Mkcri  possession  of  St.  Vincents.* 

All  these  things  naturally  tended  to  excite  speculation,  incjuiiy 
and  fear  throughout  the  West;  and  though  no  action  was  had  in 
fjlLTonce  to  the  IMississippi  (piestion  beyond  the  mountains,  until 
'IK.'  next  spring,  we  nuiy  be  sure  there  was  talking  and  feeling 
tiinugh  in  the  interval. 

But  in  giving  the  history  of  17S6,  we  must  not  omit  those 
^^p.s  which  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  New  England  Ohio 
Company,  and  the  founding  of  the  first  colony,  authorised  by  gov- 
tniiQcnt,  north-west  of  the  13elle  Riviere. 

Congress,  by  the  Resolutions  of  September  16,  177C,  a  ;d  August 
12, 1780,  had  promised  land  bounties  to  the  officers  and  soidiers[of 
'.lie  Revolutionary  army,  who  should  continue  in  the  service  till 
the  close  of  the  war,  or  until  discharged  by  Congress ;  and  to  the 
riprcsentatives  of  those  who  should  be  slain  by  the  enemy. f  In 
June,  1783,  peace  having  been  proclaimed,  General  Rufus  Putnam 
fiiwarded  to  Washinc;ton  a  memorial  from  certain  of  those  havins: 
fiiiims  under  these  Resolutions;  which  \Vashingtf)n  transmitted  to 
Congress,  together  with  General  Putnam's  letter.l  R'lt  as  the 
States  claiming  the  western  territory  had  not  then  made  their  final 
Cessions,  Congress  was  forced,  on  the  29th  of  October,  1783,  to 
announce  their  inaoility  to  make  any  appropriation  of  land.jj 
Fioin  that  time,  nothing  further  was  done  until,  upon  the  18th  of 
July,  1785,  Benjamin  Tupper,  a  Revolutionary  officer  belonging 
to  Massachusetts,  was  appointed  a  surveyor  of  western  lands,  in 
'lie  place  of  General  Putnam,  who  had  been  before  chosen,  but 
was  otherwise  engaged.  He,  in  the  course  of  that  year,  visited 
the  West,  going,  however,  no  farther  than  Pittsburgh,  as  the 
Indian  troubles  prevented  surveys. §  On  his  return  home,  he 
conferred  with  his  friend,  Putnam,  as  to  a  renewal  of  their 
memorial  of  1783,  and  a  removal  westward  ;  which  conference 
resulted  in  a  publication,  dated  January  10,  1786,  in  which  was 
proposed  the  formation  of  a  company  to  settle  the  Ohio  lands;  and 
tliosc  taking  an  interest  in  the  plan,  were  invited  to  meet  in  Feb- 

*  01(1  Journals,  iv.  710. 
t  L;in(l  Laws,  337. 

;  The  letters  relating  to   this  petition  Wf  re  sent  by  Mr.  Spiirks  to  the  Couunittee  fur 
L'iC  Ctleliration  of  the  Settlunient  of  )hio,  1S3.J;  and  were  published  by  thfui. 
[  Land  Laws,  339. 
§  Nye's  Address,  Transactions  Ohio  Historical  Society,  p.  317. 


231  Ohio  Company  formed. — Cession  by  Connecticut.       \^^i 

ruiiiy  and  clioose,  for  fiiclj  couiily  of  Massacliusclts,  one  or  ui .. 
(Iflon-atcs;  llicsf  (li']('<^atc'S  were  to  assemble,  on  llic  1st  of  Mm,; 
at  the  I'uncli  of  Grapes  tavern  in  Boston,  there  to  agree  uj,  • 
a  system  of  assoelalion.  On  the  day  named,  eleA'en  pcisi;.- 
appeared  at  the  ])lace  agreed  upon;  and  l)y  tlie  3d  of  Marcli, ;] 
outline  of  the  company  was  (h'awn  uj),  and  subscriptions  uik!,;. 
at  once  commenced.  The  leading  features  of  that  outline  v..; 
th(>se  :  a  fund  of  a  million  dollars,  mainly  in  continental  eerlificai.., 
was  to  be  raised  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  lands  in  the  avcv. 
crn  territory;  there  were  to  be  a  thousand  shares  of  one  thoibai,: 
dollars  each,  and  upon  each  share  ten  dollars  in  specie  were  t) 
hv  paid,  for  contingent  expenses.  One  year's  interest  was  to  be 
appropriated  to  the  fdiarges  of  making  a  settlement  and  assisting 
Ihosi'  uiuible  to  remove  without  aid.  The  owners  of  every  twcniv 
sliares  were  to  choose  an  agent  to  represent  tlicm,  and  attend  i;. 
their  interests;  and  these  agents  were  to  choose  the  Directors.' 
The  pla  was  approved,  and  in  a  year  from  that  time  the  company 
was  organized  ;  and,  before  its  organization,  the  last  obslacle  to 
the  purposed  gra;it  from  the  United  States,  was  done  away  by  tLv 
cession  of  most  of  her  territorial  claims  on  the  part  of  Connecticii, 
In  October,  17S0,  soon  after  the  first  action  of  Congress  ri'lativ: 
to  the  western  lands,  that  State  had  passed  an  Act  respecting  th^ 
cession  of  her  claims  to  the  Lnited  States.  This,  on  the  31st  r; 
January,  17S1,  was  referred,  together  with  the  Resolutions  i; 
New  York  and  Virginia,  to  a  Committee. f  Various  reports  wat 
made,  and  discussions  had,  relative  to  the  matter,  but  it  was  no: 
till  IMay  20,  17SG,  that  the  views  of  the  State  and  the  Union  cou'.J 
be  brought  to  a  coincidence.  This  being  done  by  a  Resolution 
of  Congress,  dated  upon  that  day,  the  delegates  of  Connecticut, 
upon  the  11th  of  September,  made  the  deetl  of  cession  by  ^vllilil 
all  her  claims  to  the  country  west  of  a  line,  'one  hundred  aiul 
twenty  miles  beyond  the  Western  boundary  of  Pennsylvania  aiK 
parallel  thereto, |  were  given  up  to  the  confederation.  || 

*  Sfo  Nye's  Address  in  Transactions  of  Oliio  Ilistoricnl  S^icicty,  Part  2d.  Also,  uj 
article  on  Ohio,  in  Nortli  American  Review,  for  October,  LSll  ;  vol.  liii.  320  lo  3J)f):  ihiil 
article  is  full  of  original  matter. 

t  Old  .Tournals,  iii.  .571. 

^  Old  .Tournals.  iv.  615  to  618.  697. — Land  Law?.  103. — Connecticut  claimed  nDtli.n: 
south  ()i'|)arallel  41  dcg.,  or  north  of  parallel  42  dcg.  2m. 

II  By   this  transfer,  Coiineeticiit  retained  both   the  .soil  and  jurisdiction  of  wh.il   i^  H' '' 
known  as  the  Connecticut  or  Western    Reserve.     Tlie  compromise  with  her   wasili>:'.> 
proved   by  Washington  and  others.     See  Spnks'   Washington,  ix.   178  and  note,    ^'f'l 
ginia,  in  lier  eessioti,  (sen  p.  2.")><)  had  resigned  lier   jiirisdiction,  and  her  "  reserve'"  "^'j 
merely  of  the  landH  necessary  lo  recomj)ense  her  soldiers. 


17S7. 


It  claiinotl  nothin; 


\Vc  mentioned  some  pages  back,  that  a  minority  of  the  Con- 

Ivention  called  in  Kentucky,  to  meet  in  September,  1786,   was 

laijnurncd  from  time  to  time  until  January  of  this  year ;  when,  at 

Ikni^th,  a  quorum  attended.     Upon  a  vote  being  then  taken  rela- 

liveto  separation,  the  feeling  was  still  as  before,  strongly  in  favor 

|m  it.    But  scarce  had  this  been  ascertained  when  a  second   \ct 

upon  the  subject,  passed  by  Virginia  in  October,  1186,*  reached 

k  West,  and  the  whole  question  was  again  postponed,  to  be  laid 

efore  a^^/i  convention,  which  was  to  meet  in  September  ;  while 

ne  time  when  the  laws  of  Virginia  should  cease  to  be  of  force, 

ns  changed  to  the  close  of  the  year  1788.     There  were  many, 

Kyoud  no   doubt,  to  whom  this   delay  was  a  source  of  vexation 

UdJ  anger,  but  the  people  of  the  district  generally  evinced  no  such 

lings ;  the  elections  took  place  in  August,  and  the  Convention 

•dnbled  upon  the  17 ih  of  September,  all  in  perfect  harmony  and 

(jiiieUiess.     The  vote  was  again  unanimous  in  favor  of  separation, 

bad  the  Act  of  Virginia  was  agreed  to ;  to  form  a  constitution,  a 

fi///i  convention  was  to  be  chosen  in  the  ensuing  April,  and  to 

^implete  the  work  of  independence.  Congress  was  to   assent  to 

pelbrmation  of  Kentucky  into  a  state  before  July  4,  1788. f 

Nor  was  the  spirit  of  moderation  shown  this  year  by  the  Ken- 
hkians  in  relation  to  self-government,  confined  to  that  subject; 
F  regard  to  the  vexatious  affair  of  the  Spanish  claims,  there  was 
xc  temper  manifested.  Mi.  Jay,  as  already  related,  had  been 
bhorised  by  Congress  to  abandon  the  right  of  using  the  Missis- 
Pppi  foi-  a  term  of  years,  but  not  to  yield  the  pretensions  of  the 
Inited  States  to  its  navigation,  after  that  period  closed.  In  Octo- 
1786,  under  these  instructions,  he  resumed  his  negotiations 
►!tli  Don  Gardoqui,  but  without  success,  as  Spain  required  an 


'Morehcad,  124. 
I  +  Marshall,   i.  253  to  256. 
'1"S7"  in  Marshall,  256. 


274  to  278.    The  date  "  July  4,  1788"  is  misprinted 


28G 


Grotvi/ig  Disantisjhction  i)i  the  West. 


17S* 


ontiio  rclirKiuislimcnt  of  tlic  American  claim.*  In  Novcm!), ;  • 
tliat  year,  also,  Virf^inia  liad  passed  several  Resolutions  aj^ain.- 
giviiinf  up  the  use  of  the  river,  even  for  a  day,  and  had  insfrufi  1 
her  delegates  to  op})ose  every  attem])t  of  the  kind.f  Wlwu, 
therefore,  thi'  people  of  Kentucky  met  at  Danville,  early  in  .Ma,, 
1787,  to  act  in  relation  to  the  subject, — having  been  call, : 
together  by  Messrs.  Muter,  Iimis,  Brown  and  Sebastian,  for  tli.v 
purpose,:}: — th(>y  found  that  little  or  nothing  was  to  be  done  ;  i!;,. 
plan  of  tlie  Secretary  was  not  likely  to  succeed,  and  had  l)c,r 
most  fully  protested  against:  — -the  assembly  at  Danville,  havlii.' 
been  informed  of  these  things,  quietly  adjourned.  || 

What  connection,  if  any,  existed  between  this  calmer  spirit  in 
Kentucky  and  General  Wilkinson's  absence,  during  a  part  of  tlif 
year,  it  is  impossible  to  say;  but  it  is  probable  that  had  not  Liv 
attention  at  that  time  been  drawn  to  the  advantages  of  a  tradr  wi;!, 
New  Orleans,  he  \vould  have  exerted  during  17S7,  a  much  grea'i' 
influence  upon  his  fellow  citizens  than  he  seems  to  have  dor.i, 
In  June,  we  find  him  on  his  way  to  the  south ;  nor  did  he  appear 
in  Kentucky  again  until  the  following  February;  and  then  it  wa< 
that  he  commenced  those  connections  with  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment of  Louisiana,  wiiich  were  afterwards  brought  in  question,  an'! 
by  means  of  which  his  character  became  involved  in  doubts  tlia: 
have  never  entirely  been  done  away.§ 

At  that  period,  the  feeling  expressed  in  the  extract  from  a  leftc 
which  we  have  already  quoted  on  p.  282,  that  the  West  wniiM 
separate  from  the  East,  seems  to  have  been  growing  even  am'm: 
those  who,  in  December,  1786,  denounced  Green  and  Clark  'f 
the  Governor  of  Virginia.  Harry  Innis,  Attorney-General  of  tho 
district,  and  one  of  those  who  gave  information  of  the  Vinrrnni-' 
proceedings,  in  July,  1787,  writes  to  the  executive  of  the  S*a*', 
(Virginia,)  that  he  cannot  prosecute  those  guilty  of  aggrcs'^ion'^ 
on  the  Indians,  and  add  :  "I  am  decidedly  of  opinion  tiiat  tlr.^ 
western  country  will  in  a  few^  years  act  for  itself,  and  erect  an 
independent  government."^  This  opinion  was  based  partially 
upon  the  failure,  on  the  part  of  Virginia  and  the  confederation,  t" 
protect  the  frontiers,  wdiich,  during  this  whole  year,  suffered  both 
from  the  northern  and  southern  Indians ;  and  partly  in  the  uncer- 
tain state  of  the  navigation  question,  in  respect  to  which  the 
western    men  had   reason,  perhaps,  to   think   tliat   some   of  the 


*  9—r-t  Jotirmh,  iv.  ?07  ♦'i  ''01. 
§  Sec  post,  17SS  and  index. 


f  Mnrsha!!.  i.2fil. 
T  Marshall,  i.  Q70. 


t  Ibid  259.        1  IbiJ, 


v' 


First  Papers  in  West. 


287 


.iiJei'S    ill   the  Old  Dominion  wcic  leagued  against  them.     Wc 
fjiJ,  tor  example,  Washington  expressing  his  willingness  that  the 
Mississippi  should  'le  closed   lor  a  time,  because,  as  lu;  thought, 
ij closure  would  knit  'he   new  colonies  of  the  West  more  closely 
1  tr.  tho  Atlantic  States,  and   lead  to  the  realization  of  one  of  his 
liis  favorite  projects,  the  opening  of  lines  of  internal   navigation 
(nnnecting  the  Ohio  with  the  Potomac   and  James  River.       In 
ihcse  sentiments  both  Henry  Lee  and  Richard  Henry  Lee  agreed. f 
llow  far  these  views  of  the  great  Virginians  were  known,  we  can- 
not discover ;  but  more  or  less  distinct  rumors  respecting  them,  we 
may  presume  were  prevalent,  so  that  it  was  by  no  means  strange 
ihat  the  very  foremost  men  of  the  West  wavered  in  their  attach 
iiR'iit  to  the  powerless,  almost  worthless  confederation.     Nor  did 
l!ic  prospect  of  a  new  government  at  first  help  the   matter.     The 
viiw  which  Patrick  Henry  and  others  took  of  the  proposed  federal 
cniistitution,  was  the  favorite  view  of  the  western  Virginians ;  so 
;!iat  of  fourteen  representatives  from  the  District  of  Kentucky,  in 
i!io  convention  called  in  17SS,  to  deliberate  upon  that  constitution, 
liiit  three  voted  in  favor  of  it:  one  of  these  three  was  Humphrey 
Marshall,   the   historian.  |     And  this  rejection  of  the   instrument 
':nder  which  our  Union  has  since  so  greatly  prospered,  was  not 
i!!ie  result   of  hasty  action,  or  strong  party  influence.     The  first 
point  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  it  was  made  known  through  the 
press,  to  the  people  of  the  West,  upon  the  27th  of  October,   17S9, 
kving   been    on  that    day  printed    in    the    Kentucky   Gazette  ;|| 
Tliat  mere   party  influence   did  not  govern  the  opponents  of  the 
•oiistitution  of  the  United  States,  is  proved,  both  by  the  character 
)f  the  men,  and  the  debates  in  the  convention.     We  have   men- 
hioued  the  Kentucky  Gazette;  the  publication  of  this  paper  was 
•ommenced   in  Lexington,  in  August  of  this  year,  by  Mr.  John 
Bradford;   his    press    being    the    second    established  beyond    the 
I  iMuiitains,   the  first  having  been  the  Pittsburgh  Gazette,  which 
I  appeared  in  July,  17S6.§ 

While,   south  of  the   Ohio,  more  or  less  of  dissatisfaction  with 
'>!ie  Federal  Union  was  spreading,  —  not  secretly  and  in  a  spirit  of 

'Sparks'  Wa'liington  ix.  119,  17,2,  261.  For  Washington's  views  on  intcrnal'im- 
|:rovements,sec  30.  291,  471,  301.  320.  80,  Lc. 

!  For  Henry  Lee's  views,  see  S[)arks,  ix.  173,  note,  205,  note  ,  Richard  Henry  Lee's, 
^Vasiiington's  letter  to  him,  Sparks,  ix.  261. 

;  Marshall  i.  2S7.  ]!  IJutlcr,  101,  note. 

§  Marshall,  i,  274 Butler,  103.— Butlei*s  Chronology,  30— The  Pittsburgh  Gazette 

"■^  f  stahlished  by  John  Scull  .md  Joseph  Ifal',  t'V'-'  pc-jr  jcur.g  men;  the  l!;st  nuuiucr 
".'.i-ared  July  29. — American  rionccr,  i.  300. 


28S  Dr.  Cutlrr  ncgotidles  with  Congress  for  Land.        1787. 

treason,  but  opt'nly  and  as  the  necessary  conseciuencc  of  I'mm. 
lhou<^ht  and  unfcUeied  choice,  —  the  New  England  associates  fm 
setlliii}^  llie  northwest,  were  by  degrees  reiUicing  their  tliecies  to 
practice.  In  March  17SG,  it  will  be  remembered,  they  began 
their  subscription,  on  the  8th  of  that  month  17S7,  a  meeiingoi 
Agents  ciiosc  General  Parsons,  General  Putnam,  and  the  Key, 
Manasseh  Cutler,  J)irectors  for  the  Company;  and  these  Directors 
appointed  Dr.  Cutler  to  go  to  New  York  and  negotiate  with  Con- 
gress for  the  desired  tract  of  country.  On  the  5th  of  July  that 
gentleman  reached  the  temporary  Capital  of  the  Union,  and  tlan 
began  a  scene  of  management  worthy  of  more  degenerate  (lay<, 
Full  extracts  from  Dr.  Cutler's  Journal  showing  how  things  ^vc•Il' 
may  be  ff)und  in  the  North  American  Review  for  October,  1841.' 
Of  these  we  can  give  but  a  few  paragraphs.  The  first  relates  to 
the  choice  of  the  Muslvlngum  valley  as  the  spot  for  settlement. 


July  7.  Paid  my  respects  to  Dr.  Ilolton  and  several  other  gentle- 
men. Was  introduced,  by  Dr.  Ewings  and  Mr.  Rittenhouse,  to  Mr. 
Ilutchins,  Geographer  of  the  United  States.  Consulted  with  him 
wliere  to  make  our  location. 

Monday,  July  9.  Waited  this  morning,  very  early,  on  Mr.  Ilutch- 
ins. lie  gave  me  the  fullest  information  of  the  western  country,  from 
Pennsylvania  to  the  Illinois,  and  advised  me  by  all  means  to  make  our 
location  on  the  Muskingum,  wliich  was  decidedly,  in  liis  opinion,  the 
best  part  of  the  whole  western  country.  Attended  the  committee  before 
Congress  opened,  and  then  spent  the  remainder  of  the  forenoon  with 
Mr.  Hutchins. 

Attended  the  committee  at  Congress  chamber ;  debated  on  terms,  but 
were  so  wide  apart,  there  appears  little  prospect  of  closing  a  contract. 

Called  again  on  Mr.  Hutchins.  Consulted  him  further  about  the 
place  of  location. 

The  opinion  thus  given  by  Ilutchins,  who  had  been  long  and 
familiarly  acquainted  witli  the  West,  agreed  with  that  formed  by 
General  Parsons  who  had  visited  the  Ohio  valley  once  at  least,  it 
not  twice ;  the  result  of  his  observations  will  be  found  in  the  letter 
referred  to  on  page  275  and  given  at  length  in  the  article  of  the 
North  American  Review,  just  quoted. f  The  other  extracts  wliiih 
we  take  from  the  Doctor's  Journal,  refer  to  the  "  manceuvrcs,"  as 

*  Vol.  liii.  3;14  to  343.  • 

+  111  17S2  a  plan  for  a  Net'.'iomeut  on  the  ^luskinguni  had  been  fwnned.— See  Ante,  p. 
245.— Jfote. 


1781 


17S7.         Dr.  CutJvr  ne^ot'<(itc!t  toilh  Congress  for  Lamls. 


289 


ncc  of  t'rn. 
isocicitts  f<„ 
•  thecvii's  to 
tht'y  began 
met'iiiig  (ii 
id  the  Uiv, 
se  Director^ 

2  with  Cnii- 
:)f  July  tlui' 
1,  and  tliii; 
lerate  days 

things  ;ven! 
)Ler,  1841; 
st  relates  to 
Itlcmcnt. 

other  gcnile- 
louse,  to  Mr. 
ed   willi  liira 

1  Mr.  II 11  ic  II- 
country,  from 

3  to  make  our 
.  ophuon,  ihc 
imiltec  before 
orenoou  wiili 

on  terms,  but 

or  a  contract. 

ler  about  the 


n  long  Mil 
formed  by 
e  at  least,  ii 
in  the  letter 
rticlc  of  the 
racls  whii-li 
leuvres,"  as 


.—See  Ante,!!. 


1,  terms  thcin,  by  wjiirli  was  ('(TtTtcd  a  rontrart  at  least  as  favor- 
p.lile  to  the  Union  as  it  was  to  the  Company. 

Culonel  Ducr  came  to  me  witli  proposals  from  a  number  of  the  prin- 
cipal characters  in  the  cily,  to  ejclcnd  our  contract,  and  lake  in  ano- 
'Jur  coinpunij;  but  that  il  should  be  kept  a  profound  secret.  lie  ex- 
jlaiiicd  the  plan  tliey  hud  concerted  and  ollered  mc  generous  conditions 
.1  I  would  aceomplisih  the  busiueys  for  Uiem.  The  plan  .'- truck  mo 
•.^reeably ;  Sargent  insisted  on  my  undertaking  ;  and  both  urged  me 
not  to  think  of  giving  the  matter  up  so  soon. 

I  wp.s  convinced  it  was  best  for  mc  to  hold  up  the  idea  of  giving  up  a 
contract  with  Congress,  and  making  a  contract  with  some  of  ihe  Slates, 
which  I  did  in  the  strongest  terms,  and  represented  to  the  committee 
snd  to  Duer  and  Sargent  the  difnoulties  I  saw  in  the  way,  and  the  im- 
probability of  closing  a  bargain  when  we  were  so  far  separated  ;  and 
lold  them  I  conceived  it  not  worth  while  to  say  any  thing  further  to 
Congress  on  the  subject.  This  appeared  to  have  the  efl'ect  I  wished. 
Tlie  committee  were  mortified  and  did  not  seem  to  know  what  to  say ; 
lilt  still  urged  anodier  attempt.  I  left  them  in  this  stale,  but  afterwards 
explained  my  views  to  Duer  and  Sargent,  who  fully  approved  my  plan. 
I'fomised  Duer  to  consider  his  pro])osaIs. 

I  spent  the  evening  (closeted)  with  Colonel  Duer,  and  agreed  to  pur- 
(Mic  more  land,  if  terms  could  be  obti'-iued,  for  another  company, 
|wliicli  will  probably  forward  the  negotiation. 

Saturday,   July  21.     Several   members   of  Congress  called  on  me 

j:rly  diis  morning.     They  discovered  much  anxiety  about  a  contract, 

:,d  assured  me   that   Congress,   on   finding  I  was  determined  not  to 

U?ccpt  their  terms,  and  had  proposed  leaving  the  city,  had  discovered  a 

hiiiich   more   favorable   disposition;    and   believed,    if   I    renewed    my 

request  I  might  obtain   conditions  as  reasonable  as  I  desired.     I  was 

very  indifTerent  and  talked  much  of  the  advantages  of  a  contract  with 

IcM  of  the  States.     This  I  found  had  the  desired  efTeet.     At  length  I 

lijld  them  that  if  Congress   would   accede  to  the  terms   I  proposed,  I 

hould  extend  Uie  purchase  to  the  tenth  township  from  the  Oiiio  to  the 

hcioto  inclusively ;  by   which    Congress    would  pay  more   than    four 

liJidions  of  the  public  debt;  that  our  intention  was,   an   actual,    large, 

i:'d  iiiiincdiafe  settlement,  of  the  most  robust  and  industrious  people  in 

|A:nC'rica,   and    that  it  would    be    made    systematically,    which    would 

|i::siaiuly  advance  the  price  of  the  Federal  lands,  and  prove  an  important 

acquisition  to  Congress.     On  these  terms,  I  would  renew  the  negotia- 

ton,  if  Congress  was  disposed  to  take  the  matter  up  again. 

I  spent  the  evening  with  Mr.  Dane  and  Mr.  Mdliken.  They  in- 
[Irmed  me  that  Congress  had  taken  up  my  business  again. 

July  23.  My  friends  had  made  every  exertion,  in  private  conversa- 
19 


290 


l)r.   Cutler\s  JS^egolidtions. 


tion  to  briiij,'  over  my  oppoiiciils  in  f'on^rcss.  In  order  to  get  at  soin. 
of  llu'iii  so  as  to  work  more  powerfully  on  lncir  iiiiiitlH,  woro  ohlirpil  jq 
niga^fi:  tliriic  or  lour  prrwoiis  Ix.i'oro  \v(!  couki  got  at  tlicni.  In  soni' 
instances  wn  cnifugeil  onn  person  who  ciiga^ffd  a  Hcconil,  and  lio  a  lliiri. 
hcforo  wo  could  cfTccl  our  purpose.  In  tlic?c  man(r'nvres  I  am  niur'. 
beholden  to  Colonid  Duer  and  Major  Sargent. 


Having  found  it  iinpossihio  to  support  fJcneral  Parsons,  as  a  randi. 
dale  for  CJovornor,  after  the  interest  that  (Jeneral  Arthur  St.  Clair  li:iil 
secured,  I  embraced  this  opportunity  to  declare,  that  if  (Jcincral  I'nrsoiis 
could  have  tlu;  appointment  of  first  judg(!  and  Sargent  secretary,  «o 
shoidd  I)e  satisfied  ;  and  that  I  heartily  wished  Ids  Excellency  General 
St.  Clair  might  be  the  (iovcrnnr;  and  that  I  would  solicit  the  Eastern 
ineml)ers  in  his  favor.  This  1  found  rather  pleasing  to  soulheri; 
members. 

I  am  fully  convinced  that  it  was  good  policy  to  give  up  Parsons  ml 
openly  appear  solicitous  that  St.   Clair  might  be  appointed  goverimr.— 
Several  gentlemen  have  told  me  that  our  matters  went  on  much  bcttfr  I 
since  St.  Clair  and  his  friends  had  been  informed  that  we  had  givcin:,T| 
Parsons,  and  that  I   had  solicited  the  eastern  memb"rs  in  favor  of  liis] 
appointment.     I  immediately  went  to  Sargent  and  Duer,  and  we  now 
entered   into  the   true  spirit  of  negotiation  with  great  bodies.    Evcrv 
machine  in  the  city  that  it  was  possible  to  work  wc  now  put  in  tnolion, 
Few,  TJingham,  and  Kearney  are  our  principal  opposcrs.     Of  Few  and 
Bingham  there  is   hope;  but  to  bring  over  that  stubborn   mule  ofaj 
Kearney,  I  think  is  beyond  our  power. 

Friday,  July  27.     I  rose  very  early  this  morning,  and,  after  adjustiiijl 
my  baggage  for  my  retnrn,  for  I  was  determined  to  leave  New  YorliJ 
this  day,  1  set  out  on  a  general  morning  visit,  and  paid  my  respects  t)j 
all   the  mend^crs  of  Congress  in   the  city,  and   informed  them  of  my 
intention  to  leave  the  city  that  day.     My  expectations  of  obtaiiiin.'jj 
contract,  I  told  them,  were  nearly  at  en  end.     I  should,  however,  \v?.itj 
the  decision  of  Congress;  and  if  the  terms  I  had  stated,  —  and  which  11 
conceived  to  be  very  advantageous  to  Congress,  considering  the  circum- 
stances of  that   country,  —  were  not  acceded   to,  wc   must  turn  o'.:[ 
attention  to  some  other  part  of  the  country.     New  York,  Connecticu*,! 
and  Massachusetts  would  sell  us  lands  at  half  a  dollar,  and  give  isj 
exclusive  privileges  beyond  what   we  have  asked  of  Congress.    TheJ 
speculating  plan,  concerted  between  the  British  of  Canada,  was  no^ 
well  known.     The  uneasiness  of  the  Kentucky  people,  with  respcrtt 
the  Mississippi,   was  notorious.      A  revolt  of  that  country  from  t'. 
Union  if  a  war  with  Spain  took  place,  was  universally  acknowledged  ;o^ 
be  highly  probable  ;  and  most  certainly  a  systematic  settlement  in  thil 


'"'itlu  23(1  tli. 

'•'f-raiid  .Sargent 
■•'''■  lu  liie  liudn 
■'.'i"''iili.x,  17,  IS. 

■^  ^'irtli  Aiiieric; 

-  ^""rlli  Ainrrifj;i 

I  ^'orth  America 


ns: 


;87. 


Pinrhasr  hj/   (i/iio  Compnvy. 


201 


gel  at  som' 
!i-o  oblirpil  to 
in.     Ill  som. 
lul  lio  a  tliir!, 
iH  I  am  mur': 


IB,  as  a  canili- 
St.  Cliiir  haJ 
•ncral  Piusniis 
secretary,  wo 
lency  Gcneml 
il  llic  Kastetn 
g   to  soullitri. 


ip  Piirsons  an  I 
,ec\  govoriiDr.- 
on  nuu'li  bii'.ft 
0  had  givrn  r,;i 
in  favor  of  liis  j 
r,  and  we  now 
[bodies.    Kvcry 
put  in  molim, 
Of  Fowmll 
orn   mule  of  ^  j 

after  adjusiin? 
ave  New  York 
my  respects  t) 
2d  them  of  my 
of  obtaiiiiii,'! 
however,  wrt 
—  iind  wliicli  I' 
ring  the  circuni 
must  turn  c'l 
k,  Connecticut 
ar,  and  give  v,3i 
on  gross,    'fhe 
nada,  was  m\ 
with  respect! 
untry  from  t!.^ 
cknowledgcd  '.3 
ttlement  in  ^H 


•niintry,  condiirtod  by  men  tlmroughly  attached  to  iho  federal  frovern- 
mciit,  and  romposrd  of  youni;,  roI)n-<t  and  hardy  laborers,  who  had  no 
liM  of  any  other  than  the  rt'(h'ral  Coverrunent,  I  conceived  to  be  an 
object  worthy  of  some  attention. 

The  perscv  Tanco  of  Dr.  CuUcr  and  his  friends  was  rewarded 
A-ith  success,  and  an  Order,  dated  July  '27tli,*  was  obtained,  of 
>vhich  he  says : 

Ily  this  ordinance  wo  obtained  the  grant  of  near  five  million  of  acres 
jfland,  amounting  to  three  million  and  a  half  of  dollars;  one  million 
jiul  a  half  of  acres  for  the  Ohio  (Joni|)any,  and  tlio  remainder  for  a 
private  speculation,  in  which  many  of  the  principal  characters  of 
Vmorica  are  concerned.  Witliout  eonnocling  this  speculation,  similar 
.criiis  and  advantages  could  not  have  been  obtained  for  tlie  Ohio 
Company.! 

^^'ss^s.  Culler  and  Sargent,  the  latter  of  whom  tlie  Doctor  had 

;<>;ociat('d  with  liiriiself  some  days  before,  at  once  closed  a  verbal 

iMtract  with  the  Board  of  Treasur}',  which  was  i-veeuted  in  form 

II  ihc  27(1'.  of  the  following  Octo1)er.:j:     By  this  contract,  the  vast 

:r,'ion  hounded  south   by   the  Ohio,  west  by  the   Seioto,  east  by 

lie  seventh  range  of  townships  then  surveying,  and  north  by  a  due 

vest  line   drawn  from  the  north  bounihiiy  of  the  tenth  township 

I   111!  the  Ohio  direct  to  the  Scioto,  was  sold  to  the  Ohio  associates 

.:,il  ihtir  secret  co-partners,  I'or  one  dollar  per  acre,  subject  to  a 

i'.iluclion    of  one   third  for    bad   lands  and  other  contingencies. 

Till'  whole  tract,  however,  was  not  paid  for,  or  taken  by  the  Com- 

iimy  —  even  their  own  })ortion  of  a  million  and  a  half  of  acres,  and 

I'Xteuding  west  to   the   eighteenth  range  of  townships, ||  was  not 

'akcn ;  and  in  1792  the  boundaries  of  the  purchase  proper  were 

r:x('d  as   follows:   the    Ohio  on   the  south,  the   seventh  range  of 

r ''>vnsliips  on  the  east,  the  sixteenth   i-ange  on  the  west,  and  a  lino 

a  the  north  so  drawn  as  to  make  the  grant  seven  hundred  and 

1%  thousand  (750,000)   acres,  besides  reservations ;   this    grant 

^^■iiig  the  portion    which   it  was  originally  agreed  the    Company 

|.:iii^lit  enter  into   possession  of  at  once.     In   addition  to  this,  two 

'  On  tlu;  23(1  tlip  nn.'inl  of  Treasury  were  auUiorizrd  to  eontract ;  on  the  26tli,  Messrs. 
I  j'.lcraiid  Sargent  staled  in  writing  tlicir  conditions;  on  the  27tli  Congress  referred  tlieir 
'•'•  r  tu  llic  lioard  to  take  order  upon. — See   Land  Laws  202  to  2G4. — Old  Jouruals,  iv- 
•'■.'I'nKiix,  17,  IS. 
t  N'orth  American  Review,  vol    liii.  313. 

N'lrth  American  Review,  liii.  ;}43.    Land  Laws,  364. 
(  North  American  Review,  liii,  344. 


292  Ordiimiio'  of  17SI.  17ST 

liutidrrd    :iii(l   loiirlrcii    tlioiisand,    two   liiiiidrol    and    cii^Iity-fn, 
{'2M,'2Sr))  acres  of  land  wviv  ^runU-d  as  anii)  hoiinlirs,  uiidn- 1| 
till'   lirsolnlions  of    177!)  and    17S();  and  one  linndii'd  flioiisMi: 
(I ()(),()()())  as  hoiinlics  to  ai-tiial  settlers;  l)olli   of  tlif   latter  tnic 
being  within  the  orit^inal  grant   of  17S7,  and  adjoining  tlie  piir- 
chase  as  above  defined.* 

While  Dr.  Ciith'r  was  preparing  to  press  his  suit  with  Coiigriv. 
thai  body  was  liringing  into  form  an  (»rdiiianee  for  the  political  mv, 
social  organization  of  (he  lands  hi'yond  the  Oliio.  Virginia  Uht>l 
lier  cession  March  I,  1784,  and  during  the  month  Ibllowing  a  pLiii 
for  Ihe  temporaiy  government  of  the  newly  accpiired  territoiy  tiun, 
under  discussion.  I  On  the  I'Jth  ol'  April  iMr.  Spaight,  of  NuiiL 
Carolina,  moved  to  strike  from  that  plan,  which  iiad  been  repDriii 
by  Mr.  Jellerson,  a  provision  lor  prohibiting  slavery  nortii-wcM  •: 
the  Ohio,  after  the  year  1800, — and  this  motion  prevaile(i.:J:  I'rn:, 
that  day  until  the  2.'3d  the  jjlan  was  debated  and  altered,  and  tlmi 
passed  unanimously,  with  the  excei)tion  of  South  Carolina. ||  ri\ 
this  proposition  the  territory  was  to  iiavi-  been  divided  W' 
States  by  parallels  of  lalitutle  and  meridian  lines  ;§  this,  it  \v,i^ 
thought,  would  liavc!  made  ten  States,  which  were  to  ha\c  In.; 
named  as  follows,  beginning  at  the  north-west  corner  and  ;^'niii, 
southwardly ;  —  Sylvania,  Michigania,  Chersonesus,  Asseni.sipiu, 
Metro[)otamia,  Illenoia,  Saratoga,  Washington,  Polypotaniia,  iinl 
Pelisipia.H  Surely  the  hero  of  Mount  Vernon  must  have  shuddn- 
cd  to  lind  himself  in  such  company. 

But  a  more  serious  dililculty  existed  to  this  plan  than  its  ciiui- 
logue  of  names  —  namely,  the  number  of  states  which  it  was  pro- 
posed to  form,  and  their  be  laries.  The  root  of  this  evil  was  in 
the  resolution  passed  by  Congress,  October  lUth  1780,  which  llxtii 
the  size  of  the  States  to  be  formed  from  the  ceded  lands,  at  oik. 
hundred  to  one  hundred  and  fitly  miles  square ;  and  the  terms  : 
that  resolution  had  been  referred  to  both  by  Virginia  and  Massa- 
chusetts in  their  grants,  so  as  to  make  a  further  legislation  at  Ica^" 
by  the  former,  needful  to  change  them.  Upon  the  7lh  of  July. 
178G,   this  subject  was  taken  up  in  Congress,   and   a   resolutio;: 


S'u, 32.    Alio 


•  Land  I.n^vs,  364  to  SRS. — Nortli  American  Review,  liii.  341. 
fSco  in  Old  Journals,  iv.  2f)3.  a  proposition  to  organize  a  western  District,  made  Octol 
her  14.1783, 

\  Old  Journals,  iv.  37J. 

|01d  Journals,  iv.  380. 

§  Old  Journals,  iv.  379.    Land  Laws.  347, 

ISparku'  Washington,  ix.  4S. 


1787.  Ordinnnrr  of  1787.  203 

j-assoil  in  favor  of  n  division  of  not  less  than  thror"  nor  more  than 

five  States,  w!ii<'li  rcsoliilion,  Vir'^iriia,  at  th«'  close  of  I7HS  assent- 
Kltn.*  On  the  20lh  of  Septeniher,  17S«,  Conj^ress,  havin«,'  ll\ns 
cti:ingeil  the  plan  for  (livi(liii<:j  tlie  nnrtli-western  territory  into  ten 
States,  proceeded  again  to  consi(U'r  the  terms  of  an  ordinance  for 
'!i{'(f(iV('itiiiietit  of  that  rr  j^lon ;  and  this  was  taken  up  from  tin»e  lo 
•iiuc,  iiiilil  Jul)  I'ilh  of  ihe  year  of  which  we  are  wrilinj;,  when  it 
was  finally  passed,  luiving  been  somewhat  changed  just  before  its 
ji.issiige,  at  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  Cuth-r.f  W'e  give  it  entiii-  as 
;'  is  the  corner-slune  of  tlie   consiilutions   of  our  north-western 

>tllll'S. 


Nil.  32.    All  oriliiiaiici;  for  till- j;(i\(rrinu'iit  iif  tlic  Tfrrilory  ol"  tlic  L'luUil  Slatt;N  nortli- 

wpst  of  ttio  River  Oliio. 

Rc  it  ordained  I>y  the  Unitod  Slates  in  CoiigroHs  assnniMcd,  That  the 
m\  tnrritory,  for  the  purposes  of  temporary  govornmont,  he  one  dis- 
',rict,  subject,  however,  to  he  divided  into  two  districts,  as  future  circiim- 
«i:inr'ps  may,  in  the  opinion  of  (^)n<Tres.s,  make  it  expedient. 

\\c  it  ordained  by  tlie  authority  aforesaid.  That  the  estates,  both  of 
resident  and  non-resident  proprietors  in  the  said  territory,  dying  intes- 
iitp,  shall  descend  to,  and  he  distributed  among,  their  children,  and  tho 
defccndants  of  a  deceased  child,  in  equal  pavts  ;  the  descendants  of  a 
ileccascd  child  or  grand  child,  to  take  the  share  of  their  deceased  parent 
in  equal  parts  among  them  :  And  where  there  shall  be  no  chihlren  or 
ilo«opii(lants,  then  in  ecpial  jiarts  to  the  next  of  kin  in  equal  degree  ;  and, 
among  collaterals,  the  children  of  a  deceased  brother  or  sister  of  the  in- 
:p*'at' shall  have,  in  equal  parts  among  them,  their  dcciased  pau-^nts' 
(hare;  and  there  shall,  in  no  case,  be  a  distinction  between  kindred  of 
'.he  whole  and  half-blood  ;  saving,  in  all  cases,  to  the  widow  of  the  in- 
'.f'tMte  licr  third  part  of  the  real  estate  for  life,  and  one-third  part  of  the 
personal  estate  ;  and  this  law,  relative  to  descents  and  dower,  shall  re- 
main in  full  force  until  altered  by  the  legislature  of  the  district.  And, 
ciitil  the  governor  and  judges  shall  adopt  laws  as  hereinafter  mentioned, 
estates  in  the  said  territory  may  be  devised  or  bequeathed  by  wills  in 
vriling,  signed  and  sealed  by  him  or  her,  in  whom  the  estate  may  be, 
being  of  fnll  age.)  and  attested  by  three  witnesses:  and  real  estates 
rnay  be  conveyed  by  lease  and  release,  or  bargain  and  sale,  signed,  seal- 
'il,  and  delivered,  by  the  person,  being  of  full  age,  in  whom  the  estate 
may  he,  and  attested  by  two  witnesses,  provided  sucli  wills  be  duly 
proved,  and  such  conveyances  be  acknowledged,  or  the  execution  there- 
of duly  proved,  and  be  recorded  within  one  year  after  proper  magis- 
rales,  courts,  and  registers,  shall  be  appointed  for  that  purpose  ;  and 

'Liiiid  Laws,  33^*.  100.  101. 

':  Old  Journals,  iv.  701,  &c.,  716,  ice,  751,  ke.    North  American  Review,  liii.  33(j. 


294 


Ordinance  of  1787. 


ITS'; 


personal  properly  may  be  transferred  by  delivery;  saving,  however,  lo 
the  Freiieh  and  Canadian  inhaldlanls,  and  oilier  settlers  of  the  Ka>k:i; 
kias,  St.  Vincents,  and  tlie  neii^liboring  villages  who  have  licreiuforc 
prolesscd  themselves  citizens  of  Virginia,  their  laws  and  customs  now 
ill  force  among  them,  relative  lo  the  descent  and  conveyance  of  propertv 

Be  it  ordained  by  the  authority  aforesaid.  That  there  shall  he  ap- 
pointed, from  time  to  time,  by  Congress,  a  governor,  whose  commission 
shall  continue  in  force  for  the  term  of  three  years,  unless  sooner  revo- 
ked by  Congress  ;  he  shall  reside  in  the  district,  and  have  a  frecholu 
estate  therein  in  1000  acres  of  land,  while  in  the  exercise  of  his  olTne. 

There  shall  be  appointed,  from  time  to  time,  by  Congress,  a  secretary, 
\vhose  commission  shall  continue  in  force  for  four  years  unless  souiiei 
revoked  ;  he  shall  reside  in  the  district,  and  have  a  freehold  estate 
therein  in  500  acres  of  land,  while  in  the  exercise  of  his  ofTice;  it  shall 
be  his  duly  to  keep  and  preserve  the  acts  and  laws  passed  by  tlie  legis 
lature,  and  the  public  records  of  the  district,  and  the  proceedings  of  iLo 
governor  in  his  Executive  department ;  and  transmit  audientic  copies  ul 
such  acts  and  proceeding;*,  every  six  months,  to  the  Secretary  of  Con- 
gress :  There  shall  also  be  appointed  a  court  to  consist  of  three  judge?, 
any  two  of  whom  to  form  a  court,  who  shall  have  a  common  law  jiiii- 
tion,  and  reside  in  the  district,  and  have  each  therein  a  freehold  estate  i;; 
500  acres  of  land  while  iu  the  exercise  of  their  olTicto  ;  and  their  com- 
missions shall  continue  in  force  during  good  behavior. 

The  governor  and  judges,  or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  adopt  and  pub 
lish  in  the  district  such  laws  of  the  original  States,  criinii;:il  and  civil, 
as  may  be  necessary  and  best  suited  to  the  circumstances  of  the  district, 
and  report  them  to  Congress  from  time  lo  time ;  which  laws  shal!  be  in 
force  in  the  district  until  the  organization  of  the  General  Assembly  ttitre- 
in,  unless  disapproved  of  by  Congress;  but,  afterwards,  the  legislature 
shall  have  authority  to  alter  them  as  they  shall  think  lit. 

The  governor,  for  the  time  being,  shall  be  commander-in-chief  of  ilic 
militia,  appoint  and  commission  all  officers  in  the  same  below  the  rank 
of  general  officers  ;  all  general  officers  shall  be  appointed  and  comiiiii- 
missioned  by  Congress. 

Previous  to  the  organization  of  the  General  Assembly,  the  governoi 
shall  appoint  such  magistrates  and  other  civil  officers,  in  each  county  or 
township,  as  he  shall  find  necessary  for  the  preservation  of  llie  pence 
and  good  order  in  the  same  :  After  the  General  Assembly  shall  be  of' 
ganized,  the  powers  and  duties  of  magistrates  and  other  civil  oflicer;. 
shall  be  regulated  and  defined  by  the  said  assembly  ;  but  all  magistrales 
and  other  civil  officers,  not  herein  otherwise  directed,  shall,  duiiiig  the 
conlinuanee  of  this  temporary  government,  be  appointed  by  tlio  go- 
vernor. 

For  the  prevention  of  crimes  and  injuries,  the  laws  to  be  adopted  o: 


•87. 


Ordinance  of  1787. 


295 


ws  slial 


niadc  shall  Invn  force  in  all  parts  of  llio  district,  and  for  the  execution  of 
process,  criminal,  and  civil,  the  governor  shall  make  proper  divisions 
ihereof;  and  he  shall  proceed,  from  time  to  time,  as  circumstances  may 
require,  to  lay  out  the  parts  of  the  district  in  which  the  Indian  titles  shall 
have  been  extinguislied,  into  counties  and  townships,  snhject,  however, 
10  sucli  alterations  as  may  thereafter  be  made  by  the  legislature. 

So  soon  as  there  shall  1)6  .5000  free  male  inhabitants  of  full  age  in 
:lic  district,  upon  giving  proof  thereof  to  the  governor,  they  shall  re- 
ceive authority,  with  time  and  place,  to  elect  representatives  from  their 
counlies  or  townships  to  represent  them  in  the  General  Assembly  : 
Provided,  That,  for  every  500  free  male  inhabitants,  there  shall  be  one 
representative,  and  so  on  progressively  with  the  number  of  free  male 
inhabitants,  shall  the  right  of  representation  incTcase,  until  the  number 
of  representatives  shall  amount  to  twenty-five  ;  after  which,  the  number 
and  proportion  of  representatives  shall  be  regulated  by  the  legislature  : 
Provided,  That  no  person  be  eligible  or  qualified  to  act  as  a  represon- 
'.alivc  unless  he  shall  have  been  a  citizen  of  one  of  the  United  Slates 
ihrce  years,  and  be  a  resident  in  the  district,  or  unless  he  shall  have 
resided  in  the  district  three  years;  and,  in  either  case,  shall  likewise 
hold  in  his  own  right,  in  fee  simple,  200  acres  of  land  within  the  same: 
Provided,  also,  That  a  freehold  in  .50  acres  of  land  in  the  district, 
having  been  a  citizen  of  one  of  the  States,  and  being  resident  in  the 
district,  or  the  like  freehold  and  two  years  residence  in  the  district, 
j!iall  be  necessary  to  qualify  a  man  as  an  elector  of  a  representative. 

The  representatives  thus  elected,  shidl  serve  for  the  term  of  two 
years;  and,  in  case  of  the  death  of  a  representative,  or  removal  from 
wTice,  the  governor  shall  issue  a  writ  to  the  county  or  township  for 
ffliich  he  was  a  member,  to  elect  another  in  his  stead,  to  serve  for  the 
residue  of  the  term. 

The  General  Assembly,  or  Legislature,  shall  consist  of  the  governor, 
iegislative  council,  and  a  house  of  representatives.  The  legislative  coun- 
cil shall  consist  of  five  members,  to  continue  in  office  five  years,  unless 
sooner  removed  by  Congress  ;  any  three  of  whom  to  be  a  quorum  :  and 
;I:e  nuMiibcrs  of  the  council  shall  be  nominated  and  appointed  'n\  the  fol- 
lowing manner,  to  wit:  As  soon  as  representatives  shall  be  elected,  the 
Governor  sliall  appoint  a  time  and  place  for  them  to  meet  together;  and 
when  met,  they  shall  nominate  ten  persons,  residents  in  the  district,  and 
each  possessed  of  a  freehold  in  .'iOO  acres  of  land,  and  return  their 
names  to  Congress  ;  five  of  whom  Congress  shall  appoint  and  commis- 
sion to  serve  as  aforesaid:  and,  whenever  a  vacancy  «hall  happen  in  the 
eouncil,  by  death  or  removal  from  office,  the  house  of  representatives 
shall  nominate  two  persons,  qualified  as  aforesaid,  for  eacli  vacancy,  and 
return  their  names  to  Congress  ;  one  of  whom  Congress  shall  appoint 
-lid  commission  for  the  residue  of  the  term.     And  every  five  years,  four 


296 


Ordinance  of  1787. 


1787 


monllis  at  least  before  the  expiration  of  the  time  of  service  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  council,  the  said  house  shall  nominate  ten  persons,  quahfiti^ 
as  aforesaid,  and  return  their  names  to  Congress;  five  of  whom  Con- 
gress shall  appoint  and  commission  to  serve  as  members  of  the  council 
five  years,  unless  sooner  removed.  And  the  governor,  legislative  coun- 
cil, and  house  of  representatives,  shall  have  authority  to  make  laws  in 
all  cases,  for  the  good  government  of  the  district,  not  repugnant  ta  the 
principles  and  articles  in  this  ordinance  established  and  declared.  And 
all  bills,  having  passed  by  a  majority  in  the  house,  and  by.a  majority  in 
the  council,  shall  be  referred  to  the  governor  for  his  assent;  but  no  bill, 
or  legislative  act  whatever,  shall  be  of  any  force  without  his  assent. 
The  governor  shall  have  power  to  convene,  prorogue,  and  dissolve  the 
General  Assembly,  when,  in  his  opinion,  it  shall  be  expedient. 

Tiie  governor,  judgch,  legislative  council,  secretary,  and  such  other 
ofTicers  as  Congress  shall  appoint  in  the  district,  shall  take  an  oath  or 
afllrmation  of  fidelity  and  of  office;  the  governor  before  the  President 
of  Congress,  and  all  other  ofnc'"!rs  before  the  governor.  As  soon  as  a 
legislature  shall  be  formed  in  the  district,  the  council  and  house  as- 
sembled in  one  room,  -shaU  have  authority,  by  joint  ballot,  to  electa 
delegate  to  Congress,  who  shall  have  a  scat  in  Congress,  with  a  right  of 
debating  but  not  of  voting  during  this  temporary  government. 

And,  for  extending  the  fundamental  principles  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty,  which  form  the  basis  whereon  these  republics,  their  laws  and 
constitutions  are  erected ;  to  fix  and  establish  those  principles  as  the 
basis  of  all  laws,  constitutions,  and  governments,  which  forever  hereal- 
ler  shall  be  formed  in  the  said  territory  :  to  provide  also  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  States,  and  permanent  government  therein,  and  for  their 
admission  to  a  share  in  the  federal  councils  on  an  equal  footing  with  the 
original  States,  at  as  early  periods  as  maj  bo  consistent  with  the  general 
interest : 

It  is  hereby  ordained  and  declared  by  the  authority  aforesaid,  Thit 
the  following  articles  shall  be  considered  as  articles  of  compact  between 
the  original  States  and  the  people  and  States  in  the  said  territory,  auJ 
forever  remain  unalterable,  unless  by  common  consent,  to  wit: 

Art.  1.  No  person,  demeaning  himself  in  a  peaceable  and  orderly 
manner,  shall  ever  be  molested  on  account  of  his  mode  of  worship  or 
religious  seniiments,  in  the  said  territory. 

Art.  2.  The  inhabitants  of  the  said  territory  shall  always  be  entitled 
to  the  benefits  of  the  wni  of  habeas  corpus,  and  of  the  trial  by  jury; 
of  a  proportionate  representation  of  the  people  in  the  legislature  ;  and 
of  judicial  proceedings  according  to  the  course  of  the  common  law.  All 
persons  shall  be  bailable,  unless  for  capital  offences,  where  the  prool 
shall  be  evident  or  the  presumption  great.  All  fines  shall  be  moderate: 
and  no  cruel  cr  unusual  punishments  shall  be  infiicted.     No  man  shall 


Ordinance  of  1787. 


297 


be  ilcprivcd  of  his  liberty  or  property,  but  by  tlie  jutlgmont  of  liis  peers 
orilielaw  of  the  land  ;  and,  sliould  the  public  exigencies  make  it  neces- 
sary, for  the  common  preservation,  to  take  any  person's  property,  or  to 
ilenuind  his  particular  services,  full  compensation  shall  bo  made  for  the 
s-ame.  And,  in  the  just  preservation  of  riglits  and  property,  it  is  under- 
ftood  and  declared,  that  no  law  ought  ever  to  be  made,  jr  have  force  in 
;!ie  said  territory,  that  shall,  in  any  manner  whatever,  interfere  wich  or 
alTect  private  contracts  or  engagements,  bona  fide,  and  without  fraud, 
previously  formed. 

Art.  3.  Religion,  morality,  and  knowledge,  being  necessary  to  good 
governi''  2nt  and  the  happiness  of  mankind,  schools  and  the  means  of 
eJucalion  shall  forever  be  encouraged.  The  utmort  good  faith  shall 
always  be  observed  towards  the  Indians  ;  their  lands  and  property  shall 
never  be  taken  from  them  without  their  consent;  and,  in  their  property, 
rights,  and  liberty,  they  shall  never  be  invaded  or  disturbed,  uidess  in 
jujt  and  lawful  wars  authorized  by  Congress;  but  laws  founded  in  jus- 
•Ice  and  humanity,  shall,  from  time  to  time,  be  made  for  preventing 
wrongs  being  done  to  them,  and  for  preserving  peace  and  friendship 
iviih  them. 

Art.  1.  The  said  territory,  lu.J  the  vStates  which  may  be  formed 
therein,  shall  forever  remain  a  part  of  this  confederacy  of  the  United 
Slates  of  America,  subject  to  t)ie  Articles  of  Confederation,  and  to  such 
Sileralions  therein  as  shall  be  constitutionally  made  :  and  to  all  the  acts 
and  ordinances  of  the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled,  conformable 
'.hereto.  The  inhabitants  and  settlers  in  tlie  said  territory  shall  be  sub- 
ject to  pay  a  part  of  the  federal  debts  contracted  or  to  be  contracted,  and 
i  proportional  part  of  the  expenses  of  government,  to  be  apportioned  on 
'Jiom  by  Congress  according  to  the  same  common  rule  and  measure  by 
which  aj)portionments  thereof  shall  be  made  on  the  other  Slates;  and 
ihe  taxes,  for  paying  their  proportion,  shall  be  laid  and  levied  by  the 
anliority  and  direction  of  the  legislatures  of  the  district  or  districts,  or 
..e\v  Slates,  as  in  the  original  States,  within  the  time  agreed  upon  by  the 
United  States  in  Congress  assembled.  The  Kgislaturcs  of  those  dis- 
'Mi  or  new  States,  shall  never  interfere  witli  the  primary  disposal  of 
:he  soil  by  the  United  States  in  Congress  rssembled,  nor  with  any  re- 
gulations Congress  may  find  necessary  for  securing  he  title  in  such 
soil  to  the  6onrt  ^(/e  purchasers. '^^  No  tax  shall  be  imposed  on  lands 
ie  property  of  the  United  Stales;  and,  in  no  case,  shall  non-resident 
proprietors  be  taxed  higlier  than  residents.  The  navigable  waters  lead- 
•'ii:  into  the  Mississippi  and  St.  Lawrence,  and  the  carrying  places  be- 
;«een  the  same,  shall  be  common  high-ways,  and  forever  free,  as  well 

'  Act  of  26tli  February,  ISll,  provides  tlie  same  in  Louisiana;  and,  also,  tliat  lands 
■'■J  by  Coiigri'ss  siiuU  n(jt  Im-  taxed  for  live  years  after  sali; — I'ost,  >'o.  loO — in  Mississip- 
.  '-y  act  of  1st  March,  ISIT,  Post,  396,  and  so  of  all  otlicrs, 


298 


Ordinance  of  1781 


1787. 


to  tlic  iiih:ibitants  of  the  said  lurritory  as  to  the  citizens  of  the  Unite/ 
Slates,  ruul  tliose  of  any  otlier  Slates  lh;it  luny  he  aihnitled  into  the 
Con  ft' do  racy,  wilhoiit  any  tax,  impost,  or  duty,  therefor. 

Art.  5.  'J'hcro  shall  be  formed  in  the  said  territory,  not  less  th:r. 
three  nor  more  than  five  States  ;  and  the  boundaries  of  the  States,  a; 
soon  as  Virfrinia  shall  alter  her  act  of  cession,  and  consent  to  the  same, 
shall  become  fixed  and  established  as  follows,  to  wit:  The  western  State 
in  the  said  territory,  shall  be  bounded  by  the  Mississippi,  the  Ohio,  aiiij 
AVabash  rivers  ;  a  direct  line  drawn  from  the  Wabash  and  Post  St.  Vin- 
cent's due  north,  to  the  territorial  line  between  the  United  Slates  aiiii 
Canada;  and,  by  the  said  territorial  line,  to  the  lake  of  the  Woods  and 
Mississippi.  The  middle  State  shall  be  bounded  by  the  said  direct  line, 
the  Wabash  from  Post  St.  Vincent's,  to  the  Ohio  ;  by  the  Ohio,  by  a  di- 
rect line,  drawn  due  north  from  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami,  to  the 
said  territorial  line.  The  tastern  State  shall  be  bounded  by  the  last  men- 
tioned (brect  line,  the  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  said  territorial  line: 
Provided,  however,  and  it  is  further  understood  and  declared,  that  the 
boundaries  of  these  three  States  sliall  be  subject  so  far  to  be  altered, 
that,  if  Congress  shall  hereafter  find  it  expedient,  they  shall  have 
authority  to  form  one  or  two  States  in  that  part  of  the  said  territory 
which  lies  north  of  an  cast  and  west  line  drawn  through  the  southerly 
bend  or  extreme  of  Lake  Michigan.  And,  whenever  any  of  the  said 
States  shall  have  00,000  free  inhabitants  therein,  such  State  shall  be  j 
admitted,  by  its  delegates,  into  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  oiun 
equal  footing  with  the  original  Slates  in  all  respects  whatever,  and  shall 
be  at  liberty  to  form  a  permanent  constitution  and  State  governmeiu: 
Provided,  the  constitution  and  government  so  to  be  formed,  shall  be 
republican,  and  in  conformity  to  the  principles  contained  in  these  art 
cles  ;  and,  so  far  as  it  can  be  consistent  with  the  general  interest  of  the! 
confederacy,  such  admission  shall  be  allowed  at  an  earlier  period,  and 
when  there  may  be  a  less  number  of  free  inhabitants  in  the  Slate  than 
sixty-thousand. 

Art.  6.  There  shall  be  neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servituueinj 
the  said  territory,  otherwise  than  in  the  punishment  of  crimes,  whereof 
the  party  shall  have  been  duly  convicted  :  Provided,  always.  That  any 
person  escaping  into  the  same,  from  whom  labor  or  service  is  lawfully 
claimed  in  any  one  of  the  original  Slates,  such  fugitive  may  be  lawl'ullyi 
reclaimed  and  conveyed  to  the  person  claiming  his  or  her  labor  or  service 
as  aforesaid. 

Be  it  ordained  by  the  authority  aforesaid.  That  the  resolutions  of  thoj 
2nd  of  April,  1784,  relative  to  the  subject  of  this  ordinance,  bo,  and  '■ 
same  are  hereby,  repealed  and  declared  null  and  void.     Done,  A:c.* 


Land  Laws,  p.  356. 


i:s7. 


Symmes  applies  for  Land. 


291) 


ted  Slates  and 


The  passage  of  this  ordinance  and  (he  grant  (o  the  New  Eng- 
i.inil  ussocuites  was  soon  foUowed  by  an  ajjplicalion  to  goVfrnmenl 
i,v  John  Cleves  Syinnies,  of  New  Jersey,  lor  the  country  between 
tlif  Miamis.*  This  genth-nian  had  been  led  to  visit  that  region 
Lv  the  representations  of  Binjamin  Stites,  of  Red  Stone,  (Browns- 
villu,)  who  had  examined  the  vaHeys  of  the  Shawanese  soon  after 
tlif  treaty  of  January  1786. f  Synies  found  them  all  and  more  than 
all  they  had  been  rep/resented  to  ])e,  and  upon  the  •2f)th  of  Au<j:ust, 
!TS7,  wrote  to  the  President  of  Congress,  asking  tliat  the'l'rensury 
Board  might  be  empowered  to  oonlraet  with  him  for  the  district 
above  named.  Tliis  petition,  on  the  2d  of  October  was  referred 
Mfho  board,  with  power  to  act,  and  a  contract  was  conclmh'd  the 
:a\t  year.  Upon  the  IStli  of  the  month  hist  named,  another  ap- 
plication was  made  by  Royal  Flint  and  Josej)h  Parker,  for  lands 
ipoii  the  Wabash  and  Mississippi ;  |  this  was  also  referred  to  the 
Boarll  of  Treasury. 

During  this  autumn  the  directors  of  the  company  organizeil  in 
New  England  were  preparing  for  an  actual  settlement  in  the  ensu- 
nii;  spring,  and  upoa  the  23d  of  November  made  arangements  for 
a  party  of  forty-seven  men,  under  the  superintendance  of  General 
Riilus  Putnam,  to  set  forward.  Six  boat-builders  were  to  leave 
the  next  week ;  on  the  1st  of  January,  1788,  the  surveyors  and 
their  assistants,  twenty-six  in  number,  were  to  meet  at  Hartfort 
and  fjo  westward  ;  and  txiC  remainder  to  follow  as  soon  as  possible. 
I  Conojress,  meantime,  upon  the  3d  of  October,  had  ordered  seven 
kiidred  troops  for  the  defence  of  the  western  settlers,  and  to  prc- 
|rent  unauthorized  intrusions;  and  two  days  later  appointed  St. 
ilair  governor  of  the  north-western  territory.  || 

'Land  Laws,  372.     See  also  Burnet's  Letters  in  tlie  Ohio  Historical  Transactions,  p. 
1 53.1  to  147. 

1  Cincinnati  Directory,  lSi9,  p.  16.     Tlic  Historical  skutcli  in  this  volume  was  compiled 
I ''Jiii  the  statements  of  the  earliest  settlers.    The  Miami   country    had  been   cnttreiJ  '.:.. 
'■'^''.  and  some  "  improvements"  made.     Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  ii,  3'3, 

tOld  Journals,  iv.  Appendix  19. 

INorth  American  Review,  liii,  344.    Old  Journals,  iv,  785.  19fi, 


1788. 


The  two  leading  causes  of  disquiet  to  the  western  people  tlirousjh 
1787,  the  Indian  incursions,  and  the  Spanish  possession  of  the 
Mississippi  did  not  cease  to  irritate  them  during  the  next  year  alsn, 

"When  Clark  took  his  unauthorized  possession  of  Vincenncs,  k 
October,  17S6,  he  had  asked  the  savages  of  the  north-west  to  mcf* 
him  in  council  in  November;  they  replied  that  it  was  to  late  in  the 
year,  and  the  proposed  meeting  was  postponed  till  April.  Of  thi^ 
meeting  Messrs.  Marshall,  INIuter  and  others,  when  writing  to  Vir- 
ginia, gave  information,  and  suggested  that  the  government  shoii'I 
take  Clark's  place  in  it.  The  council  of  Virginia  coincided  with 
the  suggestion,  and  recommended  to  Congress  James  Wilkinson, 
Richard  C.  Anderson  and  Isaac  Shelby,*  as  commissioners  on  be- 
half of  the  United  States.  Congress,  however,  received  noiice  of 
Clark's  movements  too  late  f  for  the  proposed  treaty,  and  nothiii!: 
seems  to  have  been  done  Tintil  July  21st,  when  the  superintendan; 
of  Indian  affairs  in  the  north,  or  if  he  could  not  go,  Colonel  Har- 
mar  was  instructed  to  proceed  to  Vincennes,  or  some  other  con- 
venient place,  and  there  hold  a  council  with  the  Wabash  Tn(liar,< 
8  ^  Shawanese,  for  the  purpose  of  putting  an  end  to  warfare/ 
Favorable  notice  was  also  taken  of  a  council  which  had  boon  lu'!i! 
at  the  mouth  of  Detroit  river,  in  Deceniber,  17S6,  by  the  Iroquois 
Wyandots  and  others,  the  purpose  of  which  was  pacific,  and  from 
which  an  address  relative  to  the  Indian  troubles  had  been  sent  to 
Congress.  This  was  considered,  and  upon  the  5th  of  October  i'. 
was  resolved  that  a  treaty  should  be  held  early  in  the  year  178S, 
with  these  tribes,  by  the  governor  of  the  new  territory,  who  was 
instructed  on  the  subject  on  the  26th  of  the  month  last  mentioneJ.  i 
At  the  same  time,  however,  that  measures  were  thus  taken  to  pre- 

♦Secret  Journals,  iv.313.  314.  309.  30G. 

t  April  litli.    Secret  Journals,  iv.  301. 

I  Old  Journals,  iv.  7G1. 

DLanman's  History  ofMichigan,  119.  Old  Journals,  iv.  762,  7G3.  7SG.  Secret  Joura!;. 
;.  276. 


1788. 


Emigrants  land  at  Mus/dnguni. 


301 


soive  peace,  Ironp.s  were  placed  at  Venango,  Fori  Pitt,  Fort  Meln- 
;osli,  the  Muskinii,iijn,  the  Miami,  Vincennes,  and  LouisviUe,  and 
tlit'  governor  of  Virginia  was  requested  to  hav^e  the  militia  of  Ken- 
luck)'  in  readiness  for  any  enn  rgency.*  All  tliese  measures,  how- 
ever, produced  no  results  during  1788;  the  Indians  were  neither 
over-awed,  conquered  nor  satisfied  ;  from  May  imtil  the  middle  of 
July  they  were  expected  to  meet  the  wliites  upon  the  Muskingum,! 
but  the  point  which  had  been  selected,  and  where  goods  had  l)eeu 
placed,  being  at  last  attacked  by  the  Chippeways,|  it  was  thought 
IiL^t  to  adjourn  the  meeting  and  hold  it  at  fort  llarmar,  where  it 
was  at  length  held,  but  not  until  January,  1789. 

These  Indian  uncertainties,  however,  did  not  prevent  the  New 
Eiiglaiul  associates  from  going  forward  with  their  ojjerations. 
During  the  winter  of  17S7-8,  their  men  were  pressing  on  over  the 
Alleghanies  by  the  old  Indian  path  which  had  been  opened  into 
Diaddoek's  road,  and  which  has  since  been  followed  by  the  na- 
iioiial  turnpike  from  Cumberland  westward.  Through  the  dreary 
winterdays  they  trudged  on,  and  by  April  were  all  gathered  on  the 
Vohiogany,||  where  boats  had  been  built,  and  started  for  the  Mus- 
kingum. On  the  7th  of  April  they  landed  at  the  spot  chosen,  and 
became  the  founders  of  Ohio,  unless  we  regard  as  such  the  Mora- 
vian missionaries. 

As  St.  Clair,  who  had  been  appointed  governor  the  preceding 
October,  had  not  yet  arrived,  it  became  necessary  to  erect  a  tem- 
porary government  for  their  internal  security ;  for  which  purpose  a 
H'l  of  laws  was  passed,  and  published  by  being  nailed  to  a  tree  in 
;be  village,  and  Return  Jonathan  Meigs  was  appointed  to  ad- 
minister them.  It  is  a  strong  evidence  of  the  good  habits  of  the 
people  of  the  colony,  chat  during  three  months,  but  one  difFerence 
occurred,  and  that  was  compromised. §  Indeed  a  better  set  of  men 
altogether,  could  scarce  have  been  selected  for  the  })urpose,  than 
Putnam's  little  band.  Washington  might  well  say,  "no  colony  in 
America  was  ever  settled  under  such  favorable  auspices  as  tl.  it 
which  has  first  commenced  at  the  Muskingum.  Information,  pro- 
perty, and  strength  will  be  its  characteristics.     I  know  many  of  the 


Secret  Jcur:;'^ 


'Old  Journals,  iv.7G2. 

I  Until  tills  nicL'ting  was  held,  it  was  understood  that  no  settlement,  strictly  speaking, 
should  take  place.    See  the  letter  of  a  settler  in  Imlay,  p.  .098.    (Ed.  1797.) 

}  Carey's  Museum,  iv.  203. 

I A  list  of  the  forty-eight  is  given,  North  American  Review,  liii.  346. 

§  Western  Monthly  Magazine,  1833.  vol.  i.  p.  395. 


302 


Manclta  Foiavh'il. 


<i('1(l('is  ])( rsonrilly,  and  llicrc  never  were  men  Ijctlor  ciilculutcd  ti 
})rniiiolc  tlic  Welfare  of  such  a  connnunit}'."* 

On  llie  2cl  of  July  a  meeting  of  Oie  directors  and  at^ents  was  lid; 
on  llie  banks  of  llie  Muskingum,  for  the  purpose  of  naiuintr  tLt. 
m.'W  horn  eily  and  its  public,  scjuares.f  As  yet  tlu;  setllenuiil  l.w, 
been  merely  "'i'he  Muskingum, "|  but  the  name  Marietta  was  now 
formally  given  it,  in  honor  of  Marie  Antoniette ;  the  S(piare  upon 
whicli  the  block-houses  stood  was  christened  '*  Campus  J\I(u1ius; 
the  scjiiare  No.  19,  Cdpilol'mm;  tiie  s(juare  No.  Gl,  Cecilia;  ami  ilit 
great  road  througli  the  covert  way.  Sacra  Via.^ 

On  t!u,'  4th  of  July  an  oration  was  delivered  by  James  M.  Var- 
num,§  who,  with  >S.  II.  Parsons  and  John  Armstrong,1I  luul  liotn 
a|)pointe(l  to  the  judicial  bench  of  the  territory,  on  the  lOth  (,i 
October,  1787.  Five  days  later  the  governor  arrived,  and  ihc 
colony  began  to  assume  form.  The  ordinance  of  1787  prnvicKd 
two  district  grades  of  government  for  the  north-west  territory,  un- 
der the  first  of  which  the  whole  power  was  in  tht;  hands  of  tin 
gover'">:-.\.ivl  Ihe  three  judges,  and  this  form  was  at  once  orgiiiii/ci! 
upon  the  governor's  arrival.  The  first  law,  Avhich  was  "for  rtgii- 
lalingand  establishing  the  militia,"  was  publislied  upon  the  2;jtli  oi 
July  ;  and,  the  next  day,  appeared  the  governor's  proclamation, 
erecting  all  tiie  country  that  had  been  ceded  by  the  Indians  ciist  di 
the  Scioto  river  into  the  county  of  Washington.** 

From  that  time  forward,  notwithstandijif  the  doubt  yet  existing 
as  to  the  Indians,  all  at  Marietta  went  on  prosperously  and  ploa<- 
antly.  On  the  2d  of  September  the  first  court  was  held,  with  bt- 
coming  ceremonies. 

Tlie  procession  was  formed  at  the  Point,  (where  most  of  the  settlers 
resided,)  in  the  following  order  :  —  1st,  The  higli  Sheritr,  with  liis  drawn 
sword  ;  2d,  the  citizens  ;  3d,  the  officers  of  ihe  garrison  at  Fort  Ilarinar; 
4tli,  the  members  of  the  bar ;  5ili,  the  Supreme  judges  ;  Olh,  the  Gov- 

*  Sparks'  Washington,  ix.  384. 

•r  American  Pioiiour,  i.  S3. 

I  Sonionftlin  srttlcrs  cnllod  it  tlio  city  of  Adclplii :  Sec  a  letter  dated  May  IGth,  17^>i 
to  tlie  Massachusetts  Spy  in  Imlay  (Ed.  1797)  j).  .595. 

H  Carey's  Museum,  vol.  iv.  p.  390,  In  the  fifth  volume  (March,  1789)  of  that  periodicfll. 
page  281,  is  an  account  of  the  city  f  Athens,  which  the  Spaniards  at  this  time  proposal 
to  build  at  the  mouth  of  the  IMissi,  •  "  On  the  very  point"'  where  the  rivers  joiiicd,  ^^s^ 
to  be  Fort  Solon  ;  not  for  defence,  li  ;ver,  ''  but  for  the  retirement  of  the  governor  frc;;! 
the  busy  Pcenes  of  public  employment!" 

§  See  this  oration  in  Carey's  Miisoum  for  JTay,  17S9,  453  to  455.      "■ 

T  Mr.  Arm.strong  declined  serving.  John  Cleves  Symmes  was  chosen  iu  ills  steac 
February  19th,  1788. 

**  Chase,  vol,  i,  p.  1)2.    Ctucy'?  Miiscunij  iv,  133. 


(Strut  Einip-rution    WcstwunL 


303 


criior  iiiid  clergyman  ;   7tli,  tin*  nowly  jippniiilcd  jiidirp.-i  of  tlir  court  of 
,0111111(111  plf.is,  generals  Itiifus  Piiltiaiii  ami  lU'iij.iiniii  Tiipper. 

"Tliey  marched  up  a  path  that  had  been  cut  and  (dearcd  through  tlir 
forest  10  Camims  Martins  Hall,  (stockade,)  wlicrc  the  whole  coiinter- 
marclicd,  and  the  jndges,  (Putnam  and  'rn|)per)  took  their  scats.  The 
clergyman,  llev.  Dr.  Cutler,  then  invoked  the  divine  blessing.  The 
slicrilf,  colonel  Ebcnczer  Sproat,  (one  of  nature's  nobles)  proclaimed 
witli  his  solemn  ♦  O  yes,'  that  a  court  is  opened  for  the  administration  of 
fvcn-lianded  justice,  to  the  poor  and  the  ridi,  to  the  <.niilly  and  the  inno- 
cent, witiiout  respect  of  persons;  none  to  be  punished  without  a  trial  by 
their  peers,  and  then  in  pursuance  of  the  laws  and  evidence  in  the  case.' 
Altiioii!;h  this  scene  was  exhibited  thus  early  in  the  settlement  of  the 
slate,  few  ever  equalled  it  in  the  dignity  and  exalted  character  of  its 
principal  participators.  Many  of  them  belong  to  tlui  history  of  our 
country,  in  the  darkest  as  well  as  the  most  splendid  periods  of  the  rev- 
olutionary war.  To  witness  this  spectacle,  a  large  body  of  Indians  was 
collccled,  from  the  most  powerful  trilics  then  occupying  the  almost  cn- 
\\r?.  West.  They  had  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  treaty. 
Whctiirr  any  of  thcin  entered  the  hall  of  justice,  or  what  were  their 
impressions  we  are  not  told."     (American  Pioneer,  vol.  i,  p.  105.  ) 


1  May  IGtli,  IT'^s 


en  in   liis  stead,. 


"The  progress  of  the  settlement,  says  a  letter  from  the  MiiskinGjum, 
"is  suflleiently  rapid  lor  tlie  first  year.  We  are  ronlinually  erect- 
ini;  liouses,  but  arrivals  are  faster  tlian  we  ean  possibly  provide 
convenient  covering.  Our  first  ball  was  opened  about  the  middle 
of  December,  at  wliieh  were  fifteen  ladies,  as  well  aceomj^'islied 
in  the  manners  of  polite  circles  as  any  I  have  ever  seen  in  the  old 
States.  I  mention  this  to  show  the  progress  of  society  in  this  new 
world;  where  I  believe  we  shall  vie  with,  if  not  excel,  the  old 
States,  in  every  accomplishment  necessary  to  render  life  agreeable 
and  happy." 

The  emigration  westward,  even  at  this  time,  was  very  great ; 
the  commandant  at  Fort  Harmar  reporting  four  thousand  five  liun- 
drcd  persons  as  having  passed  that  post  between  Ftd.Tuary  and 
■liinc,  1788 ;  many  of  whom  would  have  stopped  on  the  purchase 
'f  the  Associates,  had  they  been  ready  to  receive  them. 

During  the  following  year,  and  indeed  until  the  Indians,  who, 
in  spile  of  treaties,  had  been  committing  ;;::::dl  depredations  all  the 
Iniie,  stealing  horses  and  sinking  boats,  went  fairly  and  openly  to 
war,  the  settlement  on  the  Muskingum  grew  slowly,  but  steadily, 
and  to  good  purpose.* 


'Th-fr--tlr,tlinn  .itt.Tc!;  or  !,!-.cMi";l;!nguni  sctt!c''K'r.t?  •.vr.<j  on  .T.iK'ir.i-y  ?, ' 


.9.. /;.;.. ^ 


301 


Symmcs^  Pi/rrhaac. 


178» 


Ni'itlicr  wt-rc  Symmfs  mid  liis  New  Jersey  friends  idle  duri,,. 
tliis  }('iir,  tliouifli  liis  |)iireliaso  was  far  inori!  open  to  Indian  dcprn. 
dation  than  tlial  of  IIh;  Massachusetts  men.  His  first  proposjtirin 
had  heeu  referred,  as  wc  have  said,  to  the  linard  of 'I'reasiiry,  wjrl, 
power  to  eontraet,  n)if)n  tlie  2nd  of  Oeloher,  1787. 

Upon  tlie  Sntli  of  the  next  month  Symmes  issued  a  paniplili*. 
addressed  *' to  the  respeetahle  puhlie,"  stating;  the  terms  of  hj^ 
contract,  and  tlie  selieme  of  sale  Avhieli  he  proposed  to  adnpt.* 
This  was,  to  issue  his  warrants  for  not  less  than  a  (juarter  sccti  in 
(a  hundreil  and  sixty  acres,)  which  mi<^ht  hv  located  any  wh-r, 
except,  of  course,  upon  reservations,  and  spots  previously  cIkkih, 
No  section  was  to  be  divided,  if  the  warrant  held  by  the  Incatd.- 
would  cover  the  whole.  The  pri<'e  was  to  be  sixty  cents  and  two- 
thirds  till  May,  17SS  ;  then  one  dollar  till  November;  and,  afif 
that  time,  was  to  be  regulated  by  the  demand  for  land.  Hvcrv 
locator  was  bound  to  begin  improvements  within  two  years,  or  fnr- 
feit  one-sixth  of  his  purchase  to  whomsoever  would  settle  thercnn 
and  remain  seven  years.  Military  bounties  might  be  taken  in  this 
as  in  the  purchase  of  the  Associates.  For  himself  Symmes  retain- 
ed one  township  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great;  Miami,  at  the  junction 
of  which  stream  with  the  Ohio  he  proposed  to  build  his  great  rify; 
to  help  the  growth  of  which  he  oflTered  each  alternate  lot  to  any 
one  that  would  build  a  house  and  live  therein  three  years. 

As  Continental  certificates  were  rising,  in  consequence  of  tlu^ 
great  land  purchases  then  making  with  them,  and  as  difficulty  was 
apprehended  in  procuring  enough  to  make  his  fust  paymont. 
Symmes  was  anxious  to  send  forward  settlers  early,  that  the  truo 
value  of  his  purchase  might  become  known  at  the  east.  lie  hail, 
however,  some  difReulty  in  arranging  with  the  Board  of  Treasury 
the  boundaries  of  the  first  portio.i  he  was  to  occupy. f 

In  January,  1788,  Matthias  Denman,  of  New  Jersey,  took  an  in- 
terest in  Symmes'  purchase,  and  located,  among  other  tracts,  the 
section  and  fractional  section  upon  which  Cincinnati  has  been 
built. :j:  Retaining  one-third  of  this  particular  locality,  he  sold  an- 
other third  to  Robert  Patterson,  and  the  remainder  to  John  Filson; 
and  the  three,  about  August,  1788,  agreed  to  lay  out  a  town  on  the 


*  Sec  L.ind  Laws  and  post  for  the  terms,  and  final  srttlcmcnt  of  Symmes  contrart. 

fManuscriiJt  Letters  of  Symmes.     See  Burnet's  Letters,  136. 

:]:  Many  fiicts  relative  to  the  settlement  of  Cincinnati,  we  take  from  the  depositions  ol 
Denman,  Patterson,  Ludlow,  and  others,  contained  in  the  report  of  the  chancery  trial  ol 
City  of  Cincinnati  vs.  Joel  Williams,  iu  1807. 


178V  ■  1T8S. 


Cincinnnti  Iftid  out. 


305 


spot,  wliirh  was  dosiijrtinlcd  as  l)ciii«;  opposite  T.i('k'm'_j  river,  to  the 
inniith  of  which  they  proposed  to  have  a  road  cut  from  Lexiti'^lon, 
Knitiirkv,  to  he  eonneeted  with  the  tiortlierii  shore  hy  a  ferry. 
Mr.  Filsoii,  wlio  had  been  a  sehoohnaster,  was  appointed  to  name 
iliifown;  and,  in  respert  \o  its  situation,  and  as  if  with  a  piopheiic 
jirn't'ption  of  the  mixed  rare  that  were  in  after  (hiys  to  iidiahit 
•l.crc,  he  named  it  i.osantiviMe,  which,  hein</  iiiler|)rele(l,  means 
ii7/(',  the  town  nnfi,  opposite  to,  o.v,  the  inoutli,  /.,  of  I/ickini^.* 
This  may  well  put  to  the  hhisli  tlie  (\tni/)iis  .Mrirtius  of  the  Marietta 
M'hnhirs,  and  the  Fort  Solon  of  the  Spaniards. 

Ah'iinwliih',  in  July,  Symmes  fjjot  thirty  people  and  eifjjht  four-horse 
\va>j;ons  under  way  for  the  West.  'J'hese  reached  Limestone  (now 
Maysvillo)  in  September,  where  tlicy  find  I\Tr.  Stiles  \vith  several 
persons  from  Red  Stone.  But  the  mind  of  the  chief  purchaser 
I  was  fidl  of  trouble.  He  had  not  only  been  obli<j;ed  to  relincjuish 
lis  first  contract,  which  was  ex|)ected  to  embrace  two  millions  of 
acrt'S,  but  had  failed  to  conclude  one  for  the  sinijle  million  which 
111' now  proposed  takinp^.  This  arose  from  a  diH'erence  between 
!;iin  and  the  government,  he  wishin<4  to  have  the  whole  Ohio  front 
lii'tweon  the  Miamies,  wiiile  the  Board  of  Treasury  wished  to  con- 
tine  him  to  twenty  miles  upon  the  Ohio.  This  ])roposition,  how- 
twr,  he  would  not  for  a  lonj^  time  a^i^ree  to,  as  he  had  made  sales 
alnng  nearly  the  whole  Ohio  shore. f     Leaving  the  bargain  in  this 


'Cincinnati  Directory,  for  1819,  p.  IS. 

'Um;'  •  1)C  as  wi'll  to  givi;  hero  a  sivetcli  ol'  the   tliani;(!s  inaile  in  Sjiiiiiics'  contract. 

il- first  application  was  for  all  the  country  between  the  Miamies,  running  uj)  to  the  north 

I  'iftlip  Ohio  Company's  jiurrhase,  e.vtonding  tlue  west.     On  tin;  S.ld  of  October,  17S7, 

I  fiiiLTcss  resolved,  that  the  Hoard  of  Treasury  he  authorized  to  contract  w  ith  any  one  fur 

'..■Ids  of  not  less  than  a  million  acres  of  western  lands,  the  front  of  wliicli,  on  the   Ohio, 

*^j!ash  and  otiier  rivers,  sliould  not  exceed  one  third  the  dei>th.     On  the  l.'Hh  of  May, 

'i^^,  Dayton  and  Marsh,  as  Symmes"  agents,  concluded  a  contract  witli  the  Commissioners 

^llin  Treasury  for  two  millions  of  acres  in  two  equal  tracts.     In  .Tuly,  Symmes  concluded 

pjiakeonly  one  tract,  but  diU'ered  with  the  Commissioners  on  the  grounds  stated  in  the 

■'5',    After  much  negotiation,  upon  the  15th  of  October,  17SS,  Dayton  and  Marsh    con- 

I'l'lod  a  contract  with  government  hearing  dati!  May  15th,  for  one  million  of  acres,  be- 

;aiimg  twenty  miles  up  the  Ohio  from  the  mouth  (■  '  the  (Ireat  Miami,  and  to  run  back 

'."liuaiitity  between  the  Miami  aiul  a  line  (liawu   fiom  the  Ohio  [)aral!el  to    the  gi  neral 

I'l'irsp  of  that  river.     In  17,91,  Symmes  found  tliis  would  tln-ow  his  purchase  too  f;ir  hack 

'■')tn  the  Ohio,  and  applied  to  Congress  to  let  him  have  all  between  the  Miamies.  rtinnin<7 

'!ck  80  as  to  include  a  million  acres,  which  that  body,  on  the  12lh  of  April,  1792,  agreed 

j'.ido.    When  the  lands  between  the  Miamies  were  surveyed,  however,  it  was  tbund  tliat 

I 'w  tract  soutli  of  a  line  drawn  from  the  head  of  the  Little,  due  west  to  the  Clreat  Miami, 

j'uiild  include  less  than  six  hundred  thousand  acres  ;  but  even  this  Synmies  could  not  ()ay 

l-f.  and,  when  hia  patent  issued  upon  the  30th  of  September,  1794,  it  gave  him  and  his 

i-ociatcs  but  two  hundred  and  forty-eight  thousand  five  hundred   and   forty  acres,  ex- 

;5ivo  of  reservations,  whicli  amounted  to  sixtv-thrce  thousand  one   hundred  and  fortv- 

20  '  ' 


3()f; 


TioiihlfS  of  Syinmrs. 


i:sv 


nn.stlllcd  shilc,  fVtiij^rcss  ('on>i(I('r('(l  ilsrlC  itK'ii»it  d  fifiin  its  f)lilii;,i 
lion  lo  sell ;  iuiil,  hut  for  llic  rcprcsiiifiitinns  of  s(tiiic  «>(' his  fiiii,,' 
our  JuivftifiiriT   woiihl   havr    h).st   liis   hiirj^aiii,  his   hihor,  ainl  I, 
inonry.     Nor  was  litis  all.     In  Ffhriiary,  17SS,  In-  had  hccn  up. 
pointed  oni'  of  the  jiidgrs  of  thr  Norlh-wcsl  'I'rrrilory,  in  the  jiLn 
ol Mr.  Arnistroii};,  \vlio  dt'clincd  sl■rvin•,^     'This  a|)pointniciit  ^n,. 
r)(r»'n(M'  to   sonu! ;    and   others  were   envious  of  the  ^reat   foriun, 
wiiich   if    was  tlioni;lil   lie  would   make.     Sonie  of  his   assoeint, . 
eoniplained  of  him,  also,  proiiahly  hcrause  of  his  endani^eritii:  tin 
contract  to  which  they  had  hecomc  parties.     With   these  niiiriiui^ 
and  reproaches  hehind  him,  he  saw  heforc  Idm  dan<!;er,  delay,  "h:- 
ferin^',  and,  perhaps,  ultimate  failure  and  niin  and,  a!lhou<fli  liop.. 
I'ul  hy  nature,  apparently  he  felt  discourajjjed   and    sad.     ]|n\v(\i', 
a  visit  to  his  purchase,  where  he  landed  upon  the  22d  of  Sciifdi. 
her,  revived  his  spirits,  and  upon  his  return  to  iMaysvillc,  he  wii' 
lo  Jonathan  J)a)ton,  of  New  Jersey,  who  had  become  inliit'^tii, 
with  liim,  that  he  thouj^ht  some  of  the  land  near  the  (ireal  Miain 
"positively  worth  a  silver  dollar  the  acre  in  its  present  state." 

IJut  though  this  view  of  the  riches  now  almost  within  his  trra^j, 
somewhat  re-assureJ  Symmes'  mind,  he  had  still  enough  to  troiilili 
him.  The  Indians  were  tiireatening;  in  Kentucky,  he  says,  "thfv 
are  perpetually  doing  mischief;  a  man  a  week,  I  believe,  falls  Iv 
their  liands;  but  still  government  gavt;  him  little  hi'lp  toward  i!'- 
lending  himsidf;  for,  while  three  hundred  men  were  sfatioiici!  ■ 
Muskingum,  he  had  "but  one  ensign  and  sevcnieen  men  for  tt/ 
protection  and  d('li'nc(>  of  '  tlu-  slaughter-house.' "  as  the  Mi;i;:.! 
valley  was  called  by  the  dwellers  upon  the  "  dark  and  blotuiy 
ground"  of  "  Keiitucke."  Anil  when  Captain  Kearny  and  f(ir> 
live  soldiers  came  to  Maysville  in  December,  they  came  wiiLiui 
provisions,  and  but  made  bad  worse.  Nor  did  their  coming  an- 
swer any  purpose;  for  when  a  little  l)an(l  of  settli'rs  were  reach  lol 
go,  under  their  protection,  to  tlie  mouth  of  the  Miami,  the  i;r;iii 
city  of  Symmes  that  was  to  be,  the  ice  stove  their  boats,  their  n 
tie  were  drowned,  and  their  provisions  lost,  and  so  the  settleiiui 
was  prevented.  ]]ul  the  fertile  mind  of  a  man  like  our  adveiUunr 
could,  even  under  these  circumstances,  find  comfort  in  the  aiiti': 


two  acres.    Tliis  tract  was  bounded  l)y  the  Ohio,  tlie  two  Miamics,  and  a  due  east  i'i 
west  line,  run  so  as  to  comprehend  the  desired  (luantity      As  Sjnnnes   miule   no  t'lr'-^ 
|)aymeiits  after  this  time,  the  rest  of  his  pnrchnse  reverted  to  the  United  States,  whop 
those  thiit  h:id  hniiglit  under  Symmes  ample  pre-emption   rights.    See   Land  Imu!-  P 
372-382,  et  seq  and  post. 


1788. 


Cnhnnhin  SvttlviL 


307 


pitioM  of  niiiit  was  fo  fojnc.  \\\  tlir  words  of  T^'tiirn  Jonn'lr.ui 
Mt'i<i«i,  tilt'  fir^t  Ohio  poet  wiih  wlioin   wi-  have  nny  an(juairifiinr(', 

'•  To  him  ((lad  Faiuiy  lirijjtilcst  [)rr>«i[>frtH  hIiowh, 
Ui')oicin[»  N.iturfall  around  liiin  (iIowh  ; 
Wlioro  late  the  Mava^tt,  hid  in  aiiiliiiiih,  lay, 
(>r  roamcil  tlic  iiiicnltiirrd  \allryM  liir  his  |irov, 
MiT  hardy  gilln  ri.'U;,'li  Industry  rxtriuU, 
Tho  Rfovofi  how  down,  tho  hitly  forpHt  hcnd' ; 
And  si'c  ihr  H[iirf'H  itftownN  and  citii's  rinr, 
Ami  ddtiicrt  and  toniplrx  swell  unto  th<!  Hkin*,"* 

liiitalas!  so  for  as  his  pet  cily  was  conceriu'd,  ''<j;hi(l  Faiiry" 
inoved  but  a  gay  dw;eivt'r;  for  there  cainc  "aiiama/int;  high 
trtshi't,"  and  "the  Point,"  as  it  was,  and  still  is  ralk-d,  was  tif- 
k'cn  feet  under  water. 

I')iit,  before  Syniines  left  Afaysville,  which  was  upon  the  29tli  of 
ianiiary,  17Sf),  two  settlements  had  l)een  made  within  his  pur- 
diiisc.  The  first  was  by  Mr.  Stites,  *he  original  projector,  of  the 
uliole  plan;  who,  with  other  liedstone  jieopK',  had  located  tliem- 
vlvt's  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Miami,  where  the  Indians  had 
necn  led  by  tlu;  great  fertility  of  the  soil  to  make  a  jiartial  clearing. 
To  this  point,  on  the  I81I1  of  November,  17SS,  came  twenty-six 
I'trsons,  who  built  a  block-house,  nam<'(l  their  town  Columbia,  and 
nrcpared  for  a  winter  of  want  and  hard  fighting,  j  But  they  werr 
iiireeahly  disajijiointed ;  the  Indians  came  to  them,  and  though  t}»c 
AJiitcs  answered,  as  Symmes  says,  "in  a  blackguarding  mainu'r," 
lie  savages  sued  for  peace.  One,  at  whom  a  rifle  was  presented, 
'ink  ofT  his  cap,  trailed  his  gun,  and  held  out  his  right  hand,  by 
■vliich  pacific  gestures  he  induced  the  Americans  to  consent  to 
iit'ii'  entrance  into  the  block-houses.  In  a  few  days  this  good 
Jndcrstanding  ripened  into  intimacy,  the  "hunters  fre(picnlly 
'akiiig  shelter  for  the  night  in  the  Indian  camps;"  and  the  red 
:T.'n  and  squaws  "spending  whole  days  and  nights"  at  (Columbia, 
■'regaling  themselves  with  whiskey."  This  friendly  demeanor  on 
'he  part  of  the  Indians  was  owing  to  the  kind  and  just  conduet  of 
Symmes  himself;  who,  during  the  preceding  September,  when  e\- 
iminiiig  the  country  about  the  Great  Miami,  had  jirevented  some 
Kcntuckians,  who  were  in  his  company,  from  injuring  a  band   of 


i.  poem  dolivernd  at  Marietta,  .Tidy  4th,  1780,  slightly  altorod. 

■^^i'cinii.iti  Directory  for  1819,  and  J'ymniesi' Letter.-.     The  land  at  this  point  Mas  so 
•'■'•  ti.'t  from  nine  acres  were  raised  nine  hundred  and   sixty-tlirec  bushc!-:'  of  Indian 
corn. 


308 


Cindnnuti  Settled. 


1 788 


the  savages  that  came  ■within  their  power;  which   proceeding,  1,. 
says,  "the  Kentuckians  thought  unpardonable." 

The  Cohimbia  settler^ent  was,  however,  like  tliat  propositi  ;■; 
the  Point,  upon  land  that  was  under  water  during  the  high  ris. 
in  January,  1789.  "But  one  house  escaped  the  deluge."  T!i. 
soldiers  were  driven  from  the  ground-floor  of  the  block-house  mti 
the  loft,  and  from  the  loft  into  the  solitary  boat  which  the  icc  hai! 
spared  them. 

This  ilood  deserves  to  be  commemorated  in  an  epic ;  for,  whlli 
it  demonstrated  ihe  dangers  to  which  the  three  chosen  spots  of  a!! 
Ohio,  Marietta,  Columbia,  and  the  Point,  must  be  ever  exposed, 
it  also  proved  the  safety,  and  led  to  the  rapid  settlement  oi 
Losantiville.  The  great  recommendation  of  the  spot  upon  whicli 
Denman  and  his  comrades  proposed  to  build  their  "Mosair'" 
town,  as  it  has  been  called,  appears  to  have  been  the  fad  that  i' 
lay  opposite  the  Licking;  the  terms  of  Denman's  purchase  having 
been,  that  his  warrants  were  to  be  located,  as  nearly  as  possible. 
over  against  the  mouth  of  that  river;  though  the  flvantage  of  tin 
noble  and  high  plain  at  that  point  could  not  have  escaped  any  eye. 
But  the  freshet  of  1789  placed  its  superiority  over  other  poinr^ 
more  strongly  in  vie""/  than  any  thing  else  could  have  done. 

We  have  saici  that  Filson  was  killed  in  September,  or  early  ii; 
October,  1788.  As  nothing  had  been  paid  upon  his  third  of  tlit 
plat  of  Losantiville,  his  heirs  made  no  claim  upon  it,  and  it  \va< 
transferred  to  Israel  Ludlow,  who  had  been  Symmes'  survcyc 
This  gentleman,  with  Colonel  Patterson,  one  of  the  other  proprif- 
tors,  and  well  known  in  the  Indian  wars,  with  about  fourteei: 
others,  left  Maysville  upon  the  24th  of  December,  1788,  "to  fonn 
a  station  and  lay  off  a  town  opposite  Licking."  The  river  \v;b 
filled  with  ice  "  from  shr've  to  shore  ;  "  but,  says  Symmes,  in  -Mav, 
1789,  "  pers-^verance  triumphing  over  difficulty,  they  landed  salt 
on  a  most  delightful  high  bank  of  the  Ohio,  where  they  fouiuleil 
the  town  of  Losantiville,  which  populates  considerably." 

It  is  a  curious  faft,  and  one  of  many  in  western  history,  that  iiia\ 
well  tend  to  shake  our  faith  in  the  learned  discussions  as  to  da'.i'^ 
and  localities  with  which  scholars  now  and  then  amuse  the  woiKl. 
that  the  date  of  the  settlement  of  Cincinnati  is  unknown,  oven 
though  we  have  the  testimony  of  the  very  men  that  made  the  so:- 
tlement.  Judge  Symmes  says  in  one  of  his  letters,  "On  the  '24tli 
of  December,  1788,  Colonel  Patterson,  of  Lexington,  who  is  con- 
cerned with  Mr.  Denmau  in  the  section  at  the  mouth  of  Lickinj 


■788. 


Trade,  opened  with  JW'W  Orleans, 


309 


iur,  sailed  from  Limestone,"  Sec.  ^omo,  siipposinir  it  Avovild 
lake  about  two  days  (o  make  the  voyage,  have  dated  the  being  of 
the  Q'.ieen  City  of  tlie  West  from  December  2Gth.  This  is  but 
(^Micss-work,  however;  for,  as  Ihi;  river  was  full  of  ice,  it  might 
liavc  taken  ten  days  to  have  gone  the  sixty-five  miles  from  Mays- 
vllle  to  the  Licking.  But,  in  the  case  in  chancery  to  which  we 
Lave  referred,  we  hav<?  the  evidence  of  Patterson  and  Ludlow,  that 
;liiy  landed  opposite  the  Licking  "  in  the  month  of  January, 
1789;"  while  William  McMillan  testifies  that  he  "  was  one  of  those 
who  formed  the  settlement  of  Cincinnati  on  the  2Sth  day  of  De- 
amber,  17S8."  As  we  know  of  nothing  more  conclusive  on  the 
<ubjoct  than  these  statements,  we  must  leave  this  question  in  the 
«ame  darkness  that  we  find  it. 

The  settlers  of  Losantiville  built  a  few  log  huts  and  block- 
houses, and  proceeded  to  lay  out  the  town  ;  though  they  placed 
their  dwellings  in  the  most  exposed  situation,  yet,  says  Symmcs, 
hey  "  suflfered  nothing  from  the  freshet." 

South  of  the  Ohio,  during  this  year,  matters  were  in  scarce  as 
,'00(1  a  train  as  upon  the  "  Indian"  side  of  the  river.  The  savages 
■nntinued  to  annoy  the  settlers,  and  the  settlers  to  retaliate  upon 
'ht  savages,  as  Judge  Symmes'  letters  have  already  shown.  But 
a  more  formidable  source  of  trouble  to  the  district  than  any  attack 
•he  red  men  were  capable  of  making,  was  the  growing  disposition 
!n  cut  loose  fi-om  the  Atlantic  colonies,  and  either  by  treaty  or 
varfare  obtain  the  use  of  the  Mississippi  from  Spain.  We  have 
dready  mentioned  Wilkinson's  trip  to  New  Orleans,  in  June, 
1787;*  but  as  that  voyage  was  the  beginning  of  the  long  and  mys- 
terious Spanish  intrigue  with  the  citizens  of  the  west,  it  seems 
*vorth  while  to  quote  part  of  a  paper,  believed  to  be  by  iJaniel 
Clark,  the  younger,  whose  uncle  of  the  same  name  was  the  agent 
md  partner  t  of  Wilkinson,  in  New  Orleans,  and  who  was  {>dly 
uquaintcd  with  the  government  officers  of  Louisiana. | 

About  the  period  of  which  wc  are  now  speaking,  in  the  middle  oftht 
vear  1787,  die  foundation  of  an  intercourse  widi  Kentucky  and  the  set- 
■'lements  on  the  Ohio  was  laid,  which  daily  increases.  Previous  to  that 
iine,  all  those  who  ventured  on  the  Mississippi  had  their  property  seized 


•Ante.p.  2n6. 

'  Wilkiiisciii  says  the  partiicrship  was  formed  for  him  without  liis  knowledge  or  consenf 
Mfmoirs,  li.  113.) 

'American  State  Papera,  xx.  701, 


310 


Trade  opened  with  jVew  Orleans. 


1788 


by  the  first  conimamliiig  ofTiocr  whom  they  met,  ami  little  or  no  com- 
munication was  kept  up  between  the  countries.     Now  aiid  then,  an  em- 
igrant who  wished  to  settle  in  Natehcz,  by  dint  of  entreaty,  and  solicilaliuu 
of  friends  who  had  interests  in  New  Orleans,  procured  permission  to  re 
move  there  witli  his  family,  slaves,  cattle,  furniture  and  farming  utensil: , 
but  was  allowed  to  bring  no  other  properly,  except  cash.     An  unex- 
pected incident,  however,  changed  the  face  of  things,  and  was   proiluf- 
live  of  a  new  line  of  conduct.     The  arrival  of  a  boat,  belonging  t(  Gen- 
eral Wilkinson,  loaded  with  tobacco  and  other  productions  of  Kentucky, 
is  announced  in  town,  and  a  guard  was  immediately  sent  on  board  of  ii, 
The  general's  name  had  hindered  this  being  done  at    Natchez,  as  ilio 
commandant  was  fearful  that  such  a  step  might  be  displeasing  to  lii: 
superiors,  who  might  wish  to  show  some  respect  to  the  property  of :; 
general  ohicer ;  at  any  rate,   the  boat  was  proceeding  to  Orleans,  an,! 
they  would  then  resolve  on  what  measures   they  ought  to  pursue,  an.! 
put  in  execution.     The  government,    not  much  disposed  to   show  any 
mark  of  respect  or  forbearance  towards  the  general's  properly,  lie  no; 
having  at  that  time  arrived,  was  about  proceeding  in  the  usual  way  ol 
confiscation,  when  a  merchant  in  Orlc  ^s,  who  had  considerable  inf!;- 
encc  there,  and  who  was  formerly  -acquainted  with  the  general,  repre- 
sented to  the  governor  that  the  measures  taken  by  the  Inteudant  would 
very   probably  give  rise   to    disagreeable   events ;    that   the  people  of 
Kentucky  were  already  exasperated  at  the  conduct  of  the  Spaniards  in 
seizing  on  the  property  of  all  those  who  navigated  the  Mississippi;  and. 
if  this  system  was  pursued,  they  would  very  probably,  in  spite  of  Con- 
gress and  the  Executive  of  the  United  States,  take   upon  themselves  to 
obtain  the  navigation  of  he  river  by  force,  which  they  were  well  able  to 
do;  a  nieasuie  for  some  time  before  much  dreaded  by  this  government. 
which  had  no  force  to  resist  tliem,  if  such  a  plan  was  put  in  execution, 
Hints  were  likewise  given  that  Wilkinson  was  a  very  popular  man,  who 
could  influence  the  whole  of  that  country;  and  probably  that  his  send- 
ing a  boat  before  him,   with  a  wish  that  she  might  be  seized,  was  but  j 
snare  at  his  return  to  influence  the  minds  of  the  people,   and,  having 
brought  them  to  the  point  he  wished,  induce  them  to  appoint  him  thei: 
leader,  and  then  like  a  torrent,  spread  over  the   country,  and  carry  fire 
and  desolation  from  one  end  of  the  province  to  the  other. 

Governor  Miro,  a  weak  man,  unacquainted  with  the  American  Gov 
ernmcnt,  ignorant  even  of  the  position  of  Kentucky  with  respect  to  his 
own  province,  bi  alarmed  at  the  very  idea  of  an  irruption  of  Kentucky 
men,  whom  he  .eared  without  knowing  their  strength,  communicated 
his  wishes  to  the  Intendant  that  the  guard  might  be  removed  from  tlK 
boat,  which  was  accordingly  done ;  and  a  Mr.  Patterson,  who  was  the 
agent  of  the  general,  was  permitted  to  take  charge  of  the  property  or. 
board,  and  to  sell  it  free  of  duty.     The  general,  on  his  arrival  in  Or 


lean?,  some 


1788    I  I'SS.       JVilliinson  obtains  Privileges  from  Spanish  OJ/ici 


311 


i  or  no  com- 
.  then,  an  em- 
ndsolic'iUitiua 
mission  lo  re- 
tiling  ulensil:, 
1.     All  uuox- 
was   proiluc- 
nging  U  (Jcii- 
of  Kentucky, 
in  board  of  it. 
itcliez,  as  the 
leasing  to  \\U 
property  of  : 
I  Orleans,  ;in,! 
3  pursue,  an.! 
to   sliow  any 
operty,  lie  no; 
1  usual  way  ol 
idcrablc  infiii- 
general,  rcprc- 
iteudant  would 
the  people  of 
!  Spaniards  in 
ssissippi;  and. 
spite  of  Con- 
ihemselves  to 
re  well  able  to 
povernmeiit. 
in  executiot). 
ular  man,  who 
that  his  send- 
ed,  was  but  3 
,   and,  luviii;; 
aint  him  theit 
and  carry  fire 

iiicricaii  Gov 
respect  to  bis 
n  of  Kentucky 
comnuini(:iti^'- 
)ved  frnni  tb' 
,  who  was  ibc 
e  property  or. 
arrival  in  Or 


lean',  some  time  after,  was  informed  of  the  obligation  he  lay  under  to 
ihe  merchant  who  had  impressed  the  government  with   such  an  idea  of 
his  importance  and  influence  at  home,  waited  on  him,  and,  in  concert 
Willi  liim,  formed  a  plan  for  their  future  operations.     In  his  interview 
wilh  the  governor,  that  he  might  not  seem  to  derogate  frotn  the  charac- 
ter given  of  him  by  appearing  concerned  in  so  trifling  a  business  as  a 
'loat-load  of  tobacco,  hams,  and  butter,  he  gave  him  to  understand  tliat 
liie  property  belonged  to  many   citizens  of  Kentucky,   who,  avail-ng 
themselves  of  his  return  to  the  Atlantic  States,  by  way  of  Orleans,  wish- 
ed to  make  a  trial  of  the  temper  of  this  government,  as  he,  on  his  ar- 
rival, might  inform  his  own  what  steps  had  been  pursued  under  his  eye, 
that  adequate  measures  might  be  afterwards  taken  to  procure  satisfaction. 
He  acknowledged  with  gratitude   the  attention  and  respect  manifested 
by  the  governor  towards  himself  in  the  favor  shown  to  his  agent;  but  ai 
ilie  same  time  mentioned  that  he  would  not  wish  the  governor  to  expose 
himself  to  the  anger  of  his  court  by  refraining  from  seizing  on  the  boat 
and  cargo,  as  it  was  but  a  trifle,   if  such   were  the  positive  orders  from 
court,  and  that  he  had  not  a  power  to  relax  them  according  to  circum- 
stances.    Convinced  by  this  discourse  that  the   general  rather  wished 
I'ur  an  opportunity  of  embroiling  affairs  than  sought  to  avoid  it,  the  gov- 
ernor became  more  alarmed.     For  two  or  three  years  before,  particu- 
larly since  the  arrival   of  the  commissioners  from   Georgia,   who   had 
come  to  Natchez  to  claim  that  country,  he  had  been  fearful  of  an  invasion 
at  every  annual  rise  of  the  waters,  and  the  news  of  a   few  boats  being 
seen  was  enough  to  alarm   the   whole   province.     He  revolved  in   his 
mind  what  measures  he  ought  to  pursue  (consistent  with  the  orders  he 
had  from  home  to  permit  the  free  navigation  of  the  river)  in  order  to 
keep  the  Kentucky  people  quiet ;  and,    in  his   succeeding  interviews 
with  Wilkinson,  having  procured  more  knowledge  than  he  had  hitlierto 
acquired  of  their  character,  population,    strength,   and  dispositions,  he 
iliouLdit  he  could  do  notliing  better  than  hold  out  a  bait  to   Wilkinson  to 
use  hirf  influence  in  restraining  the   people  from  an  invasion  of  this 
piovince  till  he  could  give  advice  to  his  court,   and   require   further  in- 
structions.    This  was  the  point  to  which  the  parties  wished   to   bring 
Mm;  and,  being  informed  that  in  Kentucky  two  or  three  crops  were  on 
hand,  for  which,  if  an  immediate  vent  was  not  to  be  found,  the  people 
rould  not  be  kept  within  bounds,  he  made  Wilkinson  ti.e  ofTer  of  a  per- 
mission to  import,  on  his  own  account,  to  New  Orleans,  free  of  duty. 
all  the  productions  of  Kentucky,  thinking  by  this  means   to  conciliate 
the  good-will  of  the  people,  without  yielding  the  point  of  navigation,  as 
ilie  comii  .roe  carried  on  would  appear  the  effect  of  an  indulgence  to  an 
individual,  which  could  be  withdrawn    at    pleasure.     On    consultation 
with  his  friends,  who  well  knew   what  further  concessions  Wilkinson 
would  extort  from  the  fears  of  the  Spaniard?,  by  the  promise  of  his  good 


312 


Kentucky  not  made  a  Stale. 


oHiccs  ill  preaching  peace,  hannoiiy,  and  gooiJ  underslaiuliiig  wiih  ilu. 
goveniinciit,  uulil  airuiigcineiitsi  were  maiio  belwcea  Spain  and  Ann  lira, 
he  was  advised  to  insist  ihal  llie  governor  should  insure  him  a  niaikt; 
for  all  the  flour  and  tobacco  lie  iriiglit  send,  as,  in  the  event  of  an  uiifur- 
tunatP  shipment,  he  would  be  ruined  whilst  endeavoring  to  do  a  service 
to  Louisiana.  This  was  accepted.  Flour  was  always  wanted  in  New 
Orleans,  and  the  king  of  Spain  had  given  orders  to  purchase  more  to- 
bacco for  the  supply  of  his  manufactories  at  home  than  Louisiana  al  thai 
time  produced,  and  which  was  paid  for  at  about  $9.50  per  cwt.  In 
Kentucky  it  costs  but  $2,  and  the  profit  was  immense.  In  coi,se- 
quence,  the  general  had  appointed  liis  friend  Daniel  Clark  his  agent 
here,  returned  by  way  of  Cliarleston  in  a  vessel,  with  a  particular  per- 
mission to  go  to  the  United  States,  even  at  the  very  moment  of  Gaido- 
qui's  information  ;  and,  on  his  arrival  in  Kentucky,  bought  up  all  the 
produce  he  could  collect,  which  he  shipped  and  disposed  of  as  belnre 
mentioned  ;  and  for  some  time  all  the  trade  for  the  Ohio  was  carried  on 
in  his  name,  a  line  from  him  suflicing  to  ensure  the  owner  of  the  boat 
every  privilege  and  protection  he  could  desire.* 


Whatever  Wilkinson's  views  may  have  been,  (and  we  should 
never  forget  that  there  was  no  treachery  or  treason  against  the 
United  Stales  in  leaving  the  old  colonies  and  forming  an  alliaiiro 
with  Spain  at  that  period, — )  such  a  reception  as  he  had  met  witli 
at  New  Orleans,  was  surely  calculated  to  make  him  and  his  frieii(!< 
feel  that  by  either  intimidation,  or  alliance,  the  free  trade  tluy 
wished  might  be  had  from  Spain,  could  the  Act  of  Independi'iici' 
but  be  finally  made  binding  '  y  the  consent  of  Congress,  which 
was  {()  be  given  before  July  5th,  17SS.  It  is  not  to  be  doubted 
that  this  agreement  on  the  part  of  the  Union  was  looked  for  as  a 
matter  of  course  almost;  —  Kentucky  had  spoken  her  wishes  over 
and  over  again,  and  Virginia  had  acquiesced  in  them.  When 
John  Brown,  therefore, —  who  in  December  1787,  had  been  sent 
as  the  first  Western  representative  to  Congress,  brought  the  sub- 
ject of  admitting  Kentucky  as  a  federal  State  before  that  body 
upon  the  29th  of  February,!  it  was  hoped  the  matter  would  soon 
be  disposed  of.  But  such  was  not  the  case ;  from  February  to 
May,  from  May  to  June,  from  June  to  July,  the  admission  of  tho 
District  was  debated,  and  at  length  the  whole  subject,  on  the 
3d  of  July,  w^as  referred  to  the  new  government  about  to  be 

*  Sep  American  Stato  Papers,  xx.  p.  707. — Clark's  memoir  is  said  by  Wilkinson  to  \<' 
substantially  correct.    (Memoirs,  ii.  110. J 

t  Old  Journals,  iv.  Sll,  819,  S28,  829,  830. 


1788. 


Offers  of  Spain  to  Kentucky. 


313 


Wilkinson  to  1"- 


npTan'ized,  and  once  more  the  Pioneers  found  Ihemselvcs  tlnvnrled, 
and  self-direction  withheld. 

On  the  28th  of  July  the  sixth  Convention  met  at  Danville  to 
proceed  with  the  business  of  Convention-making,  when  news 
ri'iiclied  them*  that  their  coming  together  was  all  to  no  purpose, 
,istlie  Legislature  of  the  Union  had  not  given  the  necessary  sanc- 
non  to  the  act  of  Virginia.  This  news  ama/ed  and  shocked  them, 
and  being  accompanied  or  followed  by  intimations  from  Mr.  Brown 
;lia»  Spain  would  make  easy  terms  with  the  West,  wen;  the 
West  once  her  own  mistress,  we  surely  cannot  wonder  that  tiie 
leaders  of  the  "Independence"   i)arty  were  disposed  to  act  with 

lecision   and  show   a  spirit   of  self-reliance.     Wilkinson,  on  tlie 
one  hand,   could    speak  of  his  vast  profits  and  the  friendly  temper 

f  the  southwestern  rulers,  while  Brown  wrote  home  such  senti- 
ments as  tlicse, — 

The  eastern  states  would  not,  nor  do  1  think  they  ever  will  assent  to 
•he  admission  of  the  district  into  the  union,  as  an  independent  State, 
unless  Vermont,  or  the  province  of  Maine,  is  brought  forward  at  the 
>ame  time.  The  change  which  has  taken  place  in  the  general  govern- 
inent  is  made  the  ostensible  objection  to  the  measure  ;  but,  the  jealousy 
of  ilie  g-owing  importance  of  the  western  country,  and  an  unwilling- 
ness to  add  a  vote  to  the  southern  interest,  are  die  real  causes  of  opposi- 
;ion.  The  question  which  the  district  will  now  have  to  determine  upon, 
will  be — whether,  or  not,  it  will  be  more  expedient  to  continue  the  con- 
jnexioii  with  the  state  of  Virginia,  or  to  declare  their  independence  and 
;^roceed  to  frame  a  constitution  of  government? 

Ill  private  conferences    which  I  have  had  with  Mr.  Gardoqui,  the 

t'ipiinish  minister,  at  this  place,  I  have  been  assured  by  him  in  the  most 

'xplicit  terms,  that   if  Kentucky  will  declare  her  independence,  and 

empower  some  proper  person  to  negotiate  with  him,  that  he  has  au- 

iiorily,  and  will  engage  to  open  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  for 

!he  exportation  of  their  produce,  on  terms  of  mutual  advantage.     Bat 

|!iat  this  privilege  never  can  be  extended   to  them   while  part  of  the 

*  The  difficulty  of  communicating  nows  to  the  West  may  I)o  judgod  of  i)y  the  follow- 
"-'  extract  from  a  letter  by  John  Brown  to  Jndge  Muter. 

'An  answer  to  your  favor  of  the  IGth  of  March  was  together  with  several  other  letters, 
'It  into  the  hands  of  one  of  General  Ilarmar's  officers,  who  set  out  in  May  last  for  the 
'iiio,  and  who  promised  to  forward  them  to  Uie  district ;  l)ut  1  fear  they  have  miscarried, 
•I  was  a  few  days  ago  informed  that  his  orders  had  been  countermanded,  and  that  he 
id  been  sent  to  the  garrison  ai  West  Point.  Indeed  1  have  found  it  almost  impracticable 
I 'transmit  a  letter  to  Kentucky,  as  there  is  scarce  any  communication  between  this  pla'je 

'Itiiat  tuiintry.     A  po>l  is  now  established  trcun  this  place  to  Fort  Pitt,  to  siU  out  once 

two  weeks,  after   the   20Ui  instant;   this  will  render   the    communication   easy  aud 

rtain."  — (Marshall,  i.  304.) 


314 


./?  seventh  Convention  railed. 


ns.^ 


Unitpd  Stiitos,  by  rorison  of  rommercial  treaties  existing  between  \\\\\ 
court  and  otlier  powers  of  Europe. 

As  there  is  no  reason  to  dou!)t  the  f^incciiiy  of  this  declaration,  I  have 
thouirlit  [)roper  to  communicate  it  to  a  ^ow  conlidential  friends  jti  tl.. 
district,  with  his  permission,  not  doubting  but  that  tiiey  will  make  a 
prudent  use  of  ilie  information — which  is  in  part  confirmed  l)y  tlis. 
patches  yesterday  received  by  Congress,  from  Mr.  Carmichal,  our  niiniv 
Cor  a  I  that  court,  the  contents  of  whicli  ^  am  not  at  liberty  to  disclose* 

But  even  under  the  excileineut  produced  by  such  prospcrtN 
ofleied  from  abroad,  and  .such  IreatUient  at  the  hands  of  their  M- 
h)w-eitizens,  the  members  of  the  July  Convention  took  no  lia>;\ 
or  mischievous  steps.  Fiiuling  their  own  powers  legally  at  an 
end  in  consequence  of  the  course  pursued  by  Congress,  they  dciLr- 
mineil  to  adjourn,  and  in  doing  so  advised  the  calling  of  a  .scmiM 
Convention  to  meet  in  the  following  November,  and  conlinui.'  ir, 
existence  until  January,  1790,  with  full  power 

To  take  such  measures  for  obtaining  admission  of  tlie  distiict,  as  a 
separate  and  independent  member  of  the  United  States  of  America;  and 
the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  as  may  appear  most  conducive  to  those 
important  purposes:  and  also  to  form  a  constitution  of  government  for 
the  district,  and  organize  the  same  when  they  shall  judge  it  necessary; 
or  to  do  and  accomplish  whatsoever,  on  a  consideration  of  the  state  i' 
the  district,  may  in  their  opinion  promote  its  interests.! 

These  terms,  although  they  contain  nothing  necessarily  imply- 
ing a  separation  from  Virginia  against  her  wish,  or  directly  autho- 
rizing the  coming  Convention  to  treat  with  Spain,  were  still  .'^up- 
posed  to  have  been  used  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  or  even 
inviting  that  body  to  take  any  steps,  however  much  against  tht 
letter  of  the  law;  and  as  Mr.  Brown's  letters  showed  that  stroni; 
tcmi)tations  were  held  out  to  the  people  of  the  District  to  doclarf 
themselves  independent  and  then  enter  into  negotiations  with 
Spain,  George  Muter,  Chief  Justice  of  the  District,  on  the  15th  o! 
October,  published  a  letter  in  the  Kentucky  Gazette,  calling  atten- 
tion to  the  fact  that  a  separation  without  legal  lea"e  from  tin 
parent  State  would  be  treason  against  that  State,  and  a  violation 
of  the  Federal  Constitution  then  just  formed. 

This  letter  and  the  ellbrts  of  the  parly  who  favored  strict  adht- 

*  Sec  Marshall's  History  of  Kentucky,  i.  p.  30.5. 
t  See  Marshair.-i  History  of  Kentucky,  i.  \i.  ^90. 


n 


Connolly  in  Kentucky. 


315 


:lial,  our  minis. 


Yiicc  to  li'gal  prorcL'dint^s,  were  not  in  vain.  The  elcdinns  look 
place,  and  on  the  '4lh  of  Novembci-  tlic  Convention  nut ;  the  con- 
tot  at  once  began,  but  the  two  paities  Ix-ing  happily  bahmeed, 
Ijoili  in  and  out  ot'  the  Convention,  the  greatest  caution  was 
obift'i'ved  by  both,  and  all  excess  prevented.  An  address  to  the 
peo])le  of  the  District  was  proposed  by  AVilkinson,  the  purpose  of 
which  was  doubtless  to  ])rocure  instiuctions  as  to  the  contesti'd 
points  of  illegal  independence  and  negotiation  with  Spain,  —  but 
till'  plan  of  issuing  such  a  paper  was  afterwards  dro))ped,  Congress 
was  memorialized  respecting  the  Mississippi,  Virginia  was  again 
asked  for  an  act  of  sej^aralion,  and  the  Convention  quietly  ad- 
jnurned  until  the  1st  Monday  of  tlie  following  August.*  It  is  not 
improbable  that  one  tran([uilizing  influence  was  the  contradiction, 
l)v  members  of  Congress,  of  the  report  that  the  navigation  ol"  the 
Mississippi  was  to  be  ridinquished  by  the  United  States.  This 
contradiction  had  been  authorized  on  the  16th  of  September.!  It 
was  during  the  autumn  of  this  same  year  of  trouble  and  intrigue, 
lluit  there  appeared  again  in  Kentucky,  John  Connolly,  fornu'rly  ot 
Pittsljurgh,  of  whom  we  last  heard  as  organizing  an  expedition  to 
attack  the  frontiers  in  1781.  J  Of  his  purj)oses  and  movements 
nothing  of  consequence  can  be  added,  we  believe,  to  the  follow- 
ing statement  sent  by  Colonel  Thomas  Marshall,  to  General  Wash- 
ington, in  the  month  of  February,  1789. 

About  this  time,  (November  17S8,)  arrived  from  Canada  the  famous 
Doctor  (now  Colonel)  Connolly;  his  ostensible  business  was  to  inquire 
alter,  and  repossess  himself  of,  some  lands  he  formerly  held  at  the  Falls 
ol' Ohio ;  II  but  I  believe  his  real  business  was  to  sound  the  disposition 
of  the  leading  men  of  this  district  respecting  this  Spanish  business. 
He  knew  that  both  Colonel  Muter  and  myself  had  given  it  all  the  oppo- 
sition in  Convention  we  were  able  to  do,  and  before  he  left  the  district, 
paid  us  a  visit,  though  neither  of  us  had  the  honor  of  the  least  acquaint- 
rnce  with  him. 

He  was  introduced  by  Colonel  John  Campbell, §  formerly  a  prisoner 
taken  by  Uie  Indians,  and  confined  in  Canada,  who  previously  informed 
us  of  die  proposition  he  was  about  to  make.  He  (^Connolly)  presendy 
entered  upon  his  subject,  urged  die   great  importance  Uie  navigation  of 

*  Spc  Miirsliall,  i.  288  to  f?!!.— M;irsliall  gives  all  the  i)a])crs.— Butler  1G2  to  181—517 
10  523 —Carey's  Museum,  April  17S9,  p.  331  to  333. 
t  Secret  Journals,  iv.  449  to  4.54. 
tSne  Ante,  p.  228. 
fiSi'c  Ante,  pp.  152,  No\c.    229. 
^  His  old  co-purcha.ser  of  the  land  ut  the  Falls, 


31fi 


Statement  of  Colonel  Thotnns  MirshaU. 


tho  Mississippi  must  ho  of  to  ll\o  ii,Ii;iliit;ints  of  tlic  wostom  witirv 
showed  tho  rihsohite  nocossiiy  of  our  possess! iij:j  it,  and  conchidnd  uii 
assurr.ncos  that  wore  we  disposed  to  assert  our  right  respcciiiinf  th:i.  I 
navinralion,  liord  Dorchester*  was  cordially  disposed  to  give  us  powerfd 
assistance,  that  his  Lordship  had  (I  think  ho  said)  four  thousand  nriiis'i: 
troopp  in  Canada  besides  two  regiments  at  Detroit,  and  couhl  furnish  uj 
with  arms,  ammunition,  clothing,  and  money;  that,  with  this  assistance. 
wo  might  possess  ourselves  of  New  Orleans,  fortify  the  Balizoaiihfi 
mouth  of  the  river,  and  keep  possession  in  spile  of  the  utmost  cflortso! 
Spain  to  the  contrary.  He  made  very  confident  professions  of  Lora 
Dorchester's  wisheiJ  to  cultivate  the  most  friendly  intercourse  with  iLe 
people  of  this  country,  and  of  his  own  desire  to  becoiiie  serviceable  to 
us,  and  with  so  much  seeming  sincerity,  tliat  had  I  not  before  been 
acquainted  with  his  character  as  a  man  of  intrigue  and  artful  address,  I 
should  in  all  probability  have  given  him  my  confidence. 

I  told  him  that  the  minds  of  the  people  of  this  country  were  «o 
strongly  prejudiced  against  the  British,  not  only  from  eircum?laiirp>- 
attending  the  late  war,  but  from  a  persuasion  that  the  Indians  were  a; 
this  time  stimulated  by  them  against  us,  and  that  so  long  as  those  sava- 
ges continued  to  commit  such  horrid  cruelties  on  our  defenceless  fron- 
tiers, and  were  received  as  friends  and  allies  by  the  British  at  Deiroit, 
it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  be  convinced  of  the  sincoriiy  ui 
Lord  Dorchester's  offers,  let  his  professions  be  ever  so  strong;  and  thai, 
if  his  Lordship  would  have  us  believe  him  really  disposed  to  be  on; 
friend,  he  must  begin  by  showing  his  disapprobation  of  the  ravages  of 
the  Indians. 

lie  admitted  of  the  justice  of  my  observation,  and  said  he  hud  urged 
the  same  to  his  Lordship  before  he  left  Canada.  Ila  denied  that  the 
Indians  are  stimulated  against  us  by  the  British,  and  says  Lord  Dor- 
chester observed  that  the  Indians  arc  free  and  independent  nations,  aiiJ 
have  a  right  to  make  peace  or  war  as  they  think  fit,  and  that  he  could 
not  with  propriety  interfere.  He  promised,  however,  on  his  return  to 
Canada  to  repeat  his  arguments  to  his  Lordship  on  the  subject,  aiiJ 
hopes,  he  says,  to  succeed.  At  taking  his  leave  he  begged  very  po- 
litely the  favor  of  our  correspondence ;  we  both  promised  him,  provi- 
ded he  would  begin  it,  and  devise  a  means  of  carrying  it  on.  lie  did 
not  tell  me  that  he  was  authorized  by  Lord  Dorchester  to  make  us  theso 
offers  in  his  name,  nor  did  I  ask  him  ;  but  General  Scott  informs  me 
that  he  told  him  that  his  Lordship  had  authorized  him  to  use  his  name 
in  this  business.! 


*  Formerly  Sir  Guy  Carlton. 

i  See  Butler,  o20. — Colonel  Ceortjc  Morgan  at  IJurr's  trial  m  1S07,  stated  tliat  Mr. 
Vigo,  of  Vinccnnes,  was,  as  he  believed,  coDcerncd  with  Connolly.  (Aiuericau  Suw 
papers,  xx.  503.) 


i;S9.       Treaty  with  the  Iroquois  and  other  tribes  of  India  as.       .'U7 

Colonel  George  ]Moi<(aii,  (luring  (liis  year,  was  inducid  |(; 
nmove  for  a  time  to  the  Spanish  territories  west  of  the  Missis- 
.i])|)i,  and  remained  at  New  Madrid  between  one  and  two  months; 
tliL'iice  he  went  to  New  Orleans.* 


1789. 


Preparations,  as  we  have  stated,  had  been  made  early  in  1788, 
iir  a  treaty  with  the  Indians,  and  during  tlie  whole  autumn,  the 
representatives  of  the  Indian  tribes  were  lingering  about  the  Mus- 
kingum settlement:  but  it   was  not  till  January  Oth   of  this  year 

I  tiiat  the  natives  were  brought  to  agree  to  distinct  terms.  On  that 
tiay,  one  treaty  was  made  with  the  Iroquois,!  confirming  the  pre- 
vious one  of  October,  1784  at  Fort  Stanwix ;  and  another  with  the 
Wyandots,   Delawares,   Ottawas,  Cliippeways,  Pottawatimas  and 

hiacs,  confirming  and  extending  the  treaty  of  Fort  Mcintosh,  made 
111  January,  1785. |     Of  the  additions,  we  quote  the  following: 

Art.  4.  It  is  agreed  between  tlie  said  United  States  and  the  paid 
cations,  that  the  individuals  of  said  nations  shall  be  at  liberty  to  hunt 

hvitliin  the  territory  ceded  to  the  United  States,  without  hindrance  or 
Jiolestation,  so  long  as  they  demean  themselves  peaceably,  and  nfTfr  no 
injury  or  annoyance  to  any  of  the  subjects  or  citizens  of  the  said  Uiii- 

I  led  Stales. 
Art.  7.     Trade  shall  be  opened  with  the  said  nations,  and  they  do 

liiereby  respectively  engage  to  afTord  protection  to  the  persons  and  pro- 
perty of  such  as  may  be  duly  licensed  to  reside  among  them  for  the 
purposes  of  trade,  and  to  their  agents,  factors,  and  servants;  but  no 
person  shall  be  permitted  to  reside  at  their  towns,  or  at  their  hunting 

'  Arnrrican  State  Papnrs,  xx.  504. — Dr.  Hildrcth,  (Aniorican  Pioneer,"  i.   12S,)  says  lie 
iinrtod  Now  Madrid.  —  Sec  also   Flint's   Ten   Year.s   Recollections;    account  of  New 
I  Madrid. 

trolleclion  of  Indian  Treaties.    Land  Laws,  123. 

;  Land  Laws,  149. — See  also  Carey's  Museum  for  April,  1789,  p.  41'j, 


318 


Tii'dtivs  of  Fort  llirmnr. 


camps,  ;is  a  trailiM",  wlio  is  not  riiriiislicd  with  u  lic('ii«c  for  thai  piirpo^rj 
miller  ill';  lii.inl  .md  soal  of  tlio  c;()Vfriior  of  tlio  territory  of  tin:  Uniti 
States  nortliU'Cfll  of  the  Ohio,  for  the  lime  being,  or  under  the  hand  and  1 
seal  of  one  of  his  deputies  for   the   management  of  Indian  Afl'iiirH;  to  | 
tlie  end  that  tiiry  may  not  he  imposed  upon  in  their  trafTie.     And  if  anv 
person  or  persons  shall  intrude  themselves  without   sueh  licensp,  the. 
promise  to  appndiend  him  <ji  them,  and  to  bring  them  to  the  s:>id  (lover- j 
nor,  or  one  of  his  ilepiilics,  for  the  |)urpos(!  Iiefnrementioned,  t<)  bi;  (1(,m|; 
with  aecordiiig  lo  law;  and  tliat  they  may  bedefendeil  agaii-st  porsoiK 
who  might  attempt  to  forge  such  licenses,  they  further  engage  to  pivf 
information  to  the  said  (Jovernor,  or  o'lc  of  his  deputies,  of  the  namp« 
of  all  traders  residing  among  them,  from  time  to  tinie,  and  at  least  oti'p 
in  every  year. 

Aiir.  b.     SlioulJ   any  nation  of  Indians   meditate  a  war  against  th- 
United  States,  or  either  of  them,  and  the  same  shall  come  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  bulbremeMlioncd  natioiio,  or  either  of  them,  they  do  liirt! , 
engage  to  give  imnuidialc  notice  thereof  to  the  Goveriuir,  or,  in  !i- 
absence,  to  the  ofTicer  commanding  the  troops  of  the  United  States  j; 
the  nearest  post.    And  should  any  nation,  with  hostile  intentions  a[;ain«;  | 
tJie   United   States,   or  either  of  them,    attempt  t(j  pass   through  ilicir  I 
country,  they  will  endeavor  to  prevent  the  same,  and,  in   like  manner, 
give  iiifori     lion  of  such  attempt  to  the  said  (Jovernor  or  commanding  I 
ollicer,  as  soon  as  possible,  that  all  causes  of  mistrust  and  suspicion  i)i;.v 
be  avoided  between  them  and  the  United  States:  in  like  manner,  liie 
United  States  shall  give  notice  to  the  said  Indian  nations,  of  any  liarni  I 
ihaL  may  be  medilaied  against  them,  or  either  of  ihern,  that  shall  come 
to  their  knowledge  :  and  do  all  in  their  power  to  hinder  and  prevent  ilie 
same,  that  the  friendship  between  lliem  may  be  uninterrupted.* 

But  llu'sr  treaties,  if  meant  in  good  faith  liy  those  wlio  ma!' 
tliL)!!!,  were  not  iespeetecl,f  and  the  year  of  which  wp  now  \s:\'x 
saw  renewed  the  old  frontier  troubles  in  all  their  barbarism  nm! 
variety.  The  Wabash  Indians  especially,  who  had  not  been 
bound  by  any  treaty  as  yet,  ke[)t  np  constant  incursions  against  tin' 
Kentucky  settlers,  and  the  emigrants  down  the  Ohio  \\  and  th' 
Kentuckians  retaliated,  striking  foes  and  friends,  even  "the  poarc 
able  Piaidvcshaws  who  prided  diemselves  on  their  attachiricnt  to 
the  United  States. "II  Nor  coidd  the  President  take  any  elfectua! 
steps  to  put  au   end  to  this  constant  partisan  warfare.     In  the  fir^' 

•  Sec  Land  Laws,  p.  152. 

t  See  yiosi  lor  a  full  ditjcussion  oi"  these  points. — Carey's  Musciiiii,  April,  17SI),  p. -li 
I  ALirsiiall,  i.  3 IS.  351. — American  State  Pajjcrs,    \ol.  v.  8 J,  S5. — Carey's  iMuscui. 
May,  1769,  p.  JOl.  GuS. 

J  General  Knox.    Amcrictui  State  Papers,  v.  13. 


1780, 

for  lliat  piirpo^f, 

y  of  tlu!  l.^iiiHl 

lor  llio  hand  and 

diaii  An'air.s ;  ir, 

^Cic.     And  if  ;inv 

?h  liccnsn,  ihfv 

the  said  (lover- 

)ne(l,  1()  h(!  dcil; 

ajfaii'sl  p(;rsnii< 

engago  to  jtjv,. 

.'s,  of  tho  name? 

ind  at  loasi  oni'c 

war  against  tl> 

me  to  the  know- 

,  tliey  do  herebv 

riior,   or,  in  !i:- 

[Jnitcd  States:;: 

)tetilions  again;'. 

IS   througli  ilieir 

in   like  manner, 

or  coniniandioj 

d  suspicion  ni;y 

ike  manner,  liie 

i,H,  of  any  harm 

tliut  shal!  come 

and  prevent  llie 

Lipled.* 

lose  who  mad' 
Avo  now  wri'' 
barbarism  am! 
had  not  btin 
nns  against  thf 
hio  ',1  and  \h 
Ml  "  the  poari- 
attachment  to 
^  any  cffoctua! 
In  the  fir' 


\pril,  17S!),  p.  4i 


I/S9. 


Troubles  with  the  hulians. 


ai'j 


ilace,  it  was  by  no  nuans  rloar  that  an  attark  liy  the  forci's  of  iIk 
._Mvernnn'iit  upon  fhi-  Wabash  tribes,  CMu'.d  he  jiisti'icil  :  — Sa\s 
Wasliinj^Mon  : 

I  woidd  have  it  ohscrvod  forcibly,  that  a  war  wiili  the  Wabash  Indiana 
oiiijht  to  he  avoided  by  all  means  consistently  with  the  security  of  the 
:;aali«r  iiihuhitanls,  the  security  of  the  troops,  and  the  national  dignity. 
Ill  the  exercise  of  the  present  indiscriminate  hostilities,  it  is  r-xtreniely 
lilficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  say  that  a  war  without  further  nniasures 
would  be  just  on  the  part  of  the  United  Slates.  Ibit,  if,  afici  n)ani- 
festing  clearly  to  the  Indians  the  disposition  of  the  (Jeneral  (Jovt nunent 
i,ir  the  preservation  of  peace,  and  the  extension  of  a  just  protection  lo 
11.  said  Indians,  they  siiould  contiinio  their  hicursions.  the  United  Slates 
'vill  be  constrained  to  punish  ibem  wiiii  severity.* 

Ibit  liow  to  punish  llieni  was  a  diflieult  fiuestion,  ai^ain,  eviii 
^'ipposing  punishment  necessary.     Says  Cieneral  Knov: 

by  the  best  and  latest  information  it  appears  tl)at,  en  the  Wabash  and 
Its  communications,  there  are  from  fifteen  hundred  u*  :wo  thousand  war- 
riors. An  expedition  against  tbetn,  wiili  a  view  of  exlirj)atinf;  them,  or 
leMroying  their  towns,  could  not  be  undertaken  with  a  probability  of 
Miecess,  with  less  than  an  army  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  men. 
riic  regular  troops  of  the  United  States  on  the  frontiers  are  less  than 
*ix  luuidred  :  of  that  number  not  more  than  four  hundri'd  could  he 
nllccled  from  the  posts  for  llic  purpose  of  the  expedition.  To  raise, 
[lay,  feed,  arm,  and  equip  one  tlioiisand  nine  bundled  additional  men, 
widi  the  necessary  olbcers,  for  six  months,  and  to  provide  every  thing  in 
■Jic  hospital  and  quartermaster's  line,  would  re(iuire  the  sum  of  two 
'uadred  thousand  dollars,  a  sum  far  exceeding  the  ability  of  the  United 
^V.tcs  to  advance,  consistently  with  a  due  regard  to  other  indispensable 
olijects.t 

Such,  however,  were  the  representations  otthe  (iovenior  of  the 
iii'W  territory,:!:  and  of  the  ])eo})le  of  Kentucky, ||  that  Congress, 
ipon  the  29th  of  September,  em})owered  the  President  to  call  out 
lie  militia  to  protect  the  frontiers,  and  he,  on  the  Gtii  of  October, 
aitliorised  Governor  St.  Clair  to  draw  1500  men  from  the  western 
ounties  of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  if  absolutely  necessary ; 
irdering  him,  however,  to  ascertain,  if  possible,  tlie  real  disj)osi- 

'  Amnricau  State  Papers,  v.  97,  t  11)1(1.  v.  13.  i,  Ibid,  v.  84  to  93. 

;IIhi1,v.  si  to  !)3.  Jiulgo  Iiuiis  (p.  SS)  .say.s  tliat  in  'xvon  years,  IJOO  ijorbon-^, 
•  ',"00  horses,  and  15,000  pounds  worth  of  property  hiu  bccu  de':;royed  and  lakeii  av.ay 
iway  by  the  savages. 


3-20 


,Mus/ci>i>ruin  SitttctiKnls  spirml. 


nsfi. 


lion  of  the  Wahiish  ainl  Illinois  Indians.*  In  order  to  do  thiv, 
.spccclics  to  tlicni  wi'ir  j)i('i»ar»(l,  and  a  nu'ssi'rij^cr  sent  anion,' 
tlicm,  of  whose  ohscrx  alions  \vi'  shall  have  occasion  to  take  nolin 
under  the  )i'ar  17!K). 

Iveiitiicky,  especially,  fell  a<f^nieved  tiiis  year  hy  the  wifhdrawnl 
of  the  \'ir^dnia  scouts  and  ran;^ers,  who  had  hitherto  helped  \., 
protect  her.  Tliis  was  doni'  in  .Iidy  liy  the  fjovernor,  in  chiim. 
(picnce  of  a  leltei'  from  tlu!  feileral  executive,  slatinj^  that  natioim! 
troops  wouhl  thencefoi'ward  be  stationed  upon  the  western  stroiiinv 
The  Governor  conununicated  this  h'tter  to  the  Kentucky  convm. 
lion  hehl  in  July,  and  that  Ijody  at  once  authorised  a  renionstniiK. 
a}j;ainst  the  measure,  representing  the  inach-cjuacy  of  the  federal 
troops,  few  and  scattered  as  Ihey  were,  to  jjrolect  the  couiitn, 
aiul  staling  tlie  amount  of  injury  received  from  the  savages  sinii 
the  first  of  May. t 

Nor  was  the  ohl  Separ"tion  sore  heah'd  yet.  Upon  the  2ntli  o| 
December,  1788,  Virginia  Iiad  passed  lier  tliird  Act  to  make  Kon- 
tucky  independent;  but  as  this  \\\\\  made  the  District  lialile  for  a 
part  of  the  state  debt,  and  also  reserved  a  certain  control  ovi  r  iIh 
lands  set  apart  as  army  bounties,  to  the  Old  Dominion, — it  was  1)\ 
no  means  popular;  and  when,  iijjon  the  '20th  of  July,  the  Eighth 
Convention  came  together  at  Danville,  it  was  only  to  resolve  upon 
a  memorial  rtujuesting  that  the  obnoxious  (dauses  of  the  late  1 
might  be  repealed.  This,  in  December,  was  agreed  to  by  flu 
parent  State,  l)ut   new  proceedings  throughout  were  at  the  sanif 


i\v 


time  ordered,  an 


the  f( 


01- 


a  ninth  C  onvention  directed  to  meet  in 
lowing  July^ 

North  of  the  Ohio,  during  this  year  there  was  less  trouble  froii; 
the  Indians  than  south  of  it,  especially  in  the  Muskingum  country. 
There  all  prospered :  tlie  Reverend  Daniel  Story,  under  a  resohi- 
lion  of  the  directors  of  the  Ohio  Company,  passed  in  March,  ITSS, 
in  the  spring  of  this  year  cainc  westward  as  a  teacher  of  youth  and 
a  preacher  of  the  Gospel.  ||  By  November,  nine  associations, 
comprising  two  hundred  ond  fifty  persons,  had  been  formed  frr  tlu 
purpose  of  settling  diflfercnt  points  within  the  purchase ;  nnd  In 
the  close  of  1790,  eight  >cttlomcnts  had  been  made  ;  two  at  ]i3clpri'. 
(belle  prairie,)  one  at  Newbury,  one  at  Wolf  Creek, §  one  at  Duck 

*  Amcricim  State  Papers,  v.  97.  101,  102. 

t  MarKliall,  I.  :io2. — American  State  Papers,  v.  84,  &c. 

\  Ibid,  342.  3f)0 — Butler,  187. 

J  American  Pioneer,  i.  8G. 

§  Here  was  built  Uiu  first  niiU  in  Oluo.    (American  Fa    .e  ,  '.i.  99.  and  plate.) 


;89. 


Fort  Washinf^ton  J'oii ndt'il. 


1)21 


V    U)    (lu  tlih, 

sj'iit   aiimii' 

o  tiiki'  noiK'i 


:in, — il  was  li; 
ly,  thi'  Eighlii 
c)  resolve  \i\m'. 

f  the  late  l;nv 
fed  to  by  tin 
e  at  the  same 

ect  in  the  fol- 

s  trouble  from 

i)>;um  country. 

Inder  a  resohi- 
March,  1788, 

r  of  youth  arid 
associations, 

Iformcd  fr  r  the 
ihasc;  ami  1'} 
wo  at  i3clprt'- 
one  at  Duck 


Ld  plate.) 


iitck,    one   at   the  mouth   of  Mei<;.s    Creek,  one   at   Aiuier.soii's 
lidtidiii,  and  one  at  i^i^  liottoni.* 

Hitween  the  Miainies,  tiiore  was  more  alarm  at  this  period,  hut 
[io  ijreat  amount  of  actual  daniji'r.  I  pcui  the  ir)lh  of  June,  news 
naihcd  .lud^e  Symnu's  thai  tin.'  Wabash  Indians  threat«'ni'd  his 
Httlt'inents,  ;»nd  as  yet  lu;  had  r<'ecived  no  troops  for  their 
,;, fence,  except  nineteen  from  the  Falls.  1  Hefore  July,  however, 
Major  Douf^hty  arrived  at  the  "  Slau<^hter  House,"  ami  eom- 
imnct'd  the  building  of  Fort  Washin^^ton  on  the  site  of  Losanti- 
villi'.  In  relation  to  tlie  choice  of  that  spot,  rather  than  the  one 
wliure  Symmes  proposed  to  found  his  ^reat  city,  Jud^i-  Hurnet 
\lls  the  following  story  : 

Through  ihc  iiithicuce  of  the  jiiJgc,  (Symmes,)  ilic  detachment  s-  ut 

ly  General  llnrmar,  to  erect  a  fort  between   the  Miami  rivers,  for  the 

protection   of  the  solders,  l.uuled  at  North    Ikiul.     This   circumslaiiee 

iiidiircd  many  of  liio  first  emij^rants  to  repair  to  lliat   place,  on  account 

Itf  the  expected  prcMet-lion,  which  the  garrison  would  afford.    While  the 

olTirer  connnanilinsf  the  (letachment  was  cxaiidning  the   neif^hboihood, 

.0  select  the  most  eIi|^ihlo  spot  for  a  garrison,  he  became  enamored  with 

a  beaulifid  black-eyed  female,  who  ha[)])ened  to  he  a  married   woman. 

I  The  vigilant  husband  saw  his  danger,  and  immediately  determined  to 

[remove,  willi  his  family,  to  Cincinnati,  where  he  sup[)osed  they  would 

■e  safe  from  intrusion.     As  soon  as  the  gallant  olllcer  discovered,  that 

!:;e  object  of  his  admiration  had  been  rentoved  beyond  his  reach,  he 

I'.e^ati  to  think  that  the  Bend  was  not  an  advantageous  situation  for  a 

military  work.     This  opinion  he  communicated  to  Judge  Symmes,  who 

contended,   very  stremiously,  that  it  was  die  most  suitable  spot  in  the 

Miami  country  ;  and  protested  against  the  removal.     The  arguments  of 

'.'lejutlge,  however,  were  not  as  influential  as  the  sparkling  eyes  of  the 

!3ir  female,  who  was  then  at  Cincinnati.     To  preserve   the  appearance 

loi  consistency,  the  otFicer  agreed,  that  he  would  defer  a  decision,  till  he 

|y  explored  the  ground,  at  and  near  Cincinnati  ;  and  that,  if  he  found  it 

l'.'^  be  less  eligible  than  the  Hond,  he  would  return  and  erect  the  garrison 

I'lhe  latter  place.     The  visit  was  quickly  made,  and  resulted  in  a  con- 

^xiion,  that  the  Hend  was  not  to  be  compared  with  Cincinnati.     'I'he 

[■"Onps  were  accordingly  removed  to  that  place,  and  the  building  of  Fort 

[''Washington  was  commenced.     This   movement,  apparendy  trivial  in 

>clf,  ami  certainly  produced  by  a  whimsical  cause,   was   attended  by 

|-?uhs   of  incalculable  importance.       It  settled   the   question   at  once, 

l^'iieiher  Symmes  or  Cincinnati,  was  to  be  the  great  commercial  town 

'  Harris' Tour,  191,192. 

'Sj-mracB'  Letters  in  Cisfa  Cincinnati,  231,  229.  2ia. 

21 


322 


Reason  for  placing  t/u  Fort  at  Cincinnati. 


1789. 


of  the  Miami  purcliase.  This  anecdote  was  coinniunicated  by  Judge 
Syrnmes,  and  is  unqneslionably  authentic.  As  soon  as  the  troops  re- 
moved to  Cincinnati,  and  established  the  garrison,  the  settlers  at  the 
Bend,  then  more  numerous  than  those  at  Cincinnati,  began  to  remove; 
and  in  two  or  tlirce  years,  the  IJcnd  was  literally  descried,  and  the  idea 
of  establishing  a  town  at  that  point,  was  entirely  abandoned. 

Thus,  we  see,  what  great  results  are  sometimes  produced,  by  trivial 
circumstances.  The  beauty  of  a  female,  transferred  the  commercial 
emporium  of  Ohio,  from  the  place  where  it  was  commenced,  to  the 
place  where' it  now  is.  Had  the  bl^.ck-eyed  beauty  remained  at  the 
Bend,  the  garrison  would  have  been  erected  there,  population,  capiial. 
and  business  would  have  centered  there,  and  our  city  must  have  been 
now  of  comparatively  small  importance.* 

We  susnect  the  influence  of  this  bright-eyed  beauty  upon  the 
fate  of  Cincinnati,  is  over  estimated,  however.  Upon  the  14th  ni' 
June,  before  Fort  Washington  was  commenced,  and  when  the 
only  soldiers  in  the  purcliase  were  at  North  Bend,  Symmes  writes 
to  Dayton: 

It  is  expected,  that  on  the  arrival  of  governor  St.  Clair,  this  purchase 
will  be  organized  into  a  county  :  it  is  therefore  of  some  moment  which 
town  shall  be  made  the  county  town.  Losantiville,  at  present,  bids  (he 
fairest ;  it  is  a  most  excellent  site  for  a  large  town,  and  is  at  present  the 
most  central  of  any  of  the  inhabited  towns;  but  if  Southbend  miglithe 
finished  and  occupied,  that  would  be  exactly  in  the  centre,  and  probahly 
would  take  the  lead  of  the  present  villages  until  the  city  can  be  made 
somewhat  considerable.  This  is  really  a  matter  of  importance  to  the 
proprietors,  but  can  only  he  achieved  by  their  exertions  and  encourage- 
ments. The  lands  back  of  Southbend  are  not  very  much  broken,  after 
you  ascend  the  first  hill,  and  will  afford  rich  supplies  for  a  county  town 
A  few  troops  stationed  at  Southbend  will  ellect  the  settlement  of  tlii' 
new  village  in  a  very  short  time.t 

The  truth  is,  that  neither  the  proposed  city  on  the  Miami,  North 
]knd  or  South  Bend,  coukl  compete,  in  point  of  natural  advan- 
tages, with  the  plain  on  which  Cincinnati  has  since  arisen;  and  ha! 
Fort  Washington  been  built  elsewhere,  after  the  close  of  the 
Indian  war,  nature  would  have  ensured  the  rapid  growth  of  tha! 
point  where  even  the  ancient  and  mysterious  dwellers  along  tlie 
Ohio  had  reared  the  earthen  walls  of  one  of  their  vastest  templos.t 

*  Transactions  Historical  Society,  Ohio,  p.  17. 
t  Cist's  Cincinnati,  p.  230. 

\  See  Transactions  of  Ohio  Historical  Society,  part  ii.  vol.  i.  35,— Drake's  ricturco: 
Oincionati;  202. 


1789. 

ted  by  Judge 
,he  troops  re- 
lettlers  at  the 
in  to  remove; 
,  anil  the  ideu 
cd. 

ced,  by  trivial 
le  commercial 
nenccd,  lo  ihc 
imaiiied  al  llic 
Illation,  capiial. 
iiust  have  been 


auty  upon  thf 
)n  the  14th  01 
and  when  tin 
Symmes  ^vnk■< 


190-95. 


Indian  Wars, 


323 


We  have  referred  to  Wilkinson's  voyage  to  New  Orleans,  in 

17S7;  in  January  of  this  year,  (ITSi),)  he  fitted   out  twenty-five 

!ar[jt'  hoals,  some  of  them  carrying  three  pounders  and  all  of  them 

uivels,  manned  by  150  men,  and  loaded  with  tobacco,  floui,  and 

imvisions,  with  which  he  set  sail    for  the  south;  —  and   his  lead 

,va<  soon  followed  by  others.*     Among  the  adventurers  was  Col- 

:iel  Armstrong  of  the   Cuml)orland  settlements,  who   sent   down 

vix  boats,  manned  by  thirty  men  ;  thcss  were  stopped  at  Natchez, 

■  r.d  the  goods  being  there  sold  without  permission,  an  officer  and 

■'t!v  soldiers  were   sent  by  the  Spanish  commander  to  arrest  the 

raiisgressors.     They,  meanwhile,    had  returned  within  the  lines 

t'the  United  States  and  refused  to  be  arrested  ;  this  led  to  a  con- 
•I'st,  in  which,  as  a  cotemporary  letter  states,  five  Spaniards  were 
killed  and  twelve  wounded. f 


it,  tills  purcba^c 
!  moment  which 
present,  bids  the 
is  at  present  the 
thbend  migbt  he 
re,  and  probably 
ty  can  be  made 
lortance  to  ihe 
and  encourage- 
ch  broken,  after 
)r  a  county  town 
ttlemcnt  of  t!ii* 

e  Miami,  North 
natural  advan- 
arisen ;  and  ha'i 
close  of  the 
growth  of  that 
dlcrs  along  the 
astest  temple>.; 


.—Drake's  Picture  i 


1790   to    1795. 


''he  most  important  and  interesting  events  connected  with  the 
West,  from  the  commencement  of  1790  to  the  close  of  1795,  were 

liiosc  growing  out  of  the  Indian  wars.     In  order  to  present  them 

li'i  one  unbroken  and  intelligible  story,  we  shall  abandon  for  a 
':iio  our  division  by  single  years,  and  relate  the  events  of  the  six 
hWmil  to  as  composing  one  period.  But  to  render  the  events  of 
tliat  period  distinct,  we  must  recal  to  our  readers  some  nifitters 
';.at  happened  long  before. 
And  in  the  first  place,  we  would  remind  them  that  the  French 

[fade  no  large  purchases  from  the  western  Indians ;  so  that  the 
l-t^^aty  of  Paris,  in  1763,  transferred  to  England  only  small  grants 
\^'m\[  tlie  various  forts,  Detroit,  Vincennes,  Kaskaskia,  kc.     Then 

jff'Iowed  Pontiac's  war  and  defeat ;  and  then  the  grant  by  the 
lioquois  at  Fort  Stanwix,  in   1768,  of  the  land  south  of  the  Ohio  ; 

'l.ittfrin  Carey's  Museum  for  February,  1789,  p.  209.  313, — Wilkinson's  Memoirs, 
'  111, 
'  arcj's  Museum,  April,  1789,  p.  417. 


324 


Mode  of  acquiring  Indian  lands.  1790-0.' 


and  even  this  grant,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  not  respected  In 
those  who  actually  hunted  on  the  grounds  transferred.*  Nt'\ 
came  the  war  of  1774,  Dunraore's  war,  which  terminated  wilhon- 
any  transfer  of  the  Indian  possessions  to  the  whites;  and  when,  a' I 
the  close  of  the  llevolution,  in  1783,  Britain  made  over  li.; 
•  '\stern  claims  to  the  United  States,  she  made  over  nothing  inorrl 
Uian  she  had  received  from  France,  savf>  the  title  of  the  .Six 
Nations  and  the  southern  savages  to  a  portion  of  the  territory  md\ 
of  the  Ohio :  as  against  the  Miamis,  western  Delawares,  Shawa- 
anese,  Wyandots  or  llurons,  and  the  tribes  still  farther  north  ami 
west,  she  transferred  nothing.  But  this,  apparently,  was  not  ilu> 
view  taken  by  the  Congress  of  the  time ;  and  they,  conceiving' 
that  they  had,  under  the  treaty  with  England,  a  full  right  to  all  tln'i 
lands  thereby  ceded,  ard  regarding  the  Indian  title  as  forfeited  In 
the  hostilities  of  the  Revolution,  proceeded,  not  to  buy  the  lani!< 
of  the  savages,  but  to  grant  tliern  peace,  and  dictate  their  own  i 
terras  as  to  boundaries.!  In  October,  1784,  the  United  Stak- 
acquired  in  this  way  whatever  title  the  Iroquois  possessed  to  tli. 
western  country,  both  north  and  south  of  the  Ohio,  by  the  sccon ! 
treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  ;  a  treaty  openly  and  fairly  made,  but  om 
the  validity  of  which  many  of  the  Iroquois  always  disputei! 
The  ground  of  their  objection  appears  to  have  been,  that  the  treaty 
was  with  a  part  only  of  the  Indian  nations,  whereas  the  wiish  oi 
the  natives  was,  that  every  act  of  the  States  with  them,  sliouM 
be  as  with  a  confederacy,  embracing  all  the  tribes  bordering  iipnii 
the  great  lakes.  Our  readers  may  remember  that  the  instruction- 
given  the  Indian  commissioners  in  October,  1783,  provided  fir 
one  convention  with  all  the  tribes  ;|  and  that  this  provision  wa- 
changed  in  the  following  March  for  one,  by  which  as  many  sepa- 
rate conventions  were  to  be  had,  if  possible,  as  there  werf 
separate  tribes. |1  In  pursuance  of  this  last  plan,  the  commission- 
ers, in  October,  1784,  refused  to  listen  to  the  proposal  whitli  i- 
said  then  to  have  been  made  for  one  general  congress  of  tlic 
northern  tribes, §  and  in  opposition  to  Brant,  Red  Jacket  and  otht: 
influential   chiefs   of  the   Iroquois,   concluded   the   treaty  of  F<i;' 


•  Ante,  pp.  110,  121. 

t  Scu  ill  proof,  the  Report  to  Congros.s  of  October  1.'),  1783,  (Old  Journals,  iv.29! ;)  ti.i 
instructions  to  thu  Indian  conaiiis.-^ioncrs,  October  lutli,   1783,  (Secret  Journals,  i.  »J"  • 
the  TariouH  troafioM   of  17S4,  ".'J"),  and  "86   {iitiU)\  Crncral    KnoxV   Report  ofJiin''  1 
1789,  (American  State  Papers,  v,  13);  and  tlio  distinct  acknowledgment  of  the  comni -' 
sioncrs  in  1793,  (American  State  Papers,  v.  35J.) 

t  Ante  p.  259.  \  Ante  p.  260.  ^  See  post. 


1790-95 1  1790-95. 


Indian  objections  to  treaties. 


325 


Staiiwix.  Then  came  the  treaty  of  Fort  Mcintosh,  in  January, 
1785,  with  the  "  Wyandot,  Dehiwaie,  Chijjpewa  and  Ottawa 
iiiUioiis" — open  to  the  objections  above  recited,  but  tlie  vaUdity  ol" 
wliicli,  so  far  as  we  know,  was  never  disputed,  at  least  by  the 
Wyandots  and  Dtlawares ;  aUhough  the  general  council  ot"  north- 
western Indians,  representing  sixteen  tribes,*  asserted  i:.  17})3, 
ihat  the  treaties  of  Fort  Stanwix,  Fort  Mcintosh  and  Fort  Finney, 
{mouth  of  Great  JNIiami)  were  not  only  held  with  separate  tribes, 
but  were  obtained  by  intimidation,  the  red-men  having  been 
asked  to  make  treaties  of  peace,  and  forced  to  make  cessions  of 
tirritory.f  The  third  treaty  made  by  the  United  Stales  was  with 
the  Shawanese  at  Fort  Finney,  in  January,  178G ;  which  it  will 
be  remembered  the  Wabash  tribes  refused  to  attend.  The  fourth 
and  fifth,  which  were  acts  of  confirmation,  were  made  at  Fort 
Harmar,  in  1789,  one  with  the  Six  Nations,  and  the  other  with 
the  Wyandots  aiid  their  associates,  namely,  the  Delawares,  Utta- 
was,  Chippeways,  Pottawamies,  and  Sacs.  This  last,  fifth  treaty, 
the  confederated  nations  of  the  lakes  especially  refused  to  acknow- 
ledge as  binding:  their  council  using  in  relation  to  it,  in  1793, 
these  words : 

Brotliers :  A  general  council  of  all  the  Iiulian  cnnfedcrany  was  held, 
as  you  well  know,  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1788,  at  this  place  ;  and  that 
general  council  was  invited  by  your  commissioner  Governor  St.  Clair, 
to  meet  him  for  the  purpose  of  holdinjr  a  treaty,  with  regard  to  the  lands 
mentioned  by  you  to  have  been  ceded  by  die  treaties  of  Fort  Stanwix 
and  Fort  Mcintosh. 

Brothers  :  We  are  in  possession  of  the  speeches  and  letters  which 
passed  on  that  occasion,  between  those  deputed  by  die  confederate  In- 
uiaii?,  and  Governor  St.  Clair,  the  commiKsioner  of  the  United  States. 
These  papers  prove  that  your  said  conim  ssioner,  in  the  beginning  of 
the  year  1789,  after  having  been  informed  by  the  general  council,  of  the 
preceding  fall,  that  no  bargain  or  sale  of  any  pa't  of  these  Indian  lands 
would  be  considered  as  valid  or  binding,  unless  agreed  to  by  a  general 
council,  nevertheless  persisted  in  collecting  togcdier  a  few  chiefs  of  !  "o 
or  three  nations  only,  and  with  them  held  a  treaty  for  the  cession  of  an 
immense  country,  in  which  they  were  no  more  interested,  tlian  as  a 
branch  of  the  general  confederacy,  and  who  were  in  no  manner  au- 
ihorized  to  make  any  grant  or  cession  whatever. 

Brothers  :  How  dien  was  it  possible  for  you  to  expect  to  enjoy  peace, 
-nd  qiiiedy  to  hold  these  lands,  when  your  commissioner  was  informed, 


*  -\raorican  State  Papers,  v.  357. 


t  Ibuij  V.  356. 


326 


Treaty  of  Fort  Harmar. 


1790-95  I  1*90-95 


loiijr  before  he  liekl  ihc  treaty  of  Fort  llatmar,  that  the  consent  of , 
general  countiil  was  absolut'jly  necessary  to  convey  any  part  of  ihei< 
lands  to  tlis  United  Stales.* 

And  in   1795,  at  Greenville,  Massus,  a   Cliippewa  chieftain,  wl. 
signed  llie  trefity  at  Fort  llarniar,  said: 

Elder  Brother  :  When  you  yesterday  read  to  us  the  treaty  of  Mu?- 
kingiini,  I  understood  you  clearly  :  at  that  tre;Uy  we  had  not  good  inter' 
prcters,  and  we  were  left  partly  unacquainted  with  many  parlicul;ir<  o 
it.  I  was  surprised  when  I  heard  your  voice,  through  a  good  intorprc- 
ler,  say  that  we  had  received  presents  and  compensation  for  tliose  laiuls 
which  were  thereby  ceded.  I  tell  you,  now,  that  we,  the  three  fire?, 
never  were  informed  of  it.  If  our  uncles,  the  Wyandots,  and  grandfiilier-. 
the  Delawares,  have  received  .such  presents,  they  have  kept  them  to 
themselves.  I  always  thought  that  we,  the  Ottawas,  Chippewan,  wi. 
Pottawattamies,  were  the  true  owners  of  those  lands,  but  now  I  fim! 
that  new  masters  have  undertaken  to  dispose  of  them  ;  so  that,  at  ilii< 
day,  we  do  not  know  to  whom  they,  of  right  belong.  We  never  re^ 
ceived  any  compensation  for  them.  I  don't  krow  how  it  is,  but  ever 
since  that  treaty  we  have  become  objects  of  pity,  and  our  fires  luvc 
been  retiring  from  this  country.  Now,  elder  brother,  you  see  we  ar( 
objects  of  compassion  ;  and  have  pity  on  our  weakness  and  misfortunes. 
and,  since  you  have  purchased  these  lands,  we  cede  them  to  you  :  they 
are  yours.t 

The  Wyandots,  however,  acknowledged  even  the  transfer  madt 
on  the  Muskingum  to  be  binding:  "  Brother,"  said  Tarke,  \\\v 
signed  foremost  among  the  representatives  of  that  tribe  at  Green 
ville,  and  who  had  also  signed  at  Fort  Harmar, — 

You  have  proposed  to  us  to  build  our  good  work  on  the  treaty  of 
Muskingum  :  thr.t  treaty  I  have  always  considered  as  formed  upon  the 
fairest  principles.  You  took  pity  on  i  .  Indians.  You  did  not  do  as 
our  fathers  the  British  agreed  you  should.  You  might  by  that  agree- 
ment have  taken  all  our  lands  ;  but  you  pitied  us,  and  let  us  hold  part 
I  always  looked  upon  that  treaty  to  ha  binding  upon  the  Ur:ited  State; 
and  U3  Indians. J 

The  truth  in  reference  to  this  treaty  of  Fort  Harmar  seems  t' 
have  been,  that  the  confederated  nations,  as  a  whole,  did  no' 
sanction  it,  and  in  their  council  of  1788  coidd  not  agree  one  witl 


*  American  State  Papers,  v.  p.  35G. 
I  American  State  I'apcrs,  v.  p.  571. 


t  American  State  Papers,  v.  p.  olO. 


1790-90  I  1*90-95. 


Indian  relations  in  1789. 


327 


another  in  relation   to  it.     "  I  have  still  my  dou])ts,"  says  Brant, 
before  the  counril  met — 

I  have  still  my  doubts  wjicthcr  we  will  join  or  not,  some  being 
no  ways  inclined  for  peaceable  inelhods.  'I'lie  Ilurons,  Cliippewas, 
Oitawas,  Potlawallimios,  and  Delawarcs,  will  join  with  us  in  trying 
lenient  steps,  and  liaviug  a  boundary  line  fixed  ;  and,  rather  than 
niter  headlong  into  a  destructive  war,  will  give  up  a  small  part  of  their 
country.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Shawanese,  Miamis  and  Kickapoos, 
who  are  now  so  much  addicted  to  norse-stealing,  that  it  will  be  a  diffi- 
cult task  to  break  them  of  it,  as  thr.;  kind  of  i)usinpss  is  iheir  best  har- 
vest, will  of  course  declare  for  \;'ar,  and  not  giving  up  any  of  their 
country,  which,  I  am  afraid,  will  be  the  means  of  our  separating.  They 
are,  I  Relieve,  determined  not  to  attend  ihc  treaty  with  the  Americans. 
Slill  I  hope  for  the  best.  As  the  major  part  of  the  nations  are  of  our 
opinions,  the  rest  may  be  brought  to,  as  nothing  shall  be  wanting  on 
my  part  to  convince  them  of  iheir  err^^r.* 

Lc  Oris,  the  great  chief  of  the  Miamies,  in  April,  1790,  said  to 
Gainelin,t  that  the  Muskingum  treaty  was  not  made  by  chiefs  or 
delegates, I  but  by  young  men  acting  without  authority,  although 
Tarke,  the  head  of  the  Wyandots,  signed  and  sanctioned  it,  as 
well  as  Captain  Pipe  of  the  Delawares,  while  BrJint  liimself  was 
present,  j] 

Thus  then  stood  the  relations  of  the  Indians  and  the  United 
States  in  1789.  Transfers  of  territory  had  been  made  by  the  Iro- 
quois, the  Wyandots,  die  Delawares  and  the  Shawanese,  wliich 
were  open  to  scarce  any  objection;  but  the  Chippeways,  Otlawas, 
Kickapoos,  Weas,  Piankeshaws,  Potawatiraies,  Eel  River  Indi- 
ans, Kaskaskias,  and  above  all  tlie  Miamies, §  were  not  bound  by 
any  existing  agreement  to  yield  the  lands  north  of  the  Ohio.  If 
their  tale  is  true,  the  confederated  tribes  had  forbidden  the  treaty 
of  Fort  Harmar,  and  had  warned  (lovernor  St.  Clair  that  it 
would  not  be  binding  on  the  contederales.*!  Tliey  wished  the 
Ohio  to  be  a  perpetual  boundary  between  the  white  and  red  men 
of  the  West,  and  woukl  not  sell  a  rod  of  the  region  north  of  it. 
So  strong  was  this  feeling  that  their  young  men,  they  said,  could 

•  Stone,  ii.  278.  f  See  post  as  to  Gainclin's  mission. 

t  American  State  Papers,  v.  94.  |1  Stone,  ii.  2sl. 

§  All  of  these  appeared  at  the  Treaty  of  Greenville. 

1  When  this  confederacy  was  formed  we  do  not  loarn  ;  its  existence  is  first  seen  by  its 
councii  of  November,  17.S{j,  whose  address,  referred  to  |).  300,  may  lie  found  Aiiiericaii 
M:ite  papers,  v.  8. 


328 


Grounds  of  United  States  claims.  1790-9,1.  I  1790—05 


not  ])('  restrained  from  warfare  upon  the  invadinp;  Lonfjj  Knives, 
and  ilienee  resulted  the  unceasing  attacks  uprm  the  frontier  sta- 
lions  and  the  emigrants. 

It  was  not,  tlicrefore,  witliout  reason,  that  Wasliington  exprosscj 
a  dou1)t  as  to  tlie   justness  of  an  offensive  war  npon  the  trilics  r,; 
tlie  Wabash   and   INiaumee;*  and  liad   tlic  treaty  of  Fort  Ihiiina- 
been    the    sole    ground   whereon    the   United  States    could   haw 
cl^J!:;;;!  of  the  Indians  the  Northwest  Territory,  it  may  be  doiiLtc; 
wliether  right  would  have  justified  the  steps  taken  in   1790,  'lil, 
and  '94:  but  the  truth  was,  that  before  that  treaty,  the  Irof|noiv, 
Delawares,  Wyandots,  and  Shawancse  had  yielded  the  south  i.; 
Ohio,  the  ground  on  which  they  had  long  dwelt;  and  neither  tin. 
sale  to  Putnam  and    his    associates,   nor    that    to    Symmes,  wn- 
inlended  to  reach  one  foot  beyond  the  lands  ceded.     Of  this  W( 
have  proof  in  the  third  article  of  the  ordinance  of  1787,  passed  thi 
day  before  the  proposition  to  sell  to  the  Ohio  Company  was  fn: 
the  first  time  debated  ;  which  article  declares  tha'  the  lands  of  thi' 
Indians  shall  never  be  taken  from  thein  without  their  consent.    1' 
appears  to  us,  therefore,  that  the  United  Staios  were  fully  justifnd 
in  taking  possession  of  the  northwest  shore  of  the  Belle  lliviire, 
and  that  without  reference  to  the  treaty  at  Fort  Harmar,  which  \\\ 
will  allow  to  have  been,  if  the  Indians  spoke  truly,  (and  they  wtn' 
not  contradicted    by  the  United    States   commissioners,)   moralK 
worthless.     13ut  it  also  appears  t(,  as,  that  in  taking  those  steps  in 
1790  and    1791,  which  we  have  presently  to  relate,  the  fcilLial 
government  acted  unwisely;  and  that  it  should  then,  at  the  outset, 
have   done  what  it  did  in  1793,  after  St.  Clair's  terrible  defeat,— 
namely,  it  should  have  sent  com77Ussio7}crs  of'  the  highest  characbr 
to  the   lake  tribes,  and  in  tlie  presence  of  the  British j  learnt  tlidi 
causes  of  complaint,  and  oflered  fair  terms  of  compromise.     Tha< 
such  a  step  was  wise  and  just,  the  government  acknowledged  by 
its  after-action ;  and  surely  none  can  question  the  position  that  it 
was  more   likely  to   have   been  eirectivc  before  the  savages  had 
twice  defeated  the  armies  of  the  confederacy  than  afterward.     The 
full  bearing  of  these  remarks  will  be  best  seen,  however,  when  the 
whole  tale  is  told,  and  to  that  we  now  proceed. 

In  June,  1789,  Major  Doughty,  with  a  hundred  and  forty  itk""' 
began  the  building  of  Fort  Washington  at  Cincinnati.  Upon  the 
29th  of  December,  General  Ilarmar  himself  came  down  with  tlae'' 

•  See  ante  p.  319. 


hundred  ; 
St.  C'iair 
in  honor 
On  the  8tl| 


opposil 


I 


1:0  roniainl 
Major  Ilai 
of  the  Wat 
iiin,  whiclJ 
Thefedl 
naiiner. 
taken  to  le 
crnor  St. 
Knox,)  to 
anil  loelinc 
rliosen  wa 
(ceded   up 
Ouitcnons, 
'on,  the  ]\r 
the  Miami 
upon  the  2 
assembled 

I  gave  to 
tlie  spccclici 
::ie  chiefs  tc 
luve  llicm  I 
speech,  I  sli 
inar,]  belwc 
which  displ 
time  w:is  n 

•Cist's  Cine 
t  American 

;  Lnsaiitivil 
t'lc  namo  of  F 
M  iiiinicd  iin 
'.:i'  iilil  iKiiiic 
MS.  Lrttors.- 

{  .\a  to  1)1)11 

\  .Vrnpriciin 
r'.niipy  ;  ill  In 
Fennv. 

'  Th<'  old  1 


1790-9a  I  1790—05. 


Gnmclin'^s  nrisnioi}. 


329 


hundrcfl  additional  troops.*  On  tlio  1st  or  2d  of  January, t  1700, 
St.  Ciair  arrived  at  Losantivillc,:}:  rhanfjffd  its  name  to  Cincinnati, 
in  honor  of  the  sorioly  so  railed,  and  orjjanized  Hamilton  rounty.j| 
On  the  Sth  of  that  month,  he  \vas  at  Fort  Steuben, .S  (.JetlersonvilK! 
opposite  JiOiiisvillo,)  whence  he  proceeded  to  Kaskaskia,  where 
lie  remained  nntil  the  11th  of  June,  when,  haviiiLj  learned  from 
Major  Hamtramck,  commandinj^  at  Vincennes,  the  hostile  feelinfi; 
nf  the  Wabash  and  Maumee  tribes,  he  started  for  Fort  Washing- 
ton, which  point  he  reached  upon  the  l.'3th  of  July. 

The  fei.iinL;  alluded  to  had  been  ascertained  in  tlu>  following 
manner.  Washington  having  desired  that  great  pains  should  be 
taken  to  learn  the  real  sentiments  of  the  northwestern  Indians,  Gov- 
ernor St.  Clair  instructed  Major  Hamtramck  at  Vincennes,  (Fort 
Knox,)  to  send  some  experienced  person  to  asc(>rtain  the  views 
and  feelings  of  the  Miamis  and  their  confederates.  The  person 
rhosen  was  Anthony  Gamelin,  who,  on  the  fifth  of  yXpril,  pro- 
(t'cded  upon  his  mission.  The  Piankeshaws,  Kickapoos,  and 
Diiitcnons,  (Ouias  or  Weas,)  all  referred  him  to  their  elder  breth- 
ren, the  Miamis,  so  that  he  had  to  journey  on  to  the  point  where 
'he  Miamis,  Chaouanons,1I  (Shawnees)  and  Delawares  resided; 
upon  the  23d  of  April  he  reached  that  point  and  upon  the  24th 
?-<sembled  the  savages. 


I  gave  to  each  nation,  he  says,  two  hranehes  of  wampum,  and  bor^an 
ilie  speeches,  before  the  French  and  English  traders,  being  invited  by 
'lie  chiefs  to  be  prosent,  having  told  ttieni  myself  I  woidd  be  glad  to 
have  tliem  present,  having  nothing  to  say  against  any  body.  After  the 
speech,  I  showed  them  the  treaty  concluded  at  Muskingiun,  [Fort  Ilar- 
m  mar,]  between  his  excellency  Governor  St.  Clair  and  sundry  nations, 
which  displeased  them.  I  told  tliem  that  the  purpose  of  this  present 
lime  was  not  to  submit  them  to  any  condition,  but  to  oiVir  them  the 

'Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  ii.  12-t. 

+  American  Pionofr,  ii.  14S. — Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  ii.  131. 

;  Lnsaiitivillc  (sometimes  called  Lnsantihtirgh,  American  Pioneer,  ii.  -100)  was  properly 
t'w  name  of  Filson's  plat;  {antrp.  IfO").)  Ludlow's,  wliich  Wis  not  exactly  tlie  same,  was 
.'.'it  iiumod  until  St.  Clair,  in  .lanuary,  1790,  (-ailed  it  Cincinnati,  lint  meanwiiile  went  by 
'■'•!■  "Kl  name.  (Transactions  Ohio  Historical  Society,  part  second,  \id.  i.  3J. — Symines' 
MS.  Letters. — Also  Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  i.  9.) 

[  As  to  hounds  of  county,  &c.  sec  Cisfs  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  i.  211. 

\  American  Pioneer,  ii.  220.  In  Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  this  post  is  called  Fort 
t.iiiiey;  in  Inilay,  (p.  31,  note,)  Kort  I'erring;  in  the  map  of  the  Falls,  Manic  vol.  Fort 
Fennv. 

'  The  old  French  orthograi)hy  used  by  Charlcvoi.x  and  all  others. 


330 


Gamelin\'i  Journal. 


1790-9,;  I  1790-95. 


poaco,  which  made  disappear  tlicir  pIoaHiire.  The  great  chief  lold  tnc 
that  he  was  pleased  with  the  speech  ;  that  lie  would  soon  give  me  nr. 
answer.  In  a  private  diseoiirso  with  the  great  chief,  he  lold  me  iiotio 
mind  what  the  Sliawanees  would  tell  nie,  having  a  had  heart,  and  beinu 
the  jxrluihators  of  all  the  nations.  Ho  said  the  Mianiie.s  had  a  hn' 
name,  on  account  of  mischief  done  on  the  Itiver  Ohio  ;  but  he  told  ine 
it  was  not  oc(!asioned  by  his  young  men,  but  by  the  Shawanese;  his 
young  men  going  out  only  for  to  hunt. 

The  '-i5th  of  April,  Blue  Jacket,  chief  warrior  of  the  Shawanesc,  in- 
vited nic  logo  to  his  house,  and  lold  me,  "  My  friend,  by  the  nanioanl 
consent  of  the  Shawancse  and  Dclav/arcs  I  will  speak  to  you.  \Vc  are 
all  sensible  of  your  speech,  and  pleased  with  it:  but,  after  consuliiuion, 
we  criot  give  an  answer  without  hearing  from  our  father  at  Delroii; 
•'.ri''  .  )  are  determined  to  give  you  back  the  two  branches  of  wanipuiii, 
;.\>.<  u:  nd  you  to  Detreit  to  sec  and  hear  the  chief,  or  to  slay  luro 
i\.  ly  n*:!  's  for  to  receive  his  answer.  From  all  quarters  we  receive 
speeches  lic/iit  the  Americans,  and  not  one  is  alike.  We  suppose  ilia; 
they  intend  to  deceive  us.  Then  take  back  your  branches  of  wampiiin." 

The  20lh,  live  Pottawattamies  arrived  here  with  two  negro  men, 
which  they  sold  to  English  traders.  The  next  day  I  went  to  ilie  grea; 
chief  of  the  Miamies,  called  Le  Gris.  His  chief  warrior  was  present, 
I  told  him  how  I  had  been  served  by  the  S.,awanese.  He  answered  me 
that  he  had  heard  of  it:  that  the  said  nations  had  behaved  contrary  13 
his  intentions.  He  desired  me  not  to  mind  those  strangers,  and  thai  he 
would  soon  give  me  a  positive  answer. 

The  28th  April,  the  great  chief  desired  me  to  call  at  the  French  tra- 
der's and  receive  his  answer.  "  Don't  take  bad,"  said  he,  "  of  what! 
am  lo  tell  you.  You  may  go  back  when  you  please.  We  cannot  give 
you  a  positive  answer.  We  must  send  your  speeches  to  all  our  neigh- 
bors, and  to  the  lake  nations.  We  cannot  give  a  definitive  answer  | 
without  consulting  the  commandant  at  Detroit."  And  he  desired  me  to 
render  him  the  two  branches  of  wampum  refused  by  the  Shawnnese; 
also,  a  copy  of  speeches  in  writing.  He  promised  me  that,  in  lliiriy 
nights,  he  would  send  an  answer  lo  Post  Vincennes,  by  a  young  nun 
of  each  nation.  He  was  well  pleased  with  the  speeches,  and  said  to  be 
worthy  of  attention,  and  should  be  communicated  to  all  their  confede- 
rates, having  resolved  among  them  not  to  do  any  thing  without  an  unani- 
mous consent.  I  agreed  to  his  requisitions,  and  rendered  him  the  two 
branches  of  wampum,  and  a  copy  of  the  speech.  Afterwards,  he  loU 
me  that  the  Five  Nations,  so  called,  or  Iroquois,  were  training  some- 
thing; that  five  of  them,  and  three  Wyandots,  were  in  this  village  with 
branches  of  wampum.  He  could  not  tell  me  presently  their  purpose; 
but  he  said  I  would  know  of  it  very  soon. 

The  same  day,  Ulue  Jacket,  chief  of  the  Shawanees,  invited  me  w 


the  siinie  as 


;yo-05. 


Ganu'lins  Journal. 


331 


It  cliii'f  lold  nip 
>on  give  me  ar. 
B  lold  me  not  lo 
loarl,  aiul  ljein» 
lilies  li:i(.l  a  h;,! 
but  he  told  me 
Shawaiiese;  his 


the  Frrneh  tra- 

lie,  "  of  what  I 

We  oannol  j^ive 

,0  all  our  neigh- 

(iiiilivc  answer 

6  desired  me  to  | 

le  Sliawanese; 

liiat,  in  thiriy 

y  a  young  man 

,  and  said  lo  be 

1  their  confede- 

ilhout  an  iiiunii- 

ed  him  the  two 

rwards,  he  told 

training  some- 

his  village  with 

their  purpose; 

3,  invited  me  w 


|,|.  house  for  supper;  and,  In-fore  the  otlier  chiefs,  told  inc  tliat,  after 
another  deliheraiion,  they  thou^^hi  necessary  that  I  sliould  go  myself  to 
Detroit,  for  to  see  the  commandant,  who  would  gel  all  his  children 
jsseinbled  for  to  hear  my  speech.  I  told  them  I  would  not  answer  liiem 
111  tlie  night  :  that  I  was  not  ashamed  lo  speak  before  the  sun. 

The  2Uth  April  I  got  them  all  assembled.  I  lold  them  that  I  was  not 
logo  lo  Detroit:  that  the  speeches  were  directed  to  the  nations  oi'  the 
river  Wabash  anil  the  Miami ;  and  that,  for  to  prove  the  sincerity  of  the 
speech,  and  the  heart  of  Governor  St.  ('lair,  I  have  willingly  given  n 
fopy  of  the  speeches,  to  be  shown  to  the  comnr.mdanl  of  Deiroil:  and, 
lorording  to  a  letter  wrote  by  the  commandant  of  Detroit  to  the  Miamics, 
Shawanese,  ar.d  Delawares,  mentioning  to  you  to  be  peaceable  with  the 
Americans,  I  would  go  lo  him  very  willingly,  if  it  was  in  my  directions, 
being  sensible  of  his  sentiments.  I  told  them  I  had  nothing  to  say  to 
i!ie  commandant ;  neither  him  to  me.  You  must  immediately  resolve, 
il  you  intend  lo  take  me  to  Detroit,  or  else  I  am  lo  go  back  as  soon  as 
possible.  Blue  Jacket  got  up  and  lold  me,  "My  friend,  ,  'p  well 
pleased  with  what  you  say.  Our  intention  is  not  to  force  yos;  t  (o  to 
Detroit:  it  is  only  a  proposal,  thinking  it  for  the  best.  (.  r  rii'..  or  is 
the  same  as  the  Miamies.  We  will  send,  in  thirty  n-  %  full  and 
positive  answer,  by  a  young  man  of  each  nation,  by  writ  '  g  'o  Post 
Vinceiines."  In  the  evening,  Illue  Jacket,  chief  of  ^<e  Shawanese, 
having  taken  nie  to  supper  with  him,  told  me,  in  a  priv.  j  naiiiur,  that 
the  Shawanee  nation  was  in  doubt  of  the  sincerity  of  the  Big  Knives, 
so  called,  having  been  already  deceived  by  them.  That  they  had  first 
destroyed  their  lands,  put  out  their  fire,  and  sent  away  their  young  men, 
being  a  hunting,  without  a  mouthful  of  meat:  also,  had  taken  away 
iheir  women  ;  wherefore,  many  of  them  would,  with  great  deal  of  pain, 
I  forget  these  affronts.  Moreover,  that  some  other  nations  were  appre- 
hending that  offers  of  peace  would,  may  be,  tend  lo  lake  away,  by 
liegrees,  their  lands;  and  would  serve  them  as  they  did  before:  a  cer- 
tain proof  that  they  intend  to  encroach  on  our  lands,  is  their  now  settle- 
ment on  the  Ohio.  If  they  don't  keep  this  side  [of  the  Ohio]  clear,  it 
Uill  never  be  a  proper  reconcilement  with  the  nations  Shawanese,  Iro- 
(juois,  Wyandots,  and,  perhaps  many  others.  Le  Gris,  chief  of  the 
Miamies,  asked  me,  in  a  private  discourse,  what  chief  had  made  a  treaty 
«ith  the  Americans  at  Muskingum,  [Fort  Ilarmar.]  I  answered  him 
hat  their  names  were  mentioned  in  the  treaty.  lie  told  me  he  had 
[heard  of  it  some  time  ago  ;  but  they  are  not  chiefs,  neither  delegates, 
Kho  made  that  treaty  :  they  are  only  young  men,  who  without  authority 
Und  instructions  from  their  chiefs,  have  concluded  that  treaty,  which 
will  not  be  approved.  They  went  to  the  treaty  clandestinely,  and  they 
l-'itend  to  make  mention  of  it  in  the  next  council  to  be  held.* 

*  American  State  Papers,  v.  p.  93. 


332 


Jlf^ennj  of  Brilaiu. 


1790-95,  I  1790-9'). 


On  ihr  Stlj  ol"  May,  (iiiincliii  rctiiriicil  to  Fort  Knox,  and  on  tl., 
1  Itli  nicrclianls  IVoni  tin-  rj)[)t.'r  Wahasli  arrivi'd,  brin^inj,'  iit  \\< 
that  parlies  iVoni  the  north  had  joini-d  the  Wahasli  savayjvs  ;  tl„; 
the  whoh;  lo^clhcr  had  ahcady  ^onc  to  war  upon  the  Anicriciiih; 
and  that  three  (hiys  after  (lanielin  h't't  the  Mianiis,  an  Aniciiiu:, 
captive  liad  heen  hurncd  in  <heir  vilhiffe:*  all  which  thiii<^'s  mj 
plainly  Ibretold  trouble  on  the  Irontij-r,  that  St.  Clair,  as  wc  Imv, 
stated,  hasteiu'd  to  Fort  Washington  to  concert  with  (ieneral 
llannar  a  campaign  into  the  country  of  the  hostile  tribes. 

Before  we  proceed  with  the  history  of  llannar's  campaiL'n, 
however,  it  seems  proper  to  give  in  one  view  all  that  we  kimw 
relative  to  the  agency  of  the  British  in  keeping  up  Indian  hosiiliu 
after  the  peace  of  1783. 

Most  of  the  tribes,  as  our  readers  have  seen,  adhered  to  Eii.. 
land  during  the  Revolutionary  struggle.  When  the  war  ceasul, 
however,  ICngland  made  no  provision  for  them,  and  traiisl'fra'i 
the  Northwest  to  the  United  States,  without  any  sti])ulalioii  as  to 
the  rights  of  the  natives.  The  United  States,  regarding  the  laiK:^ 
of  tlie  hostile  tribes  as  contpiercd  and  forfeited,  proceeded  to  irlv'. 
peace  to  the  savages,  and  to  grant  them  portions  of  their  o\v:i 
lands.  This  produced  discontent,  and  led  to  the  formation  of  the 
conlederacy  headed  by  Brant. f  To  assist  the  purposes  of  lliis 
union,  it  was  very  desirable  that  the  British  should  still  hold  the 
posts  along  the  lakes,  and  supply  the  red  men  with  all  needtiil 
things.  The  forts  they  claimed  a  right  to  hold,  because  the  Ame- 
ricans disregarded  the  treaty  of  1783 ;  the  trade  with  the  Ilulian^, 
even  though  the  latter  might  be  at  war  with  the  U'nited  Stafts 
they  regarded  as  perfectly  fair  and  just.  Having  thus  a  sort  of 
legal  right  to  the  position  they  occupied,  the  British  did,  undoubt- 
edly and  purposely,  aid  and  abet  the  Indians  hostile  to  the  I'nitnl 
States.  In  1785,  after  the  formation  of  his  confederacy,  Brant 
Went  to  England,  and  his  arrival  was  thus  announced  in  ilie 
London  prints : 

This  extraordinary  personage  is  said  to  have  presided  at  the  late  grand 
Congress  of  confederate  chiefs  of  the  Indian  nations  in  America,  and  to 
be  by  them  appointed  to  the  conduct  and  chief  command  in  the  \v,.r 
which  they  now  meditate  against  the  United  States  of  America.  He 
look  his  departure  for  England  ininiediately  as  that  assembly  broke 

*  American  State  Papers,  v.  87 

+  llcckewelder's  -NarrativCj  379.      Stone's  Life  of  Brant,  ii.  247.  248. 


UP 


'1" 


:90-95. 


rirant\i  J^Ioi'cmcnln. 


'xy.i 


j-iJ  it  in  conjccliiroil  lluit  hin  pinbax.-iy  to  the  llriiish  Court  in  of  i^rcat 
importance.  Tliis  country  owes  imicli  to  ilip  services  of  Colont'l  Urant 
iljrinjj  the  late  war  in  America.  He  waH  etlucatcil  at  riiihnlclpliia ;  is 
3  very  plirowil,  intelligent  persen,  posse.-  es  great  courage  and  abilities 
jja  warrior,  and  is  inviolably  attached  to  the  Hrilisli  nation.* 

On  the  4th  of  January,  ITSf),  he  visited  Lord  Sidney,  the  (.'olo- 
nlal  Secretary,  and  after  plaiidy  and  boldly  staling  the  trouble  of 
•Jie  Indians  at  the  for^etfulness  oi"  Britain — the  encroaehnients  of 
:!ie  Americans — and  their  fear  of  serious  consecjuences,  i.  e.  war, 
he  closed  with  these  words  : 

This  we  shall  avoid  to  the  utmost  of  our  power,  as  dearly  as  wc  love 
our  lands.  But  should  it,  contrary  to  our  wishes,  happen,  wc  det«irc 
10  know  whether  we  are  to  be  considered  as  His  Majesty's  faithful 
allies,  and  have  that  support  and  countenance  such  as  old  and  true 
friends  expect.t 

The  f^nglish  minister  returned  a  perfectly  non-committal  answer; 
311(1  when  the  Mohawk  chieftain,  upon  his  r-eturn,  met  the  confcd- 
trated  natives  in  November,  1786,  he  could  give  them  no 
distinct  assurances  of  aid  fi'om  England.  But  while  all  definite 
promises  wei'c  avoided,  men  situated  as  John  Johnson,  the  Indian 
superintendent,  did  not  hesitate  to  write  to  him — 

Do  not  suffer  an  idea  to  hold  a  place  in  your  mind,  that  it  will  he  for 
your  interests  to  sit  still  and  see  the  Americans  attempt  the  posts.  It  is 
lor  your  sakes  chiefly,  if  not  entirely,  that  we  hold  them.  If  you  be- 
come indilTerent  about  them,  they  may  perhaps  be  given  up  ;  what  secu- 
rity would  you  then  have  ?  You  would  be  left  at  the  rneicy  of  a  people 
whose  blood  calls  aloud  for  revenge  ;  whereas,  by  supporting  them,  you 
encourage  us  to  hold  them,  and  encourage  the  new  settlements,  already 
considerable,  and  every  day  increasing  by  numbers  coming  in,  who  find 
ihey  cant  live  in  the  States.  Many  thousands  are  preparing  to  come  in. 
This  increase  of  his  majesty's  subjects  will  serve  as  a  protection  for 
you,  should  the  subjects  of  the  States,  by  endeavoring  to  make  farther 
encroachments  on  you,  disturb  your  quiet. t 

This  letter  was  written  in  March,  17S7 ;  and  two  months  after- 
wards, Major  Matthews,  who  had  been  in  the  suite  of  the  Gover- 
nor of  Canada,  i^ord  Dorchester,  after  being  appointed  to  com- 


?toiic,  ii.  2-19. 


t  Ibid,  2.54. 


|Ibid,  ii.  268. 


334 


British  Vinrx. 


1790-05.  1 1:!)0-()5. 


maud  at  Detroit,  speaks  still  more  exprn-itly,  and  in  the  fiovernor's 
name  also,     "  I  lis  fiordsliip  was  sorry  In  learn,"  he  says — 

Tfial  wliili*  the  Indians  wcro  soljpicitiin,'  iiis  nssistnnco  in  their  propiin. 
tioni  lor  war,  soiik!  of  llio  Six  Naliniis  had  rtenl  (h^pulics  to  Aihiiiiv  lo 
irrat  witli  ihe  AinericanH,  who,  it  in  said,  have  made  a  treaty  with  ilicm, 
jrrantiiijj  permissioti  to  make  roadH  for  the  purpose  of  cominj^  to  Nu. 
gara  ;  hut  that,  nolwithstandinp  iht'He  things,  the  Indians  flhoiiid  Ii;\vc 
their  presetitH,  as  ihoy  are  marks  of  the  King's  approbation  of  llnir 
former  eondiict.  In  future  his  lordship  wishes  them  to  act  as  is  best  lur 
their  interest ;  he  rannot  begin  a  war  with  the  Americans,  becau-ie  some 
of  their  people  eiieroach  and  make  depredations  upon  j)arts  of  the  In- 
dian eoiintiy  ;  but  they  must  sec  it  is  his  lordship's  intention  to  defeiij 
the  posts;  and  that  while  these  arc  preserved,  the  Indians  must  find 
great  security  therefrom,  and  consequently  the  Americans  greater  ilifii- 
culty  in  taking  possession  of  their  lands;  but  should  they  once  become 
masters  of  the  posts,  they  will  surround  the  Indians,  and  accomplish 
their  purpose  with  little  troul)le.  From  a  consideration  of  all  which,  it 
therefore  remains  with  the  Indians  lo  decide  what  is  most  for  their  own 
interest,  and  to  let  his  lordship  know  their  determination,  that  he  may 
take  his  measures  accordingly  ;  but,  whatever  their  resolution  is,  ii 
should  be  taken  as  by  one  and  the  same  people,  by  which  means  they 
will  be  respected  and  becon.c  strong  ;  but  if  they  divide,  and  act  one 
part  against  the  other,  they  will  become  weak,  and  help  to  destroy  each 
oilier,  'f  his  is  the  substance  of  what  his  lordship  desired  me  to  tell 
you,  and  I  lequest  you  will  give  his  sentiments  that  mature  considera- 
tion which  their  justice,  generosity,  and  desire  to  promote  the  welfare 
and  happiness  of  the  Indians,  must  appear  to  all  the  world  lo  merit. 

In  your  letter  to  me,  you  seem  apprehensive  that  the  English  are  not 
very  anr.ious  about  the  defence  of  the  posts.  You  will  soon  be  satisiied 
that  they  have  nothing  more  at  heart,  provided  that  it  continues  to  bo  the 
wish  of  the  Indians,  and  that  they  remain  firm  in  doing  their  part  of  \W 
business,  by  preventing  the  Americans  from  coming  into  their  country, 
and  consequently  from  marching  to  the  posts.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the 
Indians  think  il  more  for  their  interest  that  the  Americans  should  have 
possession  of  the  posts,  and  be  established  in  their  country,  they  ought 
to  declare  it,  that  the  English  need  no  longer  be  put  to  the  vast  and  un- 
necessary expense  and  inconvenience  of  kecpini^  posts,  the  chief  ol'ject 
of  which  is  to  protect  their  Indian  allies,  and  the  loyalists  who  have  sut- 
fercd  with  tliem.  It  is  well  known  that  no  encroachments  ever  have  or 
ever  will  be  made  by  the  English  upon  the  lands  or  property  of  ihc  In- 
dians in  consequence  of  possessing  the  posts,  how  far  that  will  be  the 
case  if  ever  the  Americans  get  into  ihcni,  may  very  easily  be  imagined, 


1700-05,  I  i:0(>-O5.  nrifish  Ajrenls  ufirf  Lidinns  to  War 


'.]:]') 


ic  (lOViTdnr's 

their  prcpnn. 
a  lo  All);iny  tn 
Illy  wiili  ihcm, 
ominj^  lo  Nin. 
IH  Hhoiilil  li;ive 
baiion  of  ilnir 
;t  us  is  besi  lur 
,  because  some 
arts  o(  lliu  In< 
ition  to  cit'leiij 
iuiis  must  finii 
IS  greater  ilitl':- 
Y  once  become 
nd  accomplish 
if  all  which,  it 
I  for  their  own 
1,  ihat  he  may 
^solution  {>!,  ii 
ich  means  they 
;,  and  act  one 
0  destroy  cadi 
red  me  to  tell 
lire  considera- 
te the  welfare 
lo  merit, 
nglish  are  not 
on  be  saiisiieil 
nues  to  be  the 
cir  part  of  ll'c 
their  country, 
r  hand,  if  the 
s  should  have 
y,  they  ought 
e  vast  and  un* 
e  chief  oi'ject 
who  have  suf- 
over  have  or 
ty  of  the  In- 
,t  will  be  the 
be  imagined, 


roin  dicir  hostile  perHcvcranco,  even  without  that  advnnlnije,  in  driving 
he  Indians  oil'  their  hinds  and  taking  possession  of  them.* 

Tliesc  assurances  on  th»;  part  of  iIh-  nriti>;|i,  and  flu'  (Iclay  of 
ruiiiiress  in  rcplyiti'jj  tr)  the  address  of  the  cfuifcdcralcd  nations, 
:\k'<\  F)('('t'inh('r,  17S(),  led  lo  tlic  j^rnt-ial  council  of  17SS  ,  hut 
ir  divisions  in  that  l)ody,  adilcd  lo  the  uncertain  support  of  the 
[n;'lish  <;ov('rnnu'nt,  at  length  caused  Hrant  for  a  lime  to  <^\\i-  up 
;.^  interest  in  the  ellorts  of  the  wcstoi'ii  natives,  ainon^  wiioin  the 
\lminios  thenceforth  took  the  lead  ;  aithouj^di,  as  otu'  extracts  from 
(iainelin's  journal  sliow,  a  true  spirit  of  union  did  not,  even  in 
I'llO,  prevail  ainon^  tlie  various  tribes. f  At  that  time,  liowi-ver, 
Lc  Ihifish  influence  over  the  Miamis  and  their  fellows,  was  in  no 
ii'irree  lessened,  as  is  plain  from  the  entire  reference  of  their 
itfairs,  when  Gamelin  went  to  them,  to  the  commandant  at  Detroit. 
Nor  ran  we  wonder  at  tlie  hold  possessed  over  the  red  men  by 
;!ie  Kni^lisli,  wluMi  such  wretches  as  McKee,  Elliott  and  (iirly,| 
we  the  go-betweens,  the  channels  of  intercourse.  "  You  invite 
>,"  said  one  of  the  war-cliiefs  to  (iamelin,  "  to  stop  our  young 
run.  "  It  is  impossible  to  do  it,  being  constantly  encourageil  by 
■k'  British." 

Wo  confess,  said  another,  that  we  accepted  the  axe,  but  it  is  by  tlie 
;eproach  wc  continually  receive  from   the  English  and  other  nations, 

•See  Stone  ii.271, 

•See  also  Stone  ii.  290,  note.  Some  of  the  DnlawnrcB  and  Miainics  so  (ar  (luarrrllcil 
::auhe  foriner  left  lor  the  Mississippi. 

:  fii'ty  we  have  already  Ki)okon  of, — Alexander  McKce,  (sometimes  written  McKay 

I'JMcGre)  was  an  Indian  a;;ent  before  the  Revolution.     Major  llo;,'er9,  in  17li(),  sent  a 

V:.  McCice  from  Detroi*  to  the  Stri'vnv.cse  town  on  the  Ohio,  to  receive  the  Frcncii  sta- 

'■o:iP(!  there,  (Journal,  2;]9) :    this  may  have  l)een  McKee. — In  177;i,  the  Rev.  I).  Jones 

:jn(l  Alexander  McICce  living  ahout  three  miles  Ironi    Paint  Creek,  Ohio,  anionf,'  the 

inwanese.    (See   his  journal  in  Cist's  Cincinnati   Miscellany,  i.  2(JJ.)     On   the   2!)lh   of 

'jruary,  177(j,  Colonel  Duller;  the  refugee  hero  of  Wyoming  and  Indian  Agent  I'or  Kng- 

■'il,  wrote  to  McKee,  then  residing  as  Indian  agent  at  Fort  I'ilt,  to  come  to  Niagara; 

:  consequence  of  which  the  committee  of  Western  Augusta  obliged  him  to  bind  himself 

have  nothing  ti    do  with  the  Indians  on  account  of  Great  Britain ;  and  this  paroir;  Con- 

tss  accepted.     (A;nerican  Archives,  fourth  series,  v.  S18.  S2().  lt)'J2. — Old  Journals,  ii. 

".)    In  1778,  however,  he  left  I'ittsburgli,  with  Simon  dirty,  Matthew  Elliott  and  others, 

I'lin  the  Hritish.     (Ii  ckewelder's  Narrative,  170.)     He  became  a  colonel,  and  was  a 

ilcr  among  the  northwest  Indians  from  that  time  till  his  deatii.     JIc  had  stores  at   tlie 

'Is of  the  Maumee.    (Soe  American  .State    Papers,  v.  243.  J.^l.     Some  of  his  l-.tters 

•'■retaken  at  Proctor's  defeat  in  1S13.    (Sec  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  ajipendit  .So.  2, 

'^—Brown's  History  of  W' ar  of  1812,   ii.   appendix.)      Matthew  Flliott  had  !]■  en  a 

•'"Icr;  in  1776  he  was  taken  by  the  British   and  joined  them,  for  which  he  /ccci.ed  a 

'plain's  commission.    In  1790-95  he  lived  at  the  mouth  of  Detroit  river,  and  carried 

'•■.  trade  and  farming.    (See  lleckwcldcr's  Narrative,  147,  170.) 


336 


British  supply  Indians. 


1790-90.  I  '"^^-^'^- 


\vhi(;li  received  ilie  axe  first,  calling  us  women  ;  at  the  present  lime, 
they  invite  our  young  men  to  war ;  :is  to  the  old  people,  they  are  whli- 
iiig  lor  puace.' 

Every  pcafeful  mcssajije  IVoni  the  ofTioers  of  the  cn)\vn  \v;i- 
stopped  on  its  way  lo  the  excited  cliihlreii  of  the  forest;  but  even 
word  of  a  hostile  character,  exa<;irerated  ant!  added  to.f 


•  Aiiirric;iii  State  I'apers,  v.  9.1. 

t  It  in  hard  to  say  /io>i'fiir  tin'  Hritisli  afjrnts  aiilcd  tlif  savafjcs  in  ITKOiiuil  1791.  Tv 
follow iii|.'  is  iVoiii  a  certiticutf  l,y  Tlio...  lllu  a,  taken  liy  the  liuliaiis  in  May,  r;*>l,  .i.>. 
who  osca|H(l  ill  .Fiiiic.  lie  is  stated  lo  havt;  lioen  tiiitnistwoithy,  (American  State  l'a|i. '., 
V.  l!)t).)  liiit  his  aceouiit  is  in  jiart  contirmed  l>y  otlier  evidences 

"At    this  jilaee,   the    the    Miitnii,    vvere    Colonels  Hr.iiit   and    McKee,    with    ins  i, ; 
Thomas;     and  Captains   Uuiiliury  and  Silvie,  of  tiii^  Hritisli  troojis.     These  odiKrs.  ..i 
W(?re  all   eiiciniiiie'd   o;i  the  south  sid(!  ol"th(>  Miami,  or  Ottawa  river,  at  the  rapids  ai.n. 
lake  Erie,  ahoiit  eij^hteen  miles;  tiiey  had  clever  houses,  hiiilt  chiefly  by  the  I'ottawaii- 
lilies  anil  other  Indians;  in  these   they   had  stores  of ^'oods,  with  arms,  ammuiiitidii.  n... 
provision,  v\lii(li  they  issued  lo  the   Indians  in  ),'r<'at   ahundance,  viz  :   corn,  iiork,  |ua., 
&.(;.     The  Indians  came  to  this  place  in  jiarties  ol'one,  two,  three,  four,  ami  live  liiiiii':r(<: 
at  a  time,  from  diUcrent  (luarters,  and  received  fruiii  Mr.  McKee  and  the   Indian  (illin-- 
clothinj^,  arms,  ammunition,  provision,  &.c.  and  set  out  iiiiiiiediately  tor  tin;  upper  .Mii::i, 
towns,  where  they  understood  the  forces  of  the  United  StiitcB  wen:  beiidiii}^  tlnur  tuur.>f, 
[Scott's  exi)e(li|ion.]   and  in  order  to  siip|)ly  the    Indians   from  other  (piarters  collicin: 
there.     I'iroj^ues,   loudeJ   "vitli   the  above  meiitioned  articles,  were  sent  up   the  .Mianii 
river,  wroiii^lit  by  French  Canadians.     Aboui  the  lust  of  May,  Captain  Silvie  purchase; 
me  from  the  liidi.iiis,  and  I  staid  with  him  at  this  |)lace  till  the  Itli  of  June,  (tin.'  kiiii'' 
birtlulay,)   wlien  I  was   sent  to  Detroit.     I'revious  to  leaving'  the  Mi^uiii  river,  1  saw  o;:. 
Mr.    Dick,  who,   with  his  wife,   was  taken  prisoner  near   I'ittsburtjh,   in   the  Spring— I 
believe,    iiy   lli(>    Wyandotts.     Mr.   .McKee  was   about   purchasing    Mr.   Dick    trniii  lii' 
Indians,  luit  I'uiiiid  it  ditliiiilt.     Mrs.  Dick  was  sejiarated  from  him,  and  letl  at  a  Villagi:  a; 
some  dist.T nee  from  tliis  place.     I  also  saw  a  young  boy,  naiiK'd  llriUle,  (Urickell,  prolu- 
bly,  see  his  narrative.  Am.  Pioneer,  i.  A'i,)  who  was  taken  in  the  spring',  from  near  a  null, 
(Cai»t.  OMI.ira's,)  near  l'ittsbur(;li,  his  hair  was  cut,  aiul  he  was  dressed  and  armed  Ibrwi'; 
could    not    p<t   f:pt<iliiig  lo   him.     About  the  ."Hh  June,  in  the   Detroit  river,  I  iiii.t  I'm:.! 
sixty  to   one   hundred  canoes,  in  three  parties,  containing  a  lar^'e  party  of  Indi.iiis,  tti.i 
appeared  to  be  very  wild  and  uncivilized;  they   were  ilressed  chiellv  in  bntl'alo  ami  iitl.i' 
skin  iilaiikets,  with  otter  skin  and  other  liir  breech  cloths,  armed  w  ith  bows,  and  arm"-. 
anlsjiears;  they  had   no  gii'is,  and  seeim  d  to  set  no   store  by  tlieiii,  or   know    liltlro. 
their  use,  nor  had  they  any  inclination  to  receive   them,  tliou(,'h    offered    to    them.    Tlii* 
Haid  tliey  were  three    mooiis  on  their  way.     The   other  Indians   called  them   M(Utiiili«  ■ 
Atiout  this  time  tli(>re  was  a  field  day  of  the  troojis  at  Detroit,  wliiili  1   think  is  trniii  tin 
to  .SIX  hundred  in  nmnl  er ;  tlie  ne\t  day  a  I'.. 'Id  day  of  the  I'Venc!;  niiliti:i  look  pl.ui',  i;- 
one  hniulred  and    lilly  of  the  Canadians.^  with  some  others,  turned    out  v  ,,lunteers  to  Jii::i 
the    Indians,  and  vvere  to  set  otT  the  Stii  for  the  Miami  village,  with  their  own  lii>rM-, 
after  beinj;  |)leiitifully  supplied  with  arms  and  ammunition,  clothing,  and  provision,  ii. 
to  lit  them   for  the  march.     While  1  was  at  the  .Miami  or  Ottawa   river,  as  they  rail  it,  1 
hiid  iiientioned  to   Colonel    McKee,  and   the    other    olhcers,   that  1    liud    ."cen   Colont! 
Procter,  on  his  way  to  Fort  I''r.inklin  ;  that  1  understood  that  he  was  on  his  way  to  i.'t 
the  Miami,  orS.indusky,  with  some  of  the  Seiiecas,  and  that  he  e\])ecled  the  Corniil.!: '' r 
would  aceoinpany  him,  in  order  to  settle  n. alters  with  the  liostile  nations  ;  and  that  k 
expected  to  get  shii)ping  at  Fort  F.rie,  to  bring  him  and  these  people  to  the  Miami,"' 
.Sandusky,  &c.     That  tlie  ollicers,  in  their  conversation  with  each  other,  said,  if  they  wtri 


17<)()-f|'  I  l*W-05.  Prtparatloii   for  JL)rmar''s   Campaign. 


337 


3  presciu  lime, 
they  are  wish- 


e  crown  \va> 
•est;  but  even 
to.f 


7'»0auil  171)1.  Ty 
i  In  iMay,  I'i^l.ai.,; 
[>ricaii  Statu  Papi  r-, 

Kco,    with   lim  >;. 
Tlicse  odkir!',  c.i 
at  tlio  raputs  alow 
ly  by  the  I'ottawa:; 
18,  ainiiiuiutiiiii,  ;i!... 
:   corn,  [nuV,  |i(a>, 
ir,  and  live  liiiiKirn: 
the.'   Iniliaii  ullid  •-. 
lor  till!  ii|)|nT  .Mii::i. 
Rndiii},'  tiicir  cuwrsc, 
(|uarti'rs  collie;' >; 
sent  ii|>   till'  Mii:. 
in   Silvio  [uircliii-i  . 
)t'JiMU',  (till'  km:- 
i.nii  river,  I  s;iw  ni' 
1,    in    the   Spritif;— I 
Mr.   !)uk    I'rciiii  ll.f 
l1  Icll  at  a  Vili;iL'i.'  i: 
(UricKcll.  \<v,\':.- 
^',  troni  near  a  iiiii:. 
and  armed  for  war; 
I  river,  1  met  t'rii:;i 
_\  of  Iniliiiiis,  «!,'! 
hull'alii  and  "tin" 
liDws,  ami  arrow?, 
or  know  litilf  o: 
i    to    thi-m.    Tli'i 
the'in   MuHiiih)i'<' 
think  iH  t'roiii  lut 
I  took  pLu-i',  !!•'■ 
.  ..luiitecrs  to  J"  :i 
their  ovMi  liorsi'i 
and  [)rovisi(iii,  4;i. 
r,  as  they  mil  it,  1 
had    reen   loioiui 
on  his  way  to  I"'- 
d  the  ('orii;il.:!;'.'' 
tions  ;  ami  tli.il  iic 
to   the  Mi:imi,"r 
,  said,  il"  they  wttt 


\f  the  tiiiic  of  Ciaint'liti'.s  mission,  llu-  sprint;  of  1700,  lufort' 
;ii\  ad  of  hostility  on  Iht-  i)ait  of  the  rnitcd  States  had  iiukK- 
rcoiiciliatioii  iinp(jssible,  and  Ijffore  the  surccss  of  the  savaj^^es 
:,ul  laatU;  llicir  (U'liiaiids  such  as  coiihl  not  he  i^ranti'd,  \vi'  cannot 

,t  tiiink  it  \V(jiihl  have  been  \vnv  \vis(h)nt  to  have  sen!  to  tlio 
lorthern  tribes,  not  an  Indian  Irath'r,  but  such  a  rei)resc-ntation  as 
was  .si";t  three  years  hiter.*  Such,  liowever,  was  not  the  course 
.'irsiR'd.  (lovernor  St.  Clair,  under  the  ads  of  ('on<rress  passed 
lit' previous  year,!  '"i  ^li^'  l-'^di  of  July,  called  iijjon  Virginia  for 
1,000,  and  uiion  Pennsylvania  for  HOO  militia.  Of  these,  300 
Wire  to  meet  at  Fort  Steul)in  (Jeflersonville)  to  aid  liie  tioops 
-iiin  Fort  Knox  (Vincennes)  iit^ainst  the  Weas  iind  Ki(d>:apoos  of 
l;.r  Wabash  ;  700  were  to  gaihi-r  at  Fort  Wasiiinglon,  (Cincinnati;) 
;i:i(l500  just  below  Wheeling;  the  two  latter  bodies  being  iiilend- 

;  to  inarch  with  the  Federal  troops,  from  Fort  Washington,  under 

iliin'ral    Ilarmar,   against   tlie   towns   at   the   junction    of   die  St. 

iMaryand  St.  .Iosei)h.^:     'I'he  Kentucky  militia  men  began  to  conif 

:i  lit  Fort   Wasliington    about  the   midille  of  September,  the    l.Oth 

.  r'rt  Krie,  he  should  j^et  no  shipping  there,  &:c.     That  the  Moliawks  and  other  Indian.''. 

■  nmlil  spciik   Eni^iish,  declare   that   il'  he  (meaning;  Colonel    Procter,)  or  any  other 

v,';liPr  messen^rer,  came  there,  they  shonhl  never  carry  meKsafre.s  hack.     This  w.is  fre- 

■itly  pxpre.sRed   by  the   Indians;  and   Simon   Ciirty,  and   a  certain   I'att    Hill,  dcudared 

■■   :ir  slioiild   not  return,  if  hi;  had  a  hiimlred  Senecas  with  him;  and   many  other  such 

■     ,;s  v.rre  used,    and  every   movement,  appearance,    and  declaration,    seemed   hostile 

;  ivl'iiileil  States.     And   I   understood    that  Cidonel    M<k'ee,  ami  the   other  ollicers, 

,:,;'iuic(l  only  to  stay  at  the  Miami  till  they  had  liiriushed  the  war  jiarties  (d' Indians  with 

.,'  necessaries  mentioned  above,  to  lit  them  lor  w,ir,  and  then  would  return  to   Detroit. 

T.  ;  Klliott   had  returned  to   Di'lroit,  and  Siinon  (Jirly,  and   ihatCirty  dechired   Ik;  would 

;  i:ul  join  the  Indians,  and  that  ('aj)tain  Klliott  told   him  lie  was  i,'oiiij^  the  next  day,  with 

:    it  lo.ul  of  floods  for  the    Indians,  and   that  (iirty  inij^ht   have  a   ))assaj{e   witli    him. 

I. it  on  the  "til   ol'.Ii  r.e,  the  .shij)  Diinniore  .'Milled  lor    Tort   Krie,  in  which   I  jjot  .i  pas- 

1.'.    We    arrived  there    in    li)ur    days,     .\bout  thi'  12tli    ol"  ,Iune  I    saw  taken   into  this 

'•^c\,  a  niimher  ofcaniion,    eighti'cn    pounders,   with    other  milil,iry  stores,  and   !m  ItiT 

ii;  two  com|)anie!i  ol'artillery  troops,  destined,  as    I    understood,  for    Detroit   and    tin' 

IT  posts;   some   of  the  artillerv-men   had  to   remain  hehiiid,  lor  waul  ot' room  iii  the 

'■•■1.    I  have  just   rccollei;ted   that,  while    I  was  at    the    Otl.iwa  river,  I  s;iw  a    party  ot' 

.rnurs  come    in  with   the  arms,   accoutrements,   clothing,',  ice.  ol'a  s<Tneant,  corporal, 

:.  lliry  said,  twelve   in(;n,  whom  they  had    kille.t    in  some   ol'the   lower  posts  on   the 

itliat  a  man  ol'the    Indian  department  oll'ered   me  a  coal,  whuh  had   a  number  of 

'!  ;iiiii  other  holes  in    it,  and  was  all  Moody,  whieii   1    refused    to   t;ike,   :iiid  Colonel 

■  Kic  then  ordered  me  clothes  out  ol'the  liulian  store."     (.Vm.  State  I'apeis,  v.  I'M;.) 


'  1;  :ii;iy  hi;  said  t'oloiiel  Procter   in   17!)I,   was    in   daiij^'cr  of  assassinalioi: 
'int.     .\nierican    Stali;    Papers,  v.   lOG.     See  al)ove,)  but   tliat  was   after   i 

;;uk. 

•Son  Ante,  p.  319. 

■  American  Stale  Pupero,  v.  91,  02. 

22 


i.liea  .s 
ariuar  s 


338 


State  of  the  Kvntucky   Troops. 


1790-95 


being  iho  clay  nainctl.  —  Of  their  filiiess  for  Sfrvico  wt;  may  jud^r, 
by  Major  Ferguson's  evidence. 

They  were  very  ill  equipped,  being  almost  dcstitulc  of  camp  kettles 
and  axes  ;  not  could  a  supply  of  these  essential  articles   be   procurci!. 
There  arms  were,  generally,  very  bad,  and  unfit  for  service  ;  as  I  was 
the  commanding  olficer  of  artillery,  they  came  under  my  inspection,  in 
making  wliat  repairs  the  time  would  permit ;  and  as  a  specimen  of  their 
badness,  I  would  inform  the  court,  that  a  rillo  was  brought  to  be  repair- 
ed without  a  lock,  ami   another  without  a  slock.     I  often   asked  tiie 
owners  what  induced  them  to  think  that  those  guns  could  be  repaired  a;  j 
that  time  ?     And  they  gave  me  for  answer,  that  they  were  told  in  Ke:i- 
lucky  that  all  repairs  would  be  made  at   Fort  Washington.     Many  oil 
the  officers  told  me,  that  they  had  no  idea  of  there  being  half  the  inn., 
ber  of  bud  arms  in  the  whole  district  of  Kentucky,  as  was  then  in  lUj 
hands  of  their  men.     As  soon  as  the  principal  part  of  the  Kenturkv! 
militia  arrived,  the  General   began  to  organize   thrm  :  in  this  h?  ]u\\ 
many  difliculties  to  encounter.  Colonel  Trotter  aspired  to  the  commanJ, 
although  Colonel  Hardin  was  the  eldest  officer,  and  in  this  he  was  ci;- 
couragcd  both  by  men  and  officers,  who  openly  declared,  unless  Colonel 
Trotter  commanded  them,  they  would  return  home.     After  two  or  ilircej 
days  the  business  was  settled,  and  they  [i.  3.  the  Kentucky  men]  wetcj 
formed  into  three  battalions,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Trotter,  .iiii 
Colonel  Hardin  had  the  command  of  all  the  militia,  [both  Peniis}  ha;i  ji 
and  Virginia.]     As  soon  as   they  were  arranged,  they  were  niustertii;! 
crossed  the  Ohio,  and.  on  the  2Glli,  marched,  and  encamped  about  tenl 
miles  from  Fori  Wasliington.     The  last  of  the  Pennsylvania  militia ar-f 
rived  on  the  ^Jilh  Sept«''mber.     They  were  equipped  nearly  as  the  luiH 
tucky,  but  were  worse  armed  ;  several  were  without  any.     The  (leiHrall 
ordered  all  the  arms  in  store  to  be  delivered  to  those  who  had  none, al 
those  whose  guns  could  not  be  repaired.     Amongst  the  militia  were 
great  many  hardly  able  to  bear  arms,  such  as  old,  infirm  men,  and  yuiiii* 
boys  ;  they  were  not  such  as  might  be  expected  from  a  frontier  cuuiiityj 
viz.  the  smart  active  woodsman,  well   accustomed  to  arms,  eager  aiiJ 
alert  to  revenge  the  injuries  done  them  and  their  connexions.     No.ihcri 
were  a  great  number  of  them  substitutes,  who  piobably  had  never  llrfil 
a  gun.     Major  Paul,  of  Pennsylvania,  told  me,  thai  many  of  his  med 
were  so  awkward,  that  they  could   not  take  their  gun  locks  olf  to 
them,  and  put  them  on  again,  nor  could  ihey  put  in  their  (lints  so  as'J 
be  useful ;  and  even  of  such  materiiils,  the  numbers  came  far  shorii 
what  was  ordered,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  returns.* 


American  S'ate  Papers,  xii.  20. 


1790-95.  Ej-pcdition  ofrainst  the  Miami  Village^!.  .339 

Trouble  had  been  anticlputed  from  the  aversion  of  the  frontier 
,11(11  to  act  Avilh  regular  troops,*  General  llariiiar  had  been 
rtiiriied  on  the  subject  by  the  Secretary  of  War, — antl  every  pains 
aail  been  taken  to  avoid  the  evils  apprehended.  Notice  liad  also 
iiirn  given  to  the  British  that  the  tro()i)s  collected  were  to  be  used 
i^rainst  the  Indians  alone,  so  that  no  excuse  might  be  given 
Mck'ee  &  Co.,  for  co-operation;!  and  when  upon  the  3()th  of 
September  Ilarmar  lelt  Fort  Washington,  every  step  seemed  to 
have  been  taken  which  experience  or  judgment  could  sugsjest  to 
•.rure  the  success  of  the  expedition. |  The  same  seems  to  have 
iicon  true  of  the  march,  the  Court  of  fuquiry  held  in  1791,  bav- 
in!,' approved  every  arrangement.  |[  On  the  1.3th  of  October,  the 
i:my  being  then  thirty  or  thirty-five  miles  from  the  Miami  villages, 
;' was  determined,  in  consecpience  of  information  given  by  a  cap- 
'.red  Indian,  to  send  forward  Colonel  John  Hardin  with  a 
liitachment  of  600  militia  men  and  one  company  of  reguliirs,  to 
Hi:|)iise  the  enemy,  and  keep  them  in  their  lorts  until  the  main 
Ijody  could  come  up  with  the  artillery. 

On  the  14lh  this  party  marched  lorward,  and  upon  the  next  day 
J)Out  three  o'clock  readied  the  villages,  but  they  were  deserted. 
Uii  the  morning  of  the  17th  the  mam  army  arrived,  and  the  work 

'  American  State  Papers,  v.  100. 

t  Aincricaii  Stato  l'a[icrs,  v.  S(J. 

J  Tilt"  troops  wort;  organized  and  iiiovca  forwaril,  ;i.s  follows  : 

'•The  Koutiinkiaii .  conipoiiHl  tlirco  battalions,  nndrr  ttin  Majors  Mall,  MiMiillrii  .uk! 
"cy,  with  Lirutrnfint  Colonel  Coinniandant  Trotter  at  their  head.  The  l'eimsylvani;ins 
»cre  furnwul  into  one  battalion,  under  Lieutenant  ('(donel  Trnblcy  and  Major  I'aul,  the 
*liulu  Lo  be  (joiunianib-'d  by  Colonel  John  Hardin,  subjiet  to  the  orders  ol"  (lener.d  llar- 
.1  r.     !"lie  30th,  tlio  G(Mieral  hnving  irot  forward   all  the  supplies  that   he   expected,  he 

iM'u  out  with  the  federal  troops,  formed  info  two  small  b.ittalions,  under  the  iinmn- 
:.il' .oniinand  of  Major  Wyllys  and  Major  Doujxhty,  fogcther  with  Captain  Fer^'uson's 
'."in|)- ny  of  artillery,  and  three  pieces  of  ordinanci!.  On  the  3d  of' October,  (icncrai 
ilariaar  juiiieil  the  advi'uced  troops  early  in  the  morning';  the  rem. lining  part  of  the  day 
I  v.is  ^priit  in  forniin;:  ihv.  line  of  march,  the  order  of  cncair.piiirnt  and  battle,  and  evplain- 
12  the  same  to  the  militia  field  olRcers.  Geiieral  Harm.ir's  orders  will  show  the  several 
■imnations.  On  the  -1th  the  army  took  up  the  order  of  march  as  is  described  in  the  orders. 
"II  llie  .nil  a  reinfurcemenl  ol"  horsemen  and  moiialcd  uitiuitry  j"uinl  from  Kentucky. 
Tilt  dra^'oons  v.rr(!  fornieil  into  two  troojis;  the  momiti'd  ritlcmen  made  a  company,  and 
'is  small  liatfalion  of  lijht  troops  were  put  iind<>r  the  command  of  ^^lajor  Fontaine. 

The  whole  of  (leneral  Ilamar's  command  then  may  be  stated  thus: 
3  battalions  of  Kentucky  mil 


do. 
do. 
do. 


I'eniisvlvania  di 

ivipht  "troops  mounted  do 

Federal  troops, 


itia.i 

o.     S  11.13 

0.      ) 

320 


Total, 


1453" 

(American  State  Papers,  xii.  21,) 

,  American  State  Papers,  xii.  30  to  33;  all  the  plans  arc  given. 


340  Destn/dion  of  Jlfldgcs  and  other  properfy.        1790-95. 

of  deslructinn  comnuMicfil ;  by  the  21st,  tlic  cliicf  town,  fivu  ollici 
villa;^cs,    and    nearly    20,000    bushi'ls  oi"  torn  in  cars    had  Intn 
d(!stroyfd.  *       Wlicn    Ilannar   reached    the    Mainnee    towns  ami 
found  no  enemy,  he  thought  of  })usliing  forward  to  attack  the  Wea 
and  other  Indian  settlements  u\)(m  the  Wabash,  but  was  prevented 
by  the   loss    lioth   of  })ack  horses   and    cavalry   horses,  which  ihc 
Indians  seem  to  have  stolen  in   quantities  to  s\iit  themselves,  in 
consecjuence  of  the  Nvilful   carelessness  of  the  owners,  \vho  made 
the    I'nited  States  pay  hrst    for  the  use  of  their  nags,  then  for  thr 
nags  themselves,  t      J'ije    Wabash   plan  being   (lropp(>d,    Coloni! 
Trotter    was    despatched    with    300    men  to  scour  the  woods  in 
search  of  an   enemy,  as   the  tracks   of  women   and   children  jiaii 
been  scvn  near  by ;  and  we  cannot  give  a  better  idea  of  the  utlc: 
want  of  discipline  in  the  army,  than   by  some   extracts^   frnni  ijn 
evidence    of  Lieutenant    (afterwards    Captain]    Armstrong;  ||  !hi> 
gentleman  was  widi  Trotter  during  the  iSth  o.'  October,  and  aK^ 
with  Hardin,  who,  on  the  19th,  took  the  cominand.  General  ILir- 
mar  being  much  dissatisfied  with  Trotter's  ii.efT'ective  Indian  clia>i.- 
of  the  previous  duy. 

After  we  had  proceeded  about  a  inilo,  says  Arm  trong,  the  cavalry 
gave  chase  to  an  Indian,  wlio  vas  iTionnied.  him  they  overlook  and 
killed  IJeforelhey  returned  to  tlie  column  :>  ?<!<  nnil  appeared,  on  wliii-h 
the  four  lield  ofTicers  left  their  commands  ?,rd  pi.  iied,  leaving  tlie  troop> 
near  half  an  ho\ir  without  any  direction::  whats',  er,  The  cavalry  catne 
across  the  scr,  ."!  Indian,  aiul,  after  he  had  woiijided  one  of  their  parly, 
killed  him  also.  VV);  ti  the  infantry  came  up  to  this  place  they  imme- 
diately fell  into  ro'itu^ioij.  ■  >on  which  I  gained  rermission  to  leave  tliem 
some  distance  on  [bi^  nu:],  where  1  formed  on  ambuscade.  After  I  had 
been  some  time  at  my  station,  a  fellow  on  hon  eback  came  to  ine  who 
had  lost  the  party  in  pursuit  of  the  lirst  Indian  ;  he  was  much  frighten- 
ed, and  said  he  had  l)opn  pursued  by  fifty  nmunted  Indians.  On  my 
telling  this  story  to  Colonel  Trotter,  notwithstanding  my  observation- 
to  him,  he  changed  his  route,  and  marched  in  various  directions  unti' 
night,  when  he  returned  to  camp. 

On  our  arrival  in  camp,  Oeneral  Ilarmar  sent  for  me,  and  after  askinj 
mc  many  questions,  ordered  one  subaltern  and  twenty  militia  to  join  my 
command.     With   diese  I  reached  the  river  St.   Joseph   about  ten  ;■■ 

•  Liciitciiaiit  Dcniiv.     Aim  ricaii  State  Papers,  xii.  Co. 

t  Ml  jor  Fergiisoii.     Auicrican  State  I\ij)ers,  xii.  21. 

I  Slightly  altereil  in  lan},'iiai,'e  ;   sec  also  f'ist'.s  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  i.  lO')-!). 

J  He  Mas  promoted,  says  Judge  llurnct,  March  1791.     He  resigned  liis  commission  . 
17'J.f,  and  was  atkr\sarU3  Cylyiicl  of  the  militia. — Sec  Cist's  Cincinnati  Misccllaii/,. 
7,  37,  66. 


l7!»0-9i 

night,  ai 
miles  di 
ilie  ninei 
taehinent 
Trotter  1 
five  miles 
before. 
di:'i)nso(l 
h  ilf  an  h 
I'ompany 
liiai  order 
fell  in  wi 
brush  beir 
where  Ca 
.Major  Foi 
on  with   t 
Colonel  II 
aS  an  alarn 
3nil  rcturiK 
nor  makin; 
covered  tin 
replied,   th 
until  fired 
'm\  with  h 
'vere  insta 
last  man 
:i  thicket, 
! had  an 
ceived  the 
mounted, 
•inly.   I  an 
agreeably 
iiave  surpi 
Hardin  arr 
19lh,  that 
ss'cribed  to 
(who  I  bel 
militia ;  m 
■''one,  exce 

\  'iririns  a 
'^■'tnp  or  pon 

"Ihrr  account 

'•^ItClui:^r-is  SI 

■''i"ico  among 

.  ^icerican 


l7!'0-95.     Ferguson'' s  Jiccount  of  Uarmarh  First  .Irtinn.  341 

;ii(rht,  and  wilh  a  guide  proceeded  to  an  Indian  town,  about  two 
niiios  distant,  where  I  continned  wilh  my  party  until  the;  niorniii;f  of 
the  nineteenth.  About  nine  o'clock  I  joined  the  remainder  of  the  de- 
tachment under  Colonel  Hardin.  ^Ve  marched  on  the  route  CoIon>^l 
Trotter  had  pursued  the  day  i)eforc,  and  after  passing  a  morass  about 
live  miles  distant,  we  came  to  wlicre  the  enemy  had  encamped  the  day 
before.  Here  we  made  a  sliort  halt,  and  iho  commanding  ofTicer 
;!i;i)Osod  of  tlic  p.irtics  at  a  distance  from  each  other;  after  a  halt  of 
h\lf  an  hour,  we  were  ordered  to  move  on,  and  (,'aptain  Faulkner's 
company  was  left  on  the  ground  ;  the  Colonel  having  neglected  giving 
liiai  orders  to  move  on.  After  we  had  proceeded  about  three  miles,  wc 
fell  in  with  two  Indians  on  foot,  who  threw  ofT  their  packs,  and  the 
brush  being  thick,  made  their  escape.  I  then  asked  Colonel  Hardin 
where  Captain  Faulkner  was  ?  He  said  he  was  lost,  and  then  sent 
Major  Fontaine  with  part  of  the  cavalry  in  search  of  him,  and  moved 
on  with  the  remainder  of  the  troops.  Some  time  after,  I  informed 
Colonel  Hardin  a  gun  had  fired  in  our  front,  winch  might  be  considered 
ss  an  alarm  gun,  and  that  I  saw  where  a  horse  had  come  down  the  road, 
3ml  returned  again  ;  but  the  Colonel  still  moved  on,  giving  no  orders, 
nor  making  any  arrangements  for  an  attack.  Some  time  after,  I  dis- 
covered the  enemy's  fires  at  a  distance,  and  informed  the  Colonel,  who 
replied,  that  they  would  not  fight,  and  rode;  in  front  oT  the  advance, 
until  fired  on  from  behind  the  fires;  when  he,  the  Colonel,  retreated, 
;;nil  wilh  him  all  the  militia  except  nine,  who  continued  wilh  (nc,  and 
were  instantly  killed,  with  twenty-four  of  tho  federal  troops  ;  seeing  my 
last  man  fall,  and  being  surrounded  by  the  savages,  I  threw  myself  into 
1  thicket,  and  remained  there  three  hours  in  day-light  ;*  during  that  time 
!  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  the  enemy  pass  and  re-pass,  and  con- 
ceived their  numbers  did  not  amount  to  one  hundred  men  ;  sou.e  wera 
iiioimted,  others  armed  with  rifles,  and  the  advance  with  tomahawks 
only.  I  am  of  opinion  that  had  (Colonel  Trotter  proceeded,  'in  the  IHih, 
agreeably  to  his  orders,  having  killed  the  enemy's  senlin  he  wouht 
Inive  surprised  their  camp  and  with  ease  defeated  them  ;  lad  Colonel 

Hardin  arranged  his  troops,  or  made  any  military  dis| osiiion,  on  the 
lOlh,  that  he  would  have  gained  a  victory.  Our  dt  i  1  therefore 
ascribed  to  two  causes ;  the  unofilcer-likc  conduct  of  *  olonel  Hardin, 
(who  I  believe  was  a  brave  man.)  and  the  cowardl  liaviour  of  the 
militia ;  many  of  them  threw  down  their  arms  loaded,  ,;u.l  I  believe  that 
none,  except  the  party  under  my  command,  fired  a  gun.t 

'  VarirtMs  .irrnmils  in  addition  to  this  stiitrinriit  l)y  Armstronir,  sa\  that  In;  was   in  .1 

-wamp  or  pond,  up  to  his  nock;  (Outler,  192.— Cist,  in  his  Cincinnati  Miscellany, i.  183.) 

"thcr  acciiunt.s  say  hi;  was  nicroly  concealed  in  the  swamp,  or  up  to  his  waist  in  water, 

Mi(liiii;,'s  Sketciies,  211.     Cincinnati  .Miscellany,  i.  .3!).)     Our  readers  must  take  their 

!iiiirr  among  the  different  statements  as  to  the  Lieutenant's  position. 

f  .\nierican  .State  Papers,  xii.  p.  2(). 


312 


Jealm/sy  be/wrcn  Ihe  Rcguldrs  and  J\IUUia.       17;)()-: 


At  this   :i:ne   proljubl)  tlu!  jciilousy  Ixlwccii  tlu>    rc^^ulars  uiu' 
militiii   wl'icli   had   hctii   anticipated,  and    uhich    liad    thrcatcm 
trouble  at    Fort   Washinj^lon,   hc^aii   cHictually  to  work  niiscjiiri, 
the  rci^uiar  troops  disllki'd  to  hi-  roiniiiaiidcd  hy  Tr./ttiT  and  Ihi;. 


din,  th 


le  army  olhrcrs  despised  the  inililia,  and  tin-  nulitia  hatin, 
tlieni,  were  inii)atient  under  the  control  of  Harniar  and  his  stiiH 
Afjain,  the  rivalry  between  Trotter  and  Hardin  was  calculated  tu 
make  the  elements  of  discord  and  disobedience  yet  more  wide- 
spread;  so  that  all  true  conndem c  b(t\veen  the  ollicers  and  iiiti; 
was  destroyed,  and  with  it,  of  necessity,  all  tru(*  strent^th. 


houses  and  crops  had  been  buined  and  wasted,  and  upon  the  t}b' 
of  October,  the  army  commenced  its  homeward  niarcli.  Hut  II;ii 
din  was  not  easy  under  his  defeat,  and  Ihe  nit;ht  of  th  •  21st  ht.in. 
favorable,  he  proposed  to  Harmar  to  send  back  a  detachment  • 
tlu!  site  of  the  A  iliai;es  just  deslro}('d,  sujjposin^'  the  sava^'i - 
would  have  already  retunud  thilher.  The  (leiicral  was  not  \<r. 
willinj^  to  try  I'arther  experinu'iits,  but  Hardin  urged  him,  and  i 
last  obtained  an  order  Ibr  .'UO  militia,  of  which  40  were  luouiiUi! 
and  (){)  regular  troops;  the  former  under  Hardin  himself,  the  lattr; 
under  Major  Wyllys.  H  w  they  i'ared  shall  l)e  told  by  Captai; 
Ashelon,  an  actor  in  the  all'ray. 

'I'lic  ilolaclmirnt  mar >i  oil  in  throe  colninns,  tlic  federal  troops  in  ih' 
centre,  at  tlic  head  of  wliioli  I  was  po.slod,  widi  Major  AV'yllys  am! 
(^^olonel  Hardin  in  my  front ;  tlio  militia  formed  the  columns  lo  the  rigl;. 
and  loft.  From  (Iolay.s,  ocoarijonod  by  tlio  militia's  hallinfj,  wo  did  im: 
reach  die  hanks  of  the  Oniee  [Maumee]  till  some  time  afier  sun-rise 
Tlio  spies  thou  diseovorod  the  enemy,  and  reported  to  Major  Wylly?.  "lii 

0   militia  on  some  distrmcc  h; 


halted  tlio   federal   troops,  and  moved   th 

front,  whore  he  <r-\\'c  his  orders  and  pli'.n  of  attaek  to  the   several  c 


nm- 


mamlmir  olrieors  of  corn? 


f 


'I'l 


lose   orders  were   not  communicated  w^ 


me.  Major  "Wyllys  reserved  the  command  of  the  fedor.al  troops  i' 
liimself.  Major  Hall,  with  his  battalion,  was  directed  to  take  a  oircuil- 
ous  rouie  roimd  the  bend  of  the  Omee  l?iver,  cross  the  Pickaway  Fork. 
(or  Si.  Mary's)  wlueh  hroni^du  him  direcdy  in  the  roar  of  the  enemy. 
and  ihoro  wait  until  the  attaek  should  commence  with  Major  M'MulIti;' 
battalion.  Major  Fontaine's  cavalry,  and  Mnjor  Wyllys  with  the  fcdcr:.. 
troops,  who  all  crossed  the  Omee  at,  and  near,  the  eonunon  fordi: :. 
plaee.  After  the  attack  eommeticed,  the  troops  were  hy  no  moans  to 
scparnte,  but  were  to  embody,  or  the  hall.dions  to  support  each  otlar,  i- 
circumstance*  reqiured.  Fron»  this  disposition  it  appeared  evident,  tlii' 
it  was  the  intention  of  Major  Wyllys  to  surround  die  enemy,  and  tli- 


1700-0;"). 

if  Ci)Ion(l 
lonly  disii 
•mist  have 
battalions 
niailc  a  cli; 
!;i.<  tro(i|)S 
portod  bee 
I'mt  had  b( 
l!ijl  day  w 
orders, 
^rjartcrs  m 


Ibit  tliougli  tlie  troops  had  been   disiippointed  and   defeated,  t)h    H  itjitalions 


loading  the 
i',p  anny  i 
I'orn  kept 
lions  of  til 
bilt.ilion  m 

When  I 
iif  (iener; 
liic  battle 
.'id  not  w 
Mr  liis  hor 
L'wd  scour 
nok  ii[)  its 
lii^c  way. 
with  the  M 
iiig  Kort  "V^ 

At  old  C 

'f  the  mil  it 
I'lt  a  stop  l( 
'rs  that  eou 
'.ml  havinjr 
Jered  a  file 
pounder,  an 
was  shorll} 
;uiinber  of  i 

'  .Vmcriciiii 

'!  Hl-«llllL'SI 

■iiird  person. 
^''"'  in  t'iHl 


17;)()-i):,   ■  1700-05. 


Iliirnwr\s  Sernnd  Act  ion. 


343 


MTC   IMOUIlk'il. 

Sflf,  tin-  lattr; 


if  Colonel  Iliill,  wlio  liad  giiiiunl  hi*  ground  iindisoovprod,  h;ul  not  \v:in- 
(only  disnix'yed  liis  orders,  Iiy  firinif  on  a  single  Indian,  llio  surprise 
•lUist  liavo  been  enn)j)lt;to.  The  liuhans  then  fled  with  preripitation,  the 
battalions  of  iiiilitia  pvirsuing  in  diU'erenl  direetioiis.  Major  I'onlaine 
made  a  chanre  upon  a  small  party  of  savages — he  fell  the  first  fire,  and 
hm  troops  dispersed.  Tlif  federal  troops,  who  were  then  left  iinsup- 
portpd  beeamc  an  easy  sacrifiee  to  niueh  the  largest  ])arty  of  Indians 
ihai  had  been  seen  that  ihiy.  It  is  my  opinion  that  the  inisforlunes  of 
ihil  (lay  were  owing  to  tiio  separation  of  troops,  and  disobedience  of 
oiilers.  After  the  federal  troops  were  defivatcd,  and  the  firing  in  all 
|jiiilci's  nearly  oeastd,  Colond  Hall  and  Major  McMullrii,  with  their 
wltalions,  met  in  the  town,  and  after  discharging,  cle ming,  and  I'resli 
loaJiiig  ihtiir  arms,  which  took  up  about  half  an  hour,  proceeded  to  join 
I'ie  army  unmolestet'.  I  am  eonvinccd  that  the  detachment,  if  it  had 
lepii  kept  embodied,  was  suflicient  to  have  answered  the  fidlesl  cxpecta- 
lions  of  the  CJeneral,  and  needed  no  support ;  but  I  was  informed  a 
biltalion  under  Major  Riy  was  ordered  out  for  that  purpose.* 

Whni  Hardin  ictwrnrd  to  camp  after  lliis  skirmish,  he  wislied 
'lit'  (icneral  I'ithcr  to  send  another  party,  or  take  the  whole  army  to 
liic  battle  ground,  but  Ilarmar  would  not  lavor  either  plan.  He 
.'id  not  wish,  he  said,  to  divide  his  troops;  he  had  little  food 
lu liis  horses ;  and  lie  liiou<.dit  the  Indians  ha''  i-  -eived  "a  very 
L'ond  seour^ing ;"  n[)on  the  next  mornint;,  accv/idinirly,  the  arnj}' 
''Ilk  up  its  line  of  niarel>  for  l-'orl  Washin^rton,  in  a  re„;ular,  soldier- 
ikr  way.  Two  men,  sa>s  Hardin,  wisiied  to  have  another  tussle 
\utli  the  Mianiies  ;  —  of  Ihi'  wl-ole  army  oidy  two!  i  Hefore  reaeh- 
iiii;  Fort  VVasliintfton,  however,  new  trouble  oecnirretl. 

At  old  Chillicothe,  on  Little  Miami,  says  Colonel  Ilardin,  a  number 
of  llic  militia,  contrary  to  orders,  fireil  o(T  their  guns,  I  endeavored  to 
jilt  ;i  ?top  to  such  disorderly  behavior,  aiul  commanded  that  those  oflend* 
Ts  tliat  could  be  taken  should  be  [Minished  agreeably  to  general  orders; 
11(1  having  caught  a  soldier  myself  in  the  very  act  of  tiring  his  gun,  or- 
ilert'tl  a  fde  of  men  to  lake  him  inimeiliately  and  carry  him  to  the  six 
pounder,  and  for  the  drummer  lo  tie  him  uj)  and  give  him  six  lashes;  I 
was  shorUy  after  met  by  Colonel  'i'rolter  and  Major  Mc.Mullen,  and  a 
aiimber  of  militia  soldiers,  who  in  an  abrupt  manner  asked  me  by  what 


'  Ainfricim  Stato  PapfrH,  \ii.  28. — Soo  iiccoiirit  in  CistN  C'iiiciiiiiati  Misrrll.mv,  i.  1S3  ; — 
■' -'sMt(  liiii;;"s  (Skctili'.'Sdf  WcsltTii  .\(!\  ciiUirc,  p.  Jll,)  aiiii  otlicrs — We  prelirr  tliat  of 
'1  i.M-"ilncss. — W''  li.ivo  vcrlially  <'liaii;,'fi!  Ashitnii's  stati-itu'lit,  wliir.li  is  givrii  iii  llii! 
luril  person.     Sci'  also  Hardin's  dcpusition,  Aini'rican  StitP  I'api  rs,  \\\.  'X\. 

^^'■"  in  fist's  Cincinnati  Miscelianv,  i.  10;"),  an  uccMial  of  Harnur's  Canipa  i,':!,  Iij  onn 
:  rcMMit. 


341 


Indian  view  (if  Il<ninnr\  Cawpaifin. 


i70()-n:,  I  1700-05. 


aiilhoriiy  I  ordered  that  soldier  whipjicd  ;  I  replied  in  support  of  (rfncr,, 
orders  ;  on  whieli  n  very  vvurrn  dispute  ensued  hetw  ecu  Colonel 'I'loiitr 
Major  McMidlen,  and  luyHclf.  Tlie  (Jeneral  heinir  inforuMMl  of  wh;; 
liad  happened,  came  forward,  and  gave  Colonel  Trotter  and  Majnr  Mc- 
Mullen  a  very  severe  reprimand,  ordered  the  federal  troops  to  parade, 
and  the  drummer  to  do  his  duly,  swearing  lie  would  risk  his  life  in  siiji- 
port  of  his  orders  :  the;  man  received  tin;  nuniher  of  lashes  ordered,  ;inil 
several  that  were  confined  wer(!  set  at  liberty  ;  mnuhers  of  the  niiliir; 
seenu'd  much  pleased  with  what  was  done.  This  intended  nuitinv 
being  soon  quashed,  the  army  proceeded  in  good  order  to  Fort  M'l-i . 
iiiglon.  When  the  army  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Tiicking,  the  CJcnrnu 
informed  me  ho  had  determined  to  arrest  some  of  the  militia  ofTiecrs  for 
their  had  eonduet,  and  send  them  home  with  disgrace:  hut  I  op[i()S(i| 
his  intentidn,  alleging  that  it  would  he  a  disgrace  to  the  whole  niilitii; 
that  he  would  perhaps  stand  in  need  of  their  assistance  on  some  liiluro 
occasion,  and  it  would  sour  their  minds  and  cause  them  to  turn  out  will 
reluctance  ;  and  that  his  discharging  them  generally  with  honor  perluip' 
would  answer  a  better  purpose ;  the  G(Mieral  readily  indulgcil  mv 
request.* 


'I'o  this  Inst  act,  which  caused  imicli  disconlciil  ainoii<r  (lie  frun- 
tier  iMcii ;  —  In  ihc  hvo  defeats  of  the  lOth  and  22d  of  Oclohcrffn, 
such  they  \vcrc;)  and  to  llu-  want  of  any  efFicicncy  on  the  jiait  i; 
llannar,  who,  tli()u<;h  guilty  of  no  hreacli  of  military  care  orcouiiiini 
skill,  acted  like  an  old  voinaii,  compared  with  such  men  a^  Clink, 
and  "Mad  Anthony,"  must  he  ascribed  the  great  imi)o})iila!it\ n; 
this  campaiirii.  The  army,  as  a  whole,  cirected  all  that  the  popu- 
lar expeditions  of  Clark  in  17S>,  and  of  Scott  and  Wilkinson  in 
17!J1,  did,  Wf  iiu-an  the  annihilalioM  of  towns  and  corn,  and  \v;'> 
by  Ilarniar  and  St.  Clair  considered  very  successful ;[  but  in  real- 
ity, //(  i/ic  view  of  iJie  Indinns,  it  was  an  utter  failure  and  defia;. 
'J'heir  account  of  it  was  (his: 


There  have  been  two  engagements  about  ihe  Miami  towns,  betwppii 
the  Americans  and  the  Indians,  in  which  it  is  said,  the  former  had  alDut 
five  hundred  men  killed,  and  that  the  rest  have  retreated.  'I'lie  loss  \va? 
only  fifteen  or  twenty  on  the  side  of  the  Indians.  'J'he  ShawancfC, 
Miamis,  and  PoltawottaiTHCs  were,  I  understand,  the  principal  tribe? 
who  were  engaged  ;  but  I  do  not  learn   that  any  of  the   nations  have 


*  Ariicrican  Stiito  l';i|)ers,  xii.  3.'i. 

t  This  is  ilc;ir,  iis  \vc  l<tiii\\,  from  Itiiriiiar's  jroncral  ordrrs,  upon  Oclolx  r  21,  wUcn  h< 
rook  ii|)  li.s  iiiiircli  tor  Fort  W,l^ilill^toIl,  ami  iVuiii  las  rcjiurt  to  the  Secretary  ol''^^  >' 
i.VintrK-an  State  I'apers.  v.  IO'j.  101.) 


:90-95. 


lAtkrfrom  Rit/us  Put  nam. 


345 


refused  their  alliance  or  assistance,  and   it  is  confidently  voporlcd  that 
i!icy  arc  now  marching  ajjainsl  ilic  frontiers  on  th?  Ohio.* 

Nor  was  tlic  r^'porl  ol'   the  invasion    ot"  tlic  SL'ttlcnu  nts   on  tlic 
iiliio  siiort'  iiir  IVoin  the  trutli. 


Oil  the  evening  of  the  2d  [Jan.  '91]  says  Rufns  Putnam,  writinglo  liic 
Prcsiiicnt — between  sunset  and  dayiight-in,  the  Indians  surprised  a  new 
jfulemenl  of  our  people,  at  a  place  on  the  Muskingum,  called  liie  Hig 
Dultoiu,  nearly  forty  miles  up  the  river,  in  which  disaster  eleven  men, 
piic  woman,  and  two  children,  were  killed  :  ihrcie  men  are  missing,  and 
lour  others  made  their  escape.  Thus,  sir,  the  war,  which  was  partial 
hcfiirc  the  campaign  of  last  year,  is,  in  all  probability,  become  general  : 
lihiiik  there  is  no  reason  to  sujipose  that  we  are  the  only  people  on 
whom  the  savages  will  wreak  their  vengeance,  or  that  the  number  ol" 
hostile  Indians  have  not  increased  since  the  late  expedition.  Our  siiua- 
:ion  is  truly  critical;  the  Governor  and  Secretary  both  being  absent,  no 
ji'iistance,  from  Virginia  or  Pennsylvania  can  be  iiad.  Th(!  garrison  at 
lirtllarmar,  consisting  at  this  lime  of  little  more  than  twenty  men,  can 
slFord  no  protection  to  our  settlements,  and  the  whole  number  of  men, 
:n  all  our  settlements,  capable  of  bearing  arms,  including  all  civil  and 
military  oflicers,  do  not  exceed  two  hunilred  and  eighty-seven,  and  these, 
iiimiy  of  them,  badly  armed.  We  are  in  the  utmost  danger  of  being 
jwailowed  up,  should  the  enemy  push  the  war  with  vigor  during  the 
winter;  this  I  believe  will  fully  appear,  by  taking  a  short  view  of  our 
^cvcral  settlements,  and  1  hope  justify  the  extraordinary  measures  we 
have  adopted,  for  want  of  a  legal  authority  in  the  territory  to  apply  for 
aid  in  the  business.     The  situation  of  our  people  is  nearly  as  ftjllows  : 

At  .Marietta  are  about  eighty  houses,  in  the  distance  t)f  one  mile,  with 
•nlteiing  houses  about  three  miles  up  the  Ohio.  A  set  of  mills  at  Duck 
Creek,  four  miles  distant,  and  another  mill  two  miles  up  the  Muskingum. 
Twenty-two  miles  up  this  river  is  a  selthiment,  consisting  of  about 
;wenly  fiiniilies  ;  about  two  miles  from  them,  on  Wolf  Creik,  are  live 
lamilies  and  a  sot  of  mills.  Down  the  Ohio,  and  opposite  the  Little 
Kfiiawha,  commences  the  settlement  called  Helle  Prairie,  which  extends 
down  the  river,  with  little  interruption,  about  twelve  miles,  and  contains 
between  ihiriy  and  forty  houses.  IJefore  the  late  disaster,  we  had 
several  other  sctdements,  which  are  already  broken  up.  1  have  taken 
ihe  liberty  to  enclose  the  proceedings  of  the  Ohio  company  and  justices 
■A  the  sessions  on  this  occasion,  and  beg  leave,  with  the  greatest  defe- 
rence, to  observe,  that,  unless  (iovcrnmcnt  speedily  send  a  body  of 
roops  for  our  protection,  wc  are  a  ruined  people.     The  removal  of  the 

•  Sop  Stonf ,  ii.  294. 


34G 


Plan  nj'ininl/iir  Conijxiiifn. 


\VM)-%  I  1790-05. 


women  and  cliililron,  etc.  will   reduce  many  of  llie  poorer  Hori  to  ih,  |  ;Hr>i>n  side 

grcatosl  ^l^ait.«l ;    Imt   if  wc  add    to  tliirf  the  dcslruetion  of  tin  ir  com 

fora<,M',  and  (•atllc,  hy  tlio  cnrniy.  wliicdi   is   vrry  |>roI)al)I('  to  v\m\v,  \ 

know  of  no  way  lliny  CHn  bo  supported  ;  but,  if  llii.s  should  not  Iiiipp.  n, 

where  thesis  people  are   to   riiis^e  bread  another  year,  is  not  easy  to  com- 

jeeture,  ami  mo>it  of  them  have  nothini;,'  left  to  buy  with.     Mul  my  fcin 

do  not  stop  here  ;   wc  are  a   people  so  far  detached  from  all  otlicrx,  in 

point  of  situation,  thai  we  can  hope  for  no  timely  relief,  in  case  of  i 

gency,  Itom  any  of  our  neinhhors  ;  and,  amon;r  the  numlier  that 

pose  our  present  military  strength,  almoslone  half  arc  young  men,  hirej 

into  the  country,  intending  to  settle  by  and  by ;  these,  under  prcsciu 

circumstances,   will  probably  leave  us   soon,  uidesii   prospects   should 


iner- 

com- 


biiuiiU 


ghlcn  ;  and,  as  to  new  setders,  we  can  expect  none  in  our  prcsciii 
situation  ;  so  that,  instead  of  increasing  in  strt'Ugth,  wc  are  likely  lu 
diminish  ihdly  ;  and,  if  wc  do  not  fall  a  piijy  to  the  savages,  we  slial! 
be  so  reduced  and  discouraged  as  to  give  up  the  soltlemenl,  unles.n  CIov- 
eminent  shall  give  us  timely  protection.  It  has  been  a  mystery  wii' 
some,  why  the  troops  have  been  withdrawn  from  this  quarter,  and  col- 
lected at  the  Miami;  that  settlement  is,  I  believe,  within  three  or  four 
days'  march  of  a  very  populous  part  of  Kentucky,  from  whence,  in  ■; 
few  days,  they  might  bo  reinforced  with  several  thousand  men,  whcrcis 
we  are  not  within  two  hundred  miles  of  any  settlement,  that  can  prob;i- 
bly  more  than  protect  themselves.* 

The  spiiil  Uiiis  maiiifi'stiMl  hy  tin  Irihcs  which  had  jii>t  lio; 
attacked,  and  tlu'  gciu-ra!  I'etdiiigs  iiloni;  the  Iroiitier  in  n  Li- 
tion  to  llarinar's  L'.\[)L'dlti()ii,  made  the  IJnited  States  (Jovenniun; 
seiisihle  that  their  lii'sl  stej)  in  the  conduct  of  backwoods  warlaic. 
had  been  a  I'aihirc,  and  that  prompt  and  stronff  measures,  eaku- 
latcd  cither  to  win,  or  ibrcc  a  state  of  peace,  must  he  adoptcil.' 
The  plan  which  was  resorted  to  was  a  three-fold  one;  1st,  to  .semi 
a  incssen<rer  to  the  western  Indians  with  oilers  of  peace,  to  he  ai- 
conii)anied  by  some  of  the  Iroipiois  chieftains  favorable  to  Anieiicii; 
2d,  at  the  same  time  to  oriranize  expeditions  in  the  west,  to  sirikc 
the  Wea,  Miami  and  Shawanee  towns  in  case  it  should  be  clca: 
the  peace  messenj^cr  woidd  fail  in  liis  mission;  and  'Jd,  to  i)n'j)aiv 
a  grand  and  overwludming  force  with  which  to  take  possession  "t 
the  country  of  the  enemies  and  build  forts  in  their  midst. j     Tin 

*  See  Atnoricaii  State  Pajx'rs,  v.  121.  — Sec  a  full  accnmit  of  tin-  sctlli  liiriit  on  Hi;,'  H"' 
torn,  and  tlic  attai'k  upon  it:   hy  Dr.  Ilildri'tb,  Ainorican  I'ioiicpr,  ii.  IDl. 

fSon  Knox's  Report,  Ann-rican  State  l'a[)ers,v.  IIJ. 

I  The  a-'l  tor  protecting;  llie  Iroiitier  was  signed  .Marcli  oil,  1791.  (Aniorican  ^W- 
Papers,  .vii.  3(j.)     St.  C'luir  v,us  aiipoiulfd  to  tlic  tomiiiuiid  on  tliu  4lli.     (ilo.) 


P;iM'ter,     W 

1  .March, 

l.iclll  of'  ('(t 
1  llie  Sent 
I'his  chief, 
;!!iia  in  the 
jitliience  to 
•ha'  th<-y 
:iri'vcnti  nsj; 
?.iiil  Knov 
American  i 
iirompany 
ruitisli  com 
■:  Ic  hircil 
tlifi'  could 
Hut  ill  o 
with,  we  in 
;iv  who  rt'i 
liar's  camp 
Lord  Doreli 
ill'  contest 
'y  tiie  trove 
rtn  that  pi 
'  'H,  the  Wt 
Procter,  wa 
wrote  to  Br 

I  liujic  yt 
'.he  chiefs  of 
iiirs  to  heal 
;;ii'  States  w 
I'leir  present 
-re  restrained 

Brant  hii 
U'tiit  ainon 

I  have  rec 
'een  lately  i 

.Aiiienean  1 

■iliiiT's  name  \ 

'•"11^  iiU'ennsy 

tS'.oue,  .1.  2, 


17!)()-0,- 

r(M-  sort  t.)  ill, 
of  llicir  {'urii. 
I)l<'  to  niNiio,  I 
iltl  not  Iiiippi  n, 
lot  iM.'^y  to  COM. 
l^il  my  ft'nrs 
I  iill  otlicrx,  i:i 
M  (Msf  (d  ciiier- 
iilicr  that  poiu- 
11 11^'  iiicij,  liirej 
undtT  present 
osj)e(;ls  shoiili] 
ill  our  prcbfi,; 
c  art'  likely  lo 
vagr.s,  \vi;  !i|i;il! 
Ill,  unless  (idv- 

I  iiiy^^tcry  wi'J; 
larlcr,  and  ml. 
ti   llircf  or  four 

II  wIll'llCO,  ill   ;l 

men,  wlicrca", 
tlial  can  pro!):i- 


md  jii>t  licti, 
iticr  in  nla- 
i  (iovcrnimii' 
oods  wartiiir, 
asuirs,  calcu- 

In'  iidojitfil.' 

;  1st,  to  Si'Wu 
lie  I',  ti>  l)t.'  ac- 
to  A luciii'a ; 
,V(:.st,  to  .strike 

)ul{l  be  clear 
id,  to  prcpari' 

possession  nt 
ini(lst4     Thr 

mnil  III!  lii''  ll'i'- 


(American  Sut'- 
(.lo.) 


iTf)i)-nr). 


Vieics  of  British  in  1701, 


:in 


Hiviii  selectfd  to  convey  iiiessams  of  peace  was  Colonil  Tlioiuiiv 
Piortcr,  who  received  his  comiuission  upon  llie  lOdi  or  lllii 
,1  March,  I7!)l,  and  upon  the  1-Jili  left  I'hilad.lpli  a  for  the  settU- 
i.itiit  of  (,'oniplaiiter,  or  Captain  OMJeel  or  Aheel,  the  chiel  warrior 
,1  ijif  Siiiecas,  and  tlie  lirrn  j'rieiid  of  Washington  and  the  1  nion. 
Iliis  chief,  with  otliers  of  similar  sentinu'iits,  had  been  in  IMiiladel- 
pjiia  in  die  previous  Dereinlie.,  and  had  prdiiiised  to  iisi-  all  their 
iilliicnce  to  secure  peace.*  To  tjiein  Procter  was  sent,  in  the  hope 
'ha'  they  woidd  go  witli  hint  westward,  and  l)e  the  means  o( 
;iri'vt'ntin<^  farther  l)loo(lshed.  In  tliis  hop*',  liowevcr,  \Va>hin!LftoM 
:iiiil  Knox  were  disappf)iii1ed  ;  for,  when,  with  o^reat  difliculty,  the 
American  nriesseii<fer  had  prevailed  upon  certain  of  tlie  [roqiiois  to 
vriunpany  him,  proA'ided  a  water  passa<,^'  couM  he  had,  the 
firiiisli  comniandant  at  Niauara  would  not  allow  an  ICn«rlish   \e.s>el 

Le  liiri'd  to  convey  lh»'  ainhassadors  up  Lake  Krii' ;  and  as  no 
;lier  could  he  obtained,  tiie  whole  enterprise  failed. 

Iint  ill  order  to  understand  liie  diiliciilties  which  F^octor  met 
uitli,  we  must  look  at  the  views  of  the  Hritish,  and  ot  those  Iiuli- 
i:i>  who  remained  linn  to  the  Mriti>h  at  this  period.  Af.er  Ilar- 
liiar's  campaitJjn,  the  tribes  of  the  north-west  sent  a  deputation  to 
Lni'l  Dorchester  to  learn  what  aid  Kngland  wouhl  L^ive  them  iti 
ill' contest  now  fairly  o})eni(l.  What  answer  preeist-ly  was  ^iven 
■y  the  <;ovcrnor  we  do  not  know,  but  ids  wishes  seem  to  have 
'fen  tliat  jH'a<'c  mii^lit  be  restored  and  preserved.!  Colonel  (Jor- 
!"n,  the  liritish  commandant  at  Nia<,'ara,  ^vho  ath'rward  stopped 
Procter,  was  also  an  advocate  ot  peace;  and  on  the  4tli  of  Mandi 
•wte  to  JJrant  in  these  words: 

1  hope  you  will  embrace  the  present  opportunity  of  the  nicotiiij,'  of 
'.ho  chit  fs  of  the  Five  Nations  in  your  iiciffhborliooil,  lo  u.-^e  your  cmlca- 
'iirs  to  heal  tlie  wounds  between  ibe  Indians  aiul  Anu'ricuiis.  I  dan;  say 
liio  States  wish  to  make  peace  on  terms  which  will  secure  to  ilie  Indians 
t'leir  present  possessions  in  the  Miaiid  country,  provided  the  young  men 
3fe restrained  from  commiiiing  dej)redulioii3  in  future. i 

Ihant   himself,  on  the  7th   of  March,    wrilin;^   to    McKee,    (tin 
i-'iiit  among'  tlie  Miamies,)  says: 

1  have  received  two  letters  fiom  the  States,  from  gentlemen  who  have 
'cen  lately  in  I'liiladi'ljiliia  ;  by  which  it  apjjcars  the  Americans  secretly 

.\iiiirir:iM  Stiito  I'aprrs,  v.  110  to  11.").     Corripliiiitir,  like  Ilr.iiil,  \v:is  a  tiuiriireeil  ;  lii« 
iiiiiT's  ii.iinc  WHS  ()'|lc(.|  :   Si'c  a  particular  iu'cmirit  of  Imii  in    Day's  Ilibluricjl    Colloc- 
'•"iH  iilj'cniisvlvuiiia,  G.JO  ;  also  Sluiie's  Lil'i.'  ol'  Ited  .Jacket. 
tSume,    I.  2DU.  2aS.  )  See  Stone,  ii.  297. 


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3'18  Jlodsonf!  of  1i)di(in  and  British  Dissatisfdrtlo)).   1790-f)'. 

wish  to  nrconimodalf!  the  matter — \vlii(;h  I  should  l)y  all  means  advifp, 
if  itpoiild  ho  cfTuctcd  upon  lionorahlo  and  liberal  terms,  and  a  peace  br- 
oonic  general.* 

Wifli  lliosc  views  prevailing,  why  did  Brant,  Gordon,  and  t!,, 
otlicr  offircrs  f)f  Britain  do  so  little  afterwards  to  preserve  pacilir 
relations?  First,  it  would  seem  that  the  Mohawk  chieftain  \v,v 
oircndcd  by  the  favor  shown  Cornplanter,  his  deadly  foe,t  and  tn 
the  alleiiipt  of  tin;  Americans  to  divide  tlie  fro(j\iois  ,  and  in  rci^fjiri' 
to  the  latter  i)oint  at  least  the  Pjiitlsh  sympathized  with  him.  idl,, 
it  is  (dear  that  the  representatives  of  England,  in  Canada,  v.cri 
ofl'enck'd,  and  we  think  naturally,  at.  the  entire  disregard  sliown 
by  the  vVinerican  Government  of  their  influence  over  the  savai:(\ 
of  the  nortli-west.  Those  tribes  were;  closely  connected  with  iL. 
British  agents,  and  iindi-r  their  control,  and  Lord  Dorchester,  Coi- 
oncl  fiordon  and  Jirant  looked  for  an  appeal  to  them  as  mi'cHaturv 
in  the  quarrel  about  to  burst  forth;  or  at  any  rate,  for  an  arcept- 
ance  by  the  Americans  of  their  mediation,  if  asked  by  the  In.li- 
ans:  —  an  acceptance  of  the  kind  given  in  1793,  after  St.  Clair's 
defeat;  and  which  w.is  not,  of  course,  dishonorable  or  degratlini;, 
Thirdly,  both  thi  Indians  and  English  were  puzzled  and  excittd 
by  the  seeming  (though  our  readeis  will  know  in  no  degree  artual, 
want  of  good  Aiith  on  the  part  of  the  States;  which,  at  the  sanu' 
moment  almost,  commissioned  Scott  to  war  upon  the  Mianm--, 
Procter  to  treat  of  peace  with  them,  St.  Clair  to  invade  and  lake 
possession  of  their  lands,  and  Pickering  to  hold  a  council  witL 
their  brethrtni  for  burying  the  fatal  hatchet,  and  cpienching  the  ik- 
structive  brand. 

From  the  inconsistent  proceedings  of  the  Americans, — says  Colonel 
Gordon  to  Brant,  upon  the  11th  of  June, — I  am  perfectly  at  a  loss  to 
understand  their  full  intentions.  Whilst  they  are  assembling  council?  at 
diflerent  quarters  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  bringing  about  a  peace, 
the  Six  Nations  have  received  a  speech  from  General  St.  Clair,  dated  a*. 
Pittsburgh,  23d  April,  inviting  them  to  take  up  the  hatchet  against  ilieir 
brothers  the  western  nations. 

Car  any  thing  be  more  in3onsistent  ?  or  can  they  possibly  believe  the 
Indians  are  to  be  duped  by  such  shallow  artifices  ?  Thi3  far  from  being 
the  case;  the  Indians  at  Buffalo  Creek  saw  the  business  in  its  proper 
light,  and  treated  the  invitation  with  the  contempt  it  deserved.     Il  iiui>; 

•  See  Stone,  ii.  298. 

+  American  State  Papers,  v.  1G7;  stated  by  General  I!no,\. 


rtioH.  noo-n: 


:<)0-95. 


BmnVs  Morcmcnts  in  1791. 


319 


^;rike  you  very  forcibly,  that  in  all  the  proceedings  of  the  clificr^Mil 
Comniis.'iioners  from  tlie  American  States,  they  have  cautiously  avoided 
applying  for  our  interference,  as  a  measure  tliey  affect  to  to  think  pcr- 
f.eily  unnecessary  ;  wishing  to  impress  the  Indians  with  the  ideas  of 
iheir  own  consequence,  and  of  the  little  influence,  they  would  williuirly 
liolicve,  we  are  j)0ssessed  of.  This,  my  good  friend,  is  not  the  wav  to 
proceed.  Had  they,  heforo  matters  were  pushed  to  extremity,  request- 
(J  ihe  assistance  of  the  British  government  to  bring  about  a  peace  on 
eiiuitable  terms,  I  am  convinced  tiie  measure  would  have  been  I'ully  ac- 
complished long  before  this  time. 

I  would,  however,  willingly  hope  they  will  yet  see  the  propriety  of 
adopting  this  mode  of  proceeding  ;  and  that  peace,  an  ol)ject  so  much 
lobe  desired,  will  at  length  he  permanently  settled. 

I  am  the  more  sanguine  in  the  attainment  of  my  wishes,  by  your 
beiiiff  on  the  spot,  and  that  you  will  call  forth  the  exertion  of  }our  iullu- 
oiice  and  abilities  on  the  occasion.* 


lo  de<>"rcc'  actuiU; 


The  Americans  also  were  desirous  fo  enlist  Brant  as  a  peace- 
maker, and  Governor  Clinton,  of  New  York,  was  written  to  by 
rieneral  Knox,  in  the  hope  that  ho  mig'ht  inHuence  tlie  IVFohawk 
leader;  but  tlie  chieftain  was  beyond  his  reacli,  in  the  far  west, 
among  the  tribes  who  were  likely  to  be  foremost  in  the  contest ; 
nor  could  any  learn  whether  he  went  thidier  as  a  peace-maker  or 
promoter  of  war.  Early  in  May  the  United  States  Government  was 
informed  that  he  had  revived  his  plan  of  a  great  Indian  confed- 
tracy;!  and  about  tlie  19th  of  that  month  Procter,  at  Buflalo, 
li'.ard  from   the   West  that  Brant   was   th"re  not   to   pacify,    but 

I  inflame  tlie  Miamies  and  their  allies  ;4:  but  yet,  as  the  chiefs  of 
ihe  Six  Nations  represented  his  purpose  to  be  that  of  a  messenger 
sent  to  learn  the  feelings  of  the  western  tribes,  and  asked  Procter 
iii,'aiii  and  again  to  wait  his  return, ||  the  impression  produced 
upon  the  American  Government  was  that  he  had  nothing  in  view 
but  the  cessation  of  hostilities.  § 

Betbre  Procter,  his  mission  proving  in  vain,  left  Buffalo  creek, 
which  he  did  upon  the  21st  of  May,  measures  had  been  taken  to 
si'ciire  a  council  of  the  Six  Nations  on  the  IGth  of  June,  at  the 
Painted  Post,  near  the  junction  of  the  Conhocton  au.l  'i'ioga  rivrs. 
The  purpose  of  this  council  was  to  secu'-"  the  neutrality  of  the 
Iroquois  by  presents  and  fine  words ;  and  the  plan  appears  lo  liave 

*  Stone,  ii.  300.  +  American  State  Papers,  v,  168. 

t  Do.  161.  II  Do.  163,  165,  &c. 

5  Do.  177.     Kiu)x'.s  letters  of  June  9th  and  16th  to  St.  Clair— also  do.  ISI . 


350 


Scoff's  K.rpedifion,  1791. 


niKMi:, 


Mi('('e(!(k-(1.  "The  treaty,"  says  Knox,  writing  to  St.  Clair  on  tl:, 
4th  of  August,  "closed  on  the  ITjlh,  (of  July,)  and  the  fti(li;i;,. 
returned  satisfied.  Colonel  Pickering  did  not  attempt  to  [x  rsiun!, 
any  of  them  to  join  our  army,  as  he  found  such  a  [)ro|)osal  wnu': 
be  very  disagreeable  to  them."* 

It  had  been  calculated  when  Procter  left  Philadelithia  upon  ;!,. 
]2th  of  March,  that  he  wovdd  either  succeed  or  distinctly  fiiil  n; 
liis  enterprise,  in  time  to  reach  Tort  Washington  by  the  fjth  n; 
May.  This  exjieclation,  as  we  have  seen,  was  I'litirely  defeat, d, 
as  he  ^vas  so  delayetl  that  he  did  not  reach  Ijulfalo  creek  unlil  t!ii 
27th  of  April,  and  did  not  make  his  llrst  application  for  a  vtsst' 
to  cross  Lake  Eri(;  until  May  fMh.  ]}ut  upon  the  above  calnjlatic, 
mistaken  as  it  proved,  were  based  the  arrangements  of  the  I'iiit' 
States  for  carrying  into  effect  the  second  part  of  the  plan  for  tl.^ 
campaign,  —  "the  desultory  operations"  (as  they  were  terniedj!' r 
aiuioying  the  enemy  in  case  Procter  faih^d.  These  operalio;,^ 
were  to  be  .carried  out  by  the  backwoodsmen  under  their  ov,!; 
commanders. 

The  inhabitants  of  Kentucky,  in  December,  1790,  after  Ihuuiar'^ 
return,  had  petitioned  Congress  for  permission  to  fight  the  Iii(li;ui< 
in  their  own  way,  and  upon  the  9th  of  March,  1791,  orders  wen 
issued  to  Brigadier  General  Charles  Scott,  authorizing  him,  in  ton. 
junction  with  Harry  Innis,  John  Brown,  Benjamin  Logan,  anc 
Isaac  Shelby,  to  organize  an  expedition  of  mounted  volunteer 
against  the  nations  upon  the  Wabash,  to  start  upon  May  lOth.j 
unless  countermanded.!  These  orders  in  substance  were  ohoyod. 
The  troops  were  however  delayed  for  news  from  the  north ;  hut  by 
the  23d  of  May,  no  news  of  peace  arriving,  the  detachment  took  up  r- 1 
line  of  march  from  the  Ohio  ;  Colonel  John  Hardin,  who  burnet! ; 
retrieve  his  fiime,  acting  as  a  volunteer,  without  commission,  and  hav- 
ing the  post  of  commander  of  the  advanced  party  and  director  of  il.^ 
guides.  On  the  1st  of  June  the  towns  of  the  enemy  were  discov- 
ered ;  of  the  after  movements  no  fairer  view  can  probably  be  givi;. 
than  by  (Jeneral  Scott  himself.     Having  noticed  the  villages,— 

I  immediately  detached  Colonel  John  Hardin,  says  he,  with  six'} 
mounted  infantry,  and  a  troop  of  light-horse  under  Captain  McCoy,  loj 
attack  the  villages  to  the  left,  and  moved  on  briskly  with  my  main  hui'jl 
in  order  of  battle,  towards  the  town,  the  smoke  of  which  was  di3cer;::j 

*  American  State  Papers,  v.  181. 

+  American  State  Papers,  ^ .  129.     St.  Clair  was  empowered  to  postpone  the  cxpcditiC 
and  did  so.    See  his  Narrative,  p.  7. 


!  700-95. 


»SVo//\s'  K.rpodition. 


351 


1.  Clair  nil  ll:. 
(1  the  Tndiai,- 
,p1  1()  pirsuad. 
iroposal  wi.ii' ; 

l[)liiii  upon  :!,' 
stinclly   lal!  m 
by  \\\v  fjih  ^: 
tirt'ly   defeat. ll, 
creek  un'il  ilii 
on  for  a  \'i<m; 
i()ve  caletih'ii  -, 
s  of  the   r;;i;- 
;io  plan  fm'  ll. 
vcrc  termed; '' : 
licse    operalioi.'^ 
inJcr  their  ov.n 

),  after  IlaniU!:"- 
fiMit  the  In(li;i:i- 
'91,  orders  wore 
;ing  hun,  in  con- 
nin   Lo2;an,  am; 
mted   volunteer 
ipon  INIay  lOthj 
•e  were  oh  eyed 
he  north;  but  by  | 
"jimcnt  took  up  i- 
,  M-ho  burned ' 
nission,andhav- 
cl  direelor  oftU 
,ny  were  discov-| 
■obably  be  giv> 
|ie  viUages,— 

•s  he,  wiih  fix'yl 
Jiptahi  McCoy,  4 
lilh  my  main  budy| 
lich  was  discer:;;' 


Istpone  the  expediuc ! 


>i'.o.  IMy  Iodides  were  deceived  witli  respect  to  the  situation  of  tlic  town: 
for,  instead  of  standing  at  the  edijo  of  the  plain  ihroufi^h  whndi  I  niarch- 
cJ,  I  found  it  on  the  low  ground  hordering  on  the  Wahash  :  on  turning 
■he  point  of  woods,  one  house  presented  in  my  front,  ('aptain  I'rire 
wns  ordered  to  assaidl  that  with  forty  men.  He  executed  the  connnand 
with  iireat  gallantry,  and  killed  two  warriors. 

When  I  gained  the  summit  of  the  eminence  which  overlooks  the  vil- 
licres  on  the  hanks  of  the  Wabash,  I  discovered  the  enemy  in  great  con- 
'u<ion,  endeavoring  to  make  their  escape  over  the  river  in  canoes.  I 
instantly  ordered  liicutenant  Colonel-eommandant  Wilkinson  to  rush  for- 
ward with  the  first  hattidion.  Tlio  order  was  executed  with  prompti- 
tude, and  this  detachment  gained  the  hank  of  the  river  just  as  the  rear 
nf  the  enemy  liad  embarked;  and,  regardless  of  a  brisk  lire  kept  up 
i'rom  a  Kickapoo  town  on  the  opjjosite  hank,  they,  in  n  few  minutes,  by 
3  well  directed  fire  from  their  lifles  dcr;troycd  all  the  savages  with  wbieli 
live  canoes  were  crowded.  To  my  great  mortification  the  Wabash  was 
:inny  feet  beyond  fording  at  this  place:  I  therefore  detaehed  Colonel 
^Vilkinson  to  a  ford  two  miles  above,  which  my  guides  informed  mc 
was  more  practicable.  [Wilkinson  moved  the  first  battalion  up  to  the 
fording  place,  found  the  river  impassable,  and  returned  to  Ouiatenon.] 

The  enemy  still  kept  possession  of  the  Kickapoo  town  :  I  determined 
;nlislodge  them;  and  for  that  purpose  ordered  Captain  King's  and 
Logsdon's  companies  to  marcli  down  the  river  below  the  town,  and 
?ross,  under  the  conduct  of  Major  Barboe.  Several  of  the  men  swam 
".he  river,  and  others  passed  in  a  small  canoe.  This  movement  was  un- 
observed ;  and  my  men  had  taken  post  on  the  bank  before  they  were 
'iseovered  by  the  enemy,  who  immediately  abandoned  the  village. 
About  this  time  word  was  brought  to  me  that  Colonel  Hardin  was  en- 
cumbered with  prisoners,  and  had  discovered  a  stronger  village  furtlier 
to  my  left  than  those  I  had  observed,  which  he  was  proceeding  to  attick. 
limmediately  detaehed  Captain  Brow'ti  with  his  company,  to  support 
the  Colonel  :  but  the  distance  being  six  miles,  before  the  Captain  ar- 
rived the  business  was  done,  and  Colonel  Hardin  joined  me  a  little  lieforc 
•'Jn?ct,  having  killed  six  warriors,  and  taken  fifty-two  prisoners.  Cap- 
'3iii  Bull,  the  warrior  who  discovered  me  in  the  morning,  had  gained  the 
:tiain  town,  and  given  the  alarm,  a  short  time  before  me  ;  but  the  villages 
tomy  left  were  uninformed  of  my  approach,  and  had  no  retreat. 

The  next  morning  I  determined  to  detach  my  Lieutenant  Colonel- 
c">mniandant,  with  five  hundred  men,  to  destroy  the  important  town  of 
Keih-iip-e-ca-nunk,  eighteen  miles  from  my  camp,  on  the  west  side  of 
I'lo  Wahash  ;  but,  on  examination,  I  discovered  my  men  and  horses  to 
l^e  so  crippled  and  worn  down  by  a  long  laborious  march,  and  the  active 
exertions  of  the  preceding  day,  that  three  hundred  and  sixty  men  only 
'ould  be  found  in  a  capacity  to  undertake  the  enterprise,  and  they  pre- 


352 


Wilkinson  \s  Expedilion . 


17!»0-n5.  I  -^^-^'' 


parod  to  iiKiroli  on  foot.  Coloiid  Wilkinson  marclied  with  tliis  dctrii-Ii. 
mrnt  ;it  Iiall'  iifior  i'vc  in  tlu;  evening,  and  reliirncd  to  my  camp  llic  next 
day  al  one  oVdocdi,  having  marched  tliirty-six  miles  in  twelve  hour?,  ani! 
destroy  d  the  most  important  settlement  of  the  enemy  in  that  quar;er  nf 
ihn  IVileral  territory. 

Many  of  the  inhahitants  of  the  village  [Ouiatenon]  were  Frencli,  ami 
lived  in  a  state  of  civilization.  By  the  hooks,  letters,  and  otlicr  doru- 
mpnts,  found  there,  it  is  evident  that  place  was  in  dose  connection  with, 
and  ilcpendent  on,  Detroit.  A  large  quantity  of  corn,  a  variety  of  linibe- 
hold  goods,  j)eltry,  and  other  articles  were  burned  with  this  vIIIhcp, 
which  consisted  of  about  seventy  houses,  many  of  them  well  fiiiij^liuj,' 

As  (111'  cxpi'tiitiou  under  Scott,  ultliough  successful,  luul  init 
reached  the  higher  towns  u])oii  the  Wabash,  Governor  St.  (1;ii: 
thoii'/iit  it  best  to  send  anotlier,  (the  Secretary  of  War  having  an- 
thori/ed  such  a  step,)  against  the  villages  on  Eel  river ;  and  Wil- 
kinson was  appointed  to  command.  He  marched  from  near  Fnr; 
Washington,  upon  the  first  of  August,  and  on  the  7th  reached  tin 
Wabash  just  above  the  mouth  of  the  river  lie  was  in  search  of. 
While  reconnoitering,  however,  in  the  hope  of  surprising  the  na- 
tives, word  was  brought  him  that  Ihey  were  alarmed  and  Hying;  a 
general  charge  was  instantly  ordered. 


The  men,  says  "Wilkinson,  forcing  their  way  over  every  obstadc, 
plunged  through  the  river  with  vast  intrepidity.  The  enemy  was  unable 
to  make  the  smallest  resistance.  Six  warriors,  and  (in  the  hurry  aii'l 
confusion  of  the  charge)  two  squaws  and  a  child,  were  killed,  thirty 
four  prisoners  were  taken,  and  an  unfortunate  captive  released,  with  tlie 
loss  of  two  men  killed  and  one  wounded. 

I  found  this  town  scattered  along  Eel  River  for  full  three  miles,  on  ;ui 
uneven,  scrubby  oak  barren,  intersected  alternately  by  bogs  almost  im- 
passable, and  impervious  thickets  of  plum,  hazle,  and  black  jacks, 
Notwithstanding  these  difllculties,  if  I  may  credit  the  report  of  the 
prisoners,  very  few  who  were  in  town  escaped.  Expecting  a  secnrnl 
expedition,  their  goods  were  generally  packed  up  and  buried.  Sixty 
warriors  had  crossed  the  Wabash  to  watch  the  paths  leading  from  llic 
Ohio.  The  head  chief,  with  all  the  prisoners,  and  a  number  of  families, 
were  out  digging  a  root  which  they  substitute  in  the  place  of  the  potato; 
and  about  one  hour  before  my  arrival,  all  the  warriors,  except  eight,  haJ 
mounted  their  horses,  and  rode  up  the  river  to  a  French  store  to  pur- 
chase ammunition.  This  ammunitipn  had  arrived  from  the  Miami  vil- 
lage that  very  day,  and  the  squaws  informed  me  was  stored  about  two 

*  American  Stale  Papers,  v.  131. 


1700-95. 


Purpose  (if  St.  (.'/(iii-\'i  CitiiqHiign, 


',\:>:\ 


,li  this  (liMtich- 
camp  ihe  next 
:lvo  hour?,  ;ini' 
that  quiiriiT  nf 

re  French,  am! 
id  other  (loru- 
innoction  w'uli, 
iricly  of  house- 
h  tliis  villHgo. 
well  riiiishfil.* 

;sful,  h;ul  nui 
■rnor  St.  Clai: 
ar  luiving  iui- 
,-er ;  ami  \Vi!- 
rom  near  For: 
(h  reached  tin 
j  in  search  oi, 
prising  the  n;i- 
.1  and  Hying;  ''■ 


every  obstacle. 
lemy  was  unable 
,1  the  hurry  aivl 
|e  killed,  thirty- 
leased,  with  the 

Iree  mile?,  on  :.n 
bogs  ulinost  im- 
Ind   black  jacks. 
|c  report  of  thf 
ipctinf^  a  secniiJ 
buried.     Sixty 
leading  from  itic 
liber  of  families. 
;e  of  llie  potato; 
xcept  eight,  had 
iich  store  to  pur- 
the  Miami  vil- 
itored  about  two 


ynilns  from  the  town.  I  dctnchrd  Major  C^ddwell  in  (|west  of  it  ;  but  he 
i:i!c(l  to  ni;ikp  any  discovery,  alliioiiiili  he  sooiired  the  country  f')r  i^vwn 
!)tc\<^\\\.  miles  iij)  the  river. 

I  encamped  in  the  town  that  night,  \\m\  tiie  next  morninir  I  cut  up 
■jiecorn,  sctircly  in  the  milk,  burnt  tht;  cabins,  niounltd  the  young  war- 
•iors,  Pijuaw.-^,  and  cliildren,  in  lliebcsl  manner  in  my  power,  and  leaving 
no  infirm  sqnaw.s  and  a  child,  with  a  short  talk,  I  comnunrcd  my 
inarch  for  the  KickirMoo  town  in  the  prairie.' 

The  Kickapoo  prairie  incli'opolis  was  no!   rcaclicd;    the   horses 

•vrre  too  sore,  and  the  hogs  too  deep;  but    various  cornfields  were 

Irvtroyedjl  "  and  a  respcdahli'"  Kieka[)oo  town  giv  en  to  the  Ihunes  ; 

•';■  whicli  the  General  was  dul)    thanked  hy  his  country.      Mean- 

iiiu',  while  Procter  was  attempting  to  hurry  the  .slow-moving  iro- 

juois,  who  told  him  it  look  tlieni  a  great  wliile  to    thiidi;;];    and 

Wilkinson  was  lloundering  np  to  his  arm-pits  in  mud  and  water, 

aiuoiig  the  morasses  of  the  Wabash ;  ||  the  needful   })reparations 

ivcrt  constantly  going  forward  for  the  great  expedition  of  St.  Clair, 

uiiich,  by  founding  posts  tiu'ougiiout  tlie  western  country,  from  the 

Uliio  to  Lake  Erie,   and  es})ecially  at  tlie  head   of  tlu;   Maumeo, 

ns  to  give  the  United  States  a  sure  means  of  control  over  tlie 

>ava(Tes.     At  a  very  early  period  (1785)  the  admirable  position  of 

'ht' Miami  village  at  the  junction  of  the  St.  Mary  .\nd  vSt.  .Joseph, 

lla-l  struck  Washington's  sagacious   mind,  as  we  know  from  his 

iTcspondence  ;  §  and  when  ITarmar's  expedition  was  under'aken, 

Ik'  purpose  of  it  would  doubtless  liave  been  the  founding  of  a 

luilitary  post  at  tlie  Miami  town,  had  it  been  compatible  with 

I';.' public  finances.^     Eul  Ilarniar's  defeat  having  proved  the  ne- 

i>shy  of  some  strong  check  upon  the  norllicrn  savages,  it  became 

I  liC  main  purpose  of  the  eli'ort  ol  1791,  to  build  a  fori  at  the  point  dc- 

iignattd,  which  was  to  be  connected  by  oUier  intermediate  stations, 

[■villi  Fort  Washington  and  the  Uliio.      Ui  this  w(!  have  proof  in  the 

aiiguage  of  the  Ciovernment  after  St.  Clair's  defeat:   "the  great 

'•'iject  of  tlie  late  campaign,"  says   General  Knox  in   his  official 

hport,  dated  December    26,    1791,    "  was  to    establish  a  .strong 

military  post  at  the  Miami  village  ;  "  and  this  language  is  used  more 

Aiiiericdii  State  Papers,  v.  iJ4. 
"  Wilkinson  s;iys  'IJO  acred  of  corn. 

;  riiis  was  siiiJ  b_v  tlic  (luiult-wiitcd  Ilcd  Jacket.     Aiiicncan  State  Papers,  v-  1.j7. 
.ills  own  words  ;  see  his  oilicial  report  Aniericuii  State  Papers,  v.  131. 
'.  Sparks'  Wasliington,  ix.  109. 
'■><•('  Knox's  letter  to  St.  Clair,  September  12,  17P0.    American  State  I'aperb,  v.  100- 

23 


351 


Jnsliudions  to  SI.  (Hair, 


nOO-flV  I   ,;(,o^r,: 


tliiili  once'  'I'liis  f)l)j»;(;t,  too,  \v;is  U)  he  iitlaim d,  il  possible,  cvi;. 
;it  llic  oxpcnsc  ol"  a  contest  whidi  mi^lit  be  otlnrwiso  5ivoi(lL(l:r 
but  tb(.'  instniclioMS  to  St.  (JIair  \\\h)\\  Ibis  and  otbcr  i)oin1s,  w, 
prefer  lo  ^ive  in  \.\\v.  cb'ar  and  condensed  lanj^niaj^e  of  Kno\  liin;. 
sell',  oiiiininn'  sucli  poiiions  oidy,  as  bave  not  a  Ix.'arinf^  npnn  il., 
'general  siil)je(;t,  and  treat  of  details  merely. 


'I'lie  ProsidcMt  of  llu^  llMiled  Stales  having,  by  and  with  the  adviro 
and  coiisciit  of  the  Senate,  appointod  you  a  major  fTfuornl  in  the  sorvico 
of  the  United  States,  and  of  coiisc(ineiUT  invested  yon  with  tlio  rhift 
eovnniand  of  th(!  troops  to  be  cmpU)yed  npon  the  frontiers  during  il.r 
ensuing  campaign,  it  is  jiropor  tliat  you  shoidil  he  possessed  of  iho 
views  of  tlie  government  respecting  the  objects  of  your  commanil,  I 
am,  therefore,  autliorized  and  commanded,  by  the  President  of  the  rn;- 
ted  States,  to  debver  you  the  following  instructions,  in  order  to  serve  a* 
the  general  princi[)les  of  your  conduct. 

Put,  it  is  oidy  general  [irinciples   which  can  be   pointed  out.     In  !!' 
execution  of   the  duties  of  your  station,  circnnislances   which  cnmi": 
now  be  foreseen  may  arise  to  render  material  deviations  necHSsary.  fSiich  I 
circumstances  will   require  llie  exercise  of  your  talents.     The  Govern- 
uient   possesses  the  security  of  your  character  and  mature  exporicncr, I 
that  your  judgment  will  be  proper  on  all  occasions.     You  are  well  in- 
formed of  the  unfavorable  impressions  which  the  issue  of  the  last  pxpp. 
dition  has  made   on   the  pnhlic  mind,  and  you   are  also   aware  of  tliei 
expectations  which  are  formed  of  die  success  of  the  ensuing  c.unpfiisn. 

An  Indian   war,  under  any  circumstances,  is   regarded  by  the  crcat] 
mass  of  the  people   of  the    United   States  as  an  event  which  onuh',  if 
possible,  to  be  avoided.     It  is   considered   that   the   sacrifices  of  !)lonil| 
and  treasure  in  such  a  war  far  exceed  anv  advantafrcs  which  can  po-^si!lvl 
be  reaped   by  it.     The  great  policy,  therefore,  of  the  General  (Jovcrii- 
nient,  is  lo  establish    a  just  and  liberal  peace  with  all  the  Indian  trihpsj 
within  the  limits  and  in  tlio  vicinity  of  the  t(!rritory  of  the  United  Siatf  = 
Your  intimauons  to  the  hostile  Indians,  immediately  after  the  hite  cxpc-l 
dition,  through  the  Wyandots   and  Dclawiires  ;  the  arrangements  wiihl 
the  Senecas  who  were  lately  in  this  city,  that  part  of  the  Six  Nationsl 
should  repair  to  the   said   bosiile  Indians,  to  influence  them  to  pnci!;8| 
measures  ;  together  with  the  recent  mission  of  Colonel  Procter  to  llifia 
for  the  same   purpose,  will  strongly  evince   the   desire  of  the  GrnPraH 
Government   to   prevent   the   effusion   of   I)lood,   and   to   quiet  nil  di?^ 
turbances.     And  when  you  shall  arrive  upon  die  frontiers,  if  any  oiheB 


•American  State  Papers,  v.  107.  inS. 

tAtnrricaii  .'^t;it(!  I'lipors,  Isl.     Tlic  jjosts  were  to  be  Cbtab'ished  whether  the  Ir.dii: 
remained  hostile  or  not. 


noo-90 


:f)0-f)5. 


hisfrurtinn<i  fo  S(.  Clair. 


W.) 


possible,  (Vi ;. 
\sv.  iiNoidi'il; ' 
cr  i)()Uits,  ui 
of  Knox  liiiii. 
iriiiii  upDii  til. 


villi  iho  ■mW\cc. 
al  ill  the  scrvicf 
I  with  tho  rtiifi 
tiers  (hiriiiij  tic 
josscssoil  of  \].f 
ur  command.  I 
(lent  of  the  l';,;- 
order  to  serve  a^ 

ted  out.     In  il" 
^s   which  caiin"' 
necessary.  Such 
s.     Tiic  Govern- 
lature  experionrr. 
You  are  well  ir.-, 
of  the  lastpvpr-l 
Ipo   aware  of  ihe 
nsuiiig  cunpaiLj^ 
led   hy  the  tirc'.t 
t  which  ouah'.  if 
orifices  of  l)lnnJ 
Inch  ran  po><siHy 
tieneral  (Jovcrii- 
the  Indian  tribes 
lie  United  Statf=. 
ter  the  kite  exri" 
•ranfrenienls  wuH 
the  Six  Nations; 
^  them  to  paciilsj 
Procter  to  tlic" 
|e  of  the  Goncral 
to   quiet  ^-li  ''''■ 
liers,  if  ^"V  oi'i*'! 


whellu;r  the  Ir.ui.a 


or  further  measures  lo  efTeci  the  same  ohjer-i  shoiiM  pres-'ont,  voii  will 

r'nifrly  rmhrace  tliem,  and  tlir*  reasonnhje  expenses  tliercof  shall  he  lU'- 

Iraycd  by  the  piihlic.     IJnf,  if  all  the  lenient  measures  taken,  or  which 

may  be  taken,  should  fail  to  briiifr  the  hostile  Indians  to  n  just  sense  of 

iheir  situation,  it  will  be  necessa.y  that  yu  should   use  such  coercive 

Mcans  as  you  shall  possess,  for  thai   purpose.      You  are  iiirormed  that, 

tyaii  act  of  (Joiifrress,  passed  the  2d  in.itaiit,  another  re^ninent  is  to  be 

nised,  and  added  to  the  military  eslablisliment,  ami  provision  made  for 

..^■f'uvf  two  thousand  Icvie::,  for  the  term  of  six  moiulis,  for  Uio  service 

I ;  the  frontiers.     It   is  (jontemplated  that  the  mass  of  liie  rei,nilars  and 

iiVKs  may  be  recruited  and  rendezvous  at  Fort  Washiii<,noii,  by  iIk;  lOth 

cf  July.     In  this  case,  you  will   have  assembled  a  force  of  llne(,'  Ihoii- 

[nd  uffeclives  at  least,  besides  leaving  sinull  garrisons  on  the  Ohio,  in 

:a!tr  lo  perforin  your  main  expedition,  herciiiafier  inenliuiied.   Ihil,  in  the 

liieaii  time,  if  the  Indians  refuse  to  listen  to  the  messengers  of  peace  sent  lo 

Mm,  it  is  most  probable  tl;ey  will,  unless  prevented,  spread  themselves 

'.115  the  line  of  frontiers,  for  the  purpose  of  committing  all  the  depreda- 

oiis  in  their  power.     In  order  to  avoid  so   cahimilous  an  eveiil,  IJriga- 

icr  General  (Jharles  Scott,  of  Kentucky,  has  been   aulhorized  by  me, 

fa  the  pr.rl  of  the  President  of  tho  United   Stales,  to   make   an  expedi- 

;:on  against  the  Wea,  or  Ouiatanoii  towns,  with  mounted   vohinleers,  or 

;.ulilia  from  Kentucky,  not  exceeding  the  number  of  seven  hundred  and 

iiiy,  ollicers  included.      You   will  perc(uve,  by  the  instructions  to  IJri- 

."idier  (Jeneral  Scott,  that  it  is  confided  to  your  discretion,  whether  there 

•i.oii'.d  be  more  than  one  of  the  said  expeditions  of  mounted  volunteers 

raiilitia.     Your  nearer  view  of  the  objects  lo  be  ell'ucled,  by  a  second 

:.Hillory  expedition,  will   enable   you   to  i'orm    a  belter  judgment  than 

-a  at  present  be  formed,  at  this  distance.     The  propriety  of  a  second 

[cralion  would,  in  some  degree,  depend  on  the  alacrity  and  good   com- 

i/jiilion  of  the  troops  of  which  the  first  may  have  been  formed  ;  of  ils 

^-fce.«s ;  of  the  probable  efTects  a  second  similar  blow  would  have  upon 

.,f  Indians,  with  respect  to  ils  inilucncing  them  to  peace  ;  or,  if  ihey 

:.iUiild  be  still  lioslilely  disposed,  of  prevcming  tlicin    from  dLSolaling 

e  frontiers  by  their  parlies. 

You  will  observe,  in  the  iiislruclions  lo  Brigadier  CJcMieral  Scolt, 
isi.ich  are  lo  servo  as  a  basis  for  the  inslructions  of  the  couimanders  who 
pay  succeed  him,  that  all  captives  aie  to  be  treated  with  great  humanity, 
'will  bo  somid  policy  to  attract  the  Indians  by  kindness,  after  demon- 
■■jting  lo  them  our  power  to  punish  them,  on  all  occasions.  While  you 
;.e  making  such  use  of  desultory  operations  as   in  your  judgment  tlie 

■i^asion  may  require,  you  will  proceed  vigorously,  in  every  operation 

your  power,  for  the  purpose  of  the  main  expedition  ;  and  having  as- 
i^inblcd  your  force,  and  all  things  being  in  readiness,  if  no  decisive  in- 
itiations of  peace  should  have  been  produced,  either  by  the  messengers 


350 


iiislruclions  lo  St.  Claii 


17nO-!t" 


or  l)y  tlio  desultory  operations,  yoii  will  coninT^Micn  your  mnrrh  for  tli^ 
Minmi  vi!I;i;^c,  in  ord'T  to  cslnljli.-jli  a  .'iron;;  'ind  jiiriiKiiifiit  niilitury  pn-' 
at  that  j)hu'c.     In  your  advanrc,  you  will  ostaldisli   hucIi  po.^ts  of  con, 
niunications  with  Fort  Wa.sliington,  on  the  Oliio,  as  yon  may  ju(l!,'0  pm. 
pci.     Tlio  |)o.st  at  the    Miiuni   villag(t   is   intended    for  tho  purijos^e  n' 
awcing  and  curhing  the  Indians  in  that  (luarlcr,  and  as  the  only  prcvcniiv: 
of  future  lu)stilitics.     It  ought,   therefore  to  he  rendered  secure,  agniiij. 
all  a  tenii)ts  and  insults  of  the  Indiun.s.     The  garrison   which  should  I, 
stationed  there  ought  not  only  to  ho  suirieient  for   the   dofeiu-e  of  ihi 
place,  i)iil  always  to  aH'ord  a  detachment  of  live  or  si\   hundred   iiitii, 
either  lo  chastise  any  of  the   Wabash,  or  other   hostile  Iiulians,  or  h. 
secure  any  convoy  of  provisions.     The  estahlishmcnt  of  such  a  post  i- 
considered  as  an  important  object  of  the  campaign,  and  is  to  take  plac 
in  all  events.     In  case  of  a  previous  treaty,  the  Indians   are  to  be  con 
ciliated  upon  ibis  point,  if  possible  ;  and  it  is  prcsunu'd,  good  argunuii; 
may  bo  ofl'ered,  to  iiuluce   their  actiuicscence.     'I'ho  situation,  natiirr. 
and  construction  of  the  works  you  may  direct,  will  depend  upon  yoi;: 
own  judgment.  Major  Ferguson,  of  the  artillery,  will  be  fully  capnlileofl 
the    execution.     lie  will  be  furnishetl  with   three  five  and  a  half  iiici. 
howitzers,  three  six  pounders,  and  three  ihrec-pounders,  all  brass,  wiih 
a  sufllcienl  quantity  of  shot  and  shells,  for  the  purpose  of  the  expeJi- 
lion.     The  appropriation  of  these  pieces  will  depend  upon  your  orders, 

Having  commenced  your  march,  upon  the  main  expedition,  and  iLeJ 
Indians  continuing  hostile,  you  will  use  every  possible  exertion  to  make 
them  feel  tiie   elTecls  of  your  superiority  ;  and  aHer  having  arrived  ;.;| 
the  Miami  village,  and  put  your  works  in  a   defensible  stale,  you  wiil 
seek  the  enemy  with  the  whole  of  your  remaining  force,  and  endeavor, 
by  all  possible  means,  to  strike  them  with  great  severity.     It  will  be  l.ftj 
to  your  discretion  whether  to  employ,  if  attainable,  any  Indians  of  ti.ej 
Six  Nations,   and  the   Chickasaws  or  other   southern   Nations.     Mr 
probably  tlie  emi)loymont  of  about  fifty  of  each,  under  the  direction  oi 
some  discreet  and  able  chief,  woidd   be   advantageous,   but   these  otiri 
not  to  be  assembled  before  the  lino  of  march  is  taken   up,  because  \hm 
are  soon  tired  and  will  not  be  detained.     The  force  contemplated  fori:i( 
garrisons  of  the  Miami  village,  and  the  communications,  has  been  froijj 
a  thousand  to  twelve  hundred  non-commissioned  oflicers  and  privatejj 
This  is  mentioned  as  a  general  idea,  to  which  you  will  adhere,  or  froa 
which  you  will  deviate,  as   circumstances  may  require.     Tha  garriicij 
stationed  al  the  IMiami  village,  and  its  communications,   must  have  iij 
store,  at  least  six  months  good  salted  meat,  and  flour  in  propcrtiop. 

It  is  hardly  possible,  if  the  Indians  continue  hostile,  that  you  wilni 
.sufTered  quietly  to  establish  a  post  at  the  Miami  village  ;  conflicts,  thrrflj 


vn''^ 


fore  may  be  expected  ;  and  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  disciplined 
M-ill  triumph  over  the  undisciplined  Indians.    In  this  event  it  is  proballl 


iiiilc«,s  eirct 
if^rcsl  of 
■very  moas 
;viilc(l.     T 
■?r  at  pro,' 
.-'11  shall    1 
.'n:!r  force 
rrrisniis  at 
•■'lie  under 
l-'Pliirn  to  F( 
It  is  prop 
i,?ople  of  i! 
■^;picst,  an( 
■  J'.nded,  w 
'nited  State 
•'f  present 
■■"  frontiers 
•'>'orc(l  by  t 
'Hie  higli 
'  !!ie  West 


V..-  t) 


■'  tlic  fro 


1)0-95. 


Instructions  to  SI.  Chili 


357 


'mI  llic  rn(li;»iis  will  siu;  fur  p-nrc  ;   if  t'lis  sliruiM   lio  ilic  pia't,  tlir  dirr. 

;:v  of  ihe  United  Sliiton  will  rcrjiiirc  that  llic  Inrms  shouM  ho  lihorai,    !n 

lit  to  avoid  tiitiirt!  war',  it  ini'.^ht  ho  projuT  to  mnko  thi"  Wahaah,  and 

icnco  over  to  the   Miami,  and  down  the   same    to  its  mouth  ut  I.akc 

r,it',  llio  hcnindary,  p.vccptiiig  so  far  as   tlu^   same   sjioiild  relate   to  thr 

M'y;ini1<)ts  and  Dcl.uvarcs,  on  the  siippo«itinn  of  tlicir  cntitiniiinj^  faith- 

:  1   to  the    treaties.     I'lit,    if  they  should    jniii  in    t!io    war  a;jainst    thf» 

''iiitcd  States,  and  yiuir  army  he  victorious,  the  said  trihes  oui^ht  to  ho 

•moved  witjinut  the  houe.dary  mention''(l.    Yon  will  also  judf'e  whether 

would  he  proper  to  extrnd  the  l)ouiidary,  fidin  the  mouth  of  the  "River 

iPansc  of  the  Wahash,  in  a  duo  west  line   to  the  Misfissippi.     Few 

';ulians,  hcsides  llie  Kickapoos,  would  ho  afTectpd  !)y  sueh  a  line  ;   this 

r.frlit  to  be  tenderly  managed.     The  modification  of  the  houndary  miist 

(>  confided   to  your  discretion,  with   this  siuLjle  observation,  that  the 

;  licy  and  interest  of  the  rnitcd  States  dictate  their  beinjr  at  peace  with 


Iiul 


lans. 


This  is  of  mor(!  value  than  uiillioMs  of  uneullivatrd  acres. 


'.r  right  to  which  may  be  conceded   by  some,  and   disptited  by  others. 

The  establishment  of  a  post   at  the  Minmi  village  will  probably  he  re- 

:irlotl,  by    the  l^rilish   ofTiccrs  on  tho  frontiers,   as  a  circumstance   of 

ijoiisy  :   it  may,  ihercforo,  he  necessary  tliat  you  should,  at  a   proper 


;ii;',  make  such  intimations  as  .nay  remove  all  such  dispositmnr- 


This 


'.limation  had  better  follow  than  precede  the  possession  of  the  post, 
iiiloss  circumstances  dictate  otherwise.     As    it   is   not  the  inclination  or 

trrcfl  of  the  United  States  to  enter  into  a  contest  with  Croat  Britain, 
vrry  measure  tending  to  any  discussion  or  altercation   must  be   pre- 

nlcd.  The  delicate  situation  of  afl'airs  may  therefore  render  it  impro- 
rr  at  present  to  make  any  naval  arrangement  upon  Lake  Erie,  After 
HI  shall  liave  effected  all  the  injury  to  the  hostile  Indians  of  which 
r  force   may  be  capable,  and  after  having  cstalilishcd  the   po?;ts   and 


vn;i 


:.rri<nus  ?.{  the  INTianii  village  and  its  communications,  and  placing  the 
•:;nic  under  the  orders  of  an  ofTicer  worthy  of  such  high  trust,  you  will 
rptiirn  to  Fort  Washinjiton  on  the  Ohio. 

It  is  proper  to  observe,  that  certain  jealousies  have  existed  among  the 
,""ople  of  the  frontiers,  relative  to  a  supposed  interference  between  their 
nicicst,  and  those  of  the  marine  States  :  that  tliesc  jealousies  are  ill 
j'.nded,  with  respect  to  the  present  Coverniuent,  is  obvious.  The 
'nited  States  embrace,  with  equal  care,  all  parts  of  the  Union  ;  and,  in 
'le  present  case,  are  making  expensive  arrangements  for  tlie  protection  of 
■'?  frontiers,  and  partly  in  the  modes,  too,  which  appear  to  he  highly 
:.vorc(l  by  the  Kentucky  people. 

The  high  stations  you  fill,  of  commander  of  the  troops,  and  fiovcrnor 
'■  the  Western  Territory,  will  afford  you  frequent  opportunities  to  im- 

'^-'  the  frontier  citizens  of  the  entire  good  disposition  of  the  General 


;jr>s 


.V.  (lair/nipoiisjiir  ('tuii/toif^n 


17!)()  :•• 


(•ovf'riiiiK'iil  t()\v:iiils  lli(!ni  id  ail  rfMrtoiiiiMo  tilings,  ami  yi)U  will  itaJi 
;ii'fr|tt,,l/l('  .scrviiT,  Ity  foiili.illy  (iiiIiraciiiK  ali  Mirli  opportiuiitics.' 


Iinlcr  liirsi'    iiisiiiictioiis   Si.   ('I;iir   |)i(»ci'i'il((i    lo   (»r'^;iiii/c  l,i 
anil).     At  (lie  cloM'  ol'  ;\|»iil  lie   wiis  in   l*ilKl)iii'^,  towiinl  wlii! 
j)()itil  troops  (VoMi  all  (|iiiiit(is,  Ikm'scs,  stores,  and  aiiinnitiiiinn  w 
jjf(>iiit(  forward.       i'lit'  lorccs,  it  was  tlioii"^|i1,   would   he  asscmlili  ' 
hy  llic  last   of  .lid)    or  fir>l   of  August.!      Wy  the  tniddic   ol  .jnK 
howevi'r,  it  was  clear  thai   tlie  early  pari   of  Septeiiihei'  would  i 


a.S  soon  as  tlie    exjiedllioii    eoul 


i'l'l     iinile 


wa 


} 


'  t 


[    I 


Hll 


Ihj    cdi: 


inunder  was  iirt^ed  lo  press  every  thiii^',  and  aei  willi  the  utni'- 
proinptness  and  decision. ||  Dut  this  was  nior*'  easily  ur^■e^l  il,a; 
ac'eoniplished.  On  ihe  l.'jlh  ol'  May,  St.  (Mair  had  reached  I', 
W'asiiin<^lon,  and  ai  that  time,  the  I  niled  Stales'  troops  in  i!,i 
west  anioiMited  lo  hut  two  huiulicd  and  sixty-fonr  non-connnis^ill;, 
t'd  ollicers  and  privates  lit  for  duty;  v^  on  the  15tli  of  July  this  iiiiii 
hvv  was  more  than  donhled,  however,  as  tlio  fust  regiment, 
lainint^  two  hundred  and  ninety-nim'  men,  on  liial  day  reaeheil  F 


cdn- 


W: 


ishuiLi;lon.      deneral  liuller,  who  had  been  appointed  sceniid  in 


ohliiin- 


r.onunand,  was  em|)loyed  through  jiart  of  April  and  AFay  in 
in<^  recruits;  hul  when  obtained,  there  was  no  money  to  pay  tl 
nor  to  ])ro\  ide  stores  for  them.  In  the  (piarter  master's  deparliiic 
meantime,  every  lidnti;  went  on  slowly  and  badly;  tints,  ]);hI\-s, 
dies,  l<ettli's,   knai)sael<s,   and  cartrid^'e  boxes  were  all  "  deficii 


ii'iii, 


in  (pianlity  and  ijualit) 


'ifT 


Woise  than  this,  tlic  i)owdcr  was  |i 


or  injureil,  the  arms  and   accoutrements  out  of  I'epair,^*   ami  n 
even  proper  1f)ols  lo  jnend  them.ff     And   as  Ihe  trof)ps  gall 


HTc 


slowly  al  I'^orl  Washington,  after  wearisome  delenllons  at  Pi"- 
burg  and  uj)0)i  the  river,  a  new  source  of  trouble  arose  in  tlieliai 
its  of  inlemj)t'ranco  indulged  and  acquired  by  the  idlers:  to  wiiL 
draw  them  from   tem])talion,  St.  Clair   was  forced   to  rcmu\i'  L. 

*  Ainrricaii  State  J'a[)er.s,  v.  171. 

t  American  State  Papers,  17ti.  Letter  of  May  12tli.  Tlio  orijjiiui!  i>l.in  iiad  l)i.''':i  ' 
have  all  ready  i)_v  .July  111.     (St.  flair's  Narrative,  7.) 

I  Aiiiorican  Stat(!  I'apers,  v.  179.     Letter  ofJuly  11. 

II  Aniencaii  Static  I'ajjers,  v.  InO. 

§  American  State  Papers,  xii.  [W.  Seventy-five  at  Fort  Washington,  I'lrty-livc  at  F' 
llarmar,  sixty-one  at  I'url  Sic  iil;(  ii,  and  eiyhty-tliree  at  Fort  Kiio.v. 

H  American  State  I'apers,  v.  30.  I'i. 

•*  American  State  Papers,  ^Ck  \2.     St.  Clair's  Narrative,  p.  9  to  1.1. 

t+  American  State  Pajiers,  xii.  36.  37.  Of  six  hundred  and  seventy-five  stand  ot'orm- 
Fort  Washinijton,  (destined  by  St.  Clair  for  the  militia,)  scarce  any  v\'ere  in  order;  ai 
with  t\vo  travelling  :brges  tarnished  by  the  (juarlorinaslcr  there  v\crc  no  aiivdsi. 


Ml'UllU  roiri 


i7!H)-i': 

•oil    will    iLlliI 

lunilicH.' 


()ry,iiiii/.('  hi 
toward  ulih! 
inimiiinii  \\(  , 

ItC     llSSCllllllr' 

iddic   oT  JiiK, 
her   would  I 
liill    llir    >■(<[■■ 
illl    tlir    lltiii- 

\\\,    uracil  il.iii 

rciclicd   I  ', 

tri)()|)>  ill   il,. 

in-titiiiiiiis>ioi,- 

J\d}  this  11111,1- 

icj^inu'iil,  I '  1- 

y  rciiclicd  l'"' 

iitcd  Sfcniiil  i:i 

May  in  olitaiii- 

'y  to  pay  llicm. 

r's  dc'partmcir, 

nts,  j)iick-s;v'- 

;dl    "(iffici-'l; 

wdcr  was  [m  . 

air,"*    ami  ii  ' 


ooO-Of), 


,SV,  C/tiir  mnrrhf^  .Yorfli. 


Mr.f) 


]•( )()[,.  .^ 


s  ii'atlit'iv ' 


)s  ganit'iv 
itioiis  al  i'i'' 
osc  ill  till'  li;i!'- 
lers:  to  will- 
to  reuio\e  ii.^ 

jiKm  liatl  l)i!":i  ■' 


L  tnrly-rivf  at  F- 


livo  stimd  ofnnn-  v 
^•ore  ill  order;  ^n 
bo  anvils. 


ri,  iio\v   riiindi«^riti!^  two   tli-Hiviind,   to   Ludlow's  «;*atioti,    altmif 


v  mil»'s  Iroiii 


diM  [■ 


ori 


0\    Wlllcll,    lloWrVt'T 


III'  iiiorr  tinii  doiililcd 


is  ('  f  pfov  idiii'j;  I'oi'  ill''  tidops.*  Ifcrf  IJir  ann\  coiitiniicd 
1,'il  Si  [II  'iii'iii'  l^lli,  will  n,  )>ciii<j;  two  tlioihimd  liner  Iniiii'iril 
•rmi';,!  t'X(diisi\c  of  iniliiin,  it  moved  lurward  lo  a  point  iijioii  tin- 
Ileal  Miami,  where  l''orl  llamilloii  was  Iniilt,  the  first  in   the    pro- 


I'lM' 


(1    <diaill     r)f    I'oilres.st'S.        'I'liis    heinn-    eoniph 


ihe     lioops 


;:, lived  OH  forty-four  miles  farther,  and  on  ihe  IJih  of  Oeioher 
iiiiiiu-nced  l-'ort  Jcll'erson,  ahoiil  si\  miles  sonlh  of  Ihe  town  of 
lirri'tiville,  Darko  <'oiinly.  On  the  V-Mlh  the  toilsome  march 
•!iroii'j;h  ihi'  wilderness  he'^an  aL!;aiii.  At  this  time  Ihe  eommander- 
■cfliief,  Avhose  duties  throm^h  llii'  siimnier  had  heen  very  severe, 
x:\<  ^ufferini^  from  an  indisposition  which  was  hy  turns  in  \\\<^ 
iii'h,  liin<;"s  and  linihs ;  provisions  were  scarce,  the  roads  wef 
il  heavy,  the  lrooi)s  <going  with   "  much  dilliciilly,"  seven   miles 


'III 


;i!ay;  the  militia  desci'tln<^  sixty  al  a  time.j     Thus  toiliiMf  alonij, 
III' army,  rapidly  lessi  nini;"  hy  desertion,  sickness^  iind  troops  sent 


irresl  deserlers, 


oil 


d     of    \( 


o\eiiilM'r    readied    a   stream, 


'.vi'lve  yards  wide,   which  Si.  ("lair  supposed  to   lie   the    St.    Mary 

tthe  Maumee,  hut  which  was  in   I'calily  a  hranch  ollhe  W'ahasli, 

ist  south  of  tliu  head   waters  of   the   stream   fiu'  which  the    com- 

:ii;ui(ler  mistook  it.      I  pon  the  hanks  of   liiis  creek   the  army  now 

Aoiit  fourteen  hundred  stron<^,  (iiicamped  in  two  lines. 

Tlie  right  winjj, — says  St.  (Hair,  in  Ids  loiter  to  iho  Secrclury  of  War, 
jlier  the  battle, — composed  of  Ijiillcr's,  Chark's,  and  I'attcrpon'.s  IJal- 
.alions,  commanded  by  Miijor  Ciuiieral  Butler,  formed  the  first  line,  and 
'.i.c  Icl't  wing,  consisting  of  IJcdiiigcr's  and  CJailher's  battalions,  ami  ihu 
Jit'oiid  regiment,  comniuiidcd  hy  liieutenaiit  Colonel  Darke,  formed  the 
•■:coiid  line,  with  an  interval  between  them  of  about  seventy  yards, 
'vliK'li  was  all  the  ground  would  allow.  The  right  flank  was  ])rcltv  well 
;fcured  by  Uic  creek  ;  a  steep  bank,  and  Faulkner's  corps,  some  of  the 
Ciivalry,  and  their  picquets,  covered  die  left  (lank,  'i'iie  niiliua  were 
ilirown  over  the  creek,  and  adv  .need  about  one  quarter  of  a  mile,  and 
■ncamped  in  the  snmo  order.  There  were  a  f ;  w  Indians  who  appeared 
on  the  0|)posile  side  of  the  creek,  but  fled  with  die  utmost  precipitation, 
on  the  advance  of  the  militia.    At  this  place,  which  I  judged  to  be  about 

'AiiUTifaii  St;Uc'  Papers,  xii.  37.  The  cost  [inr  ration  at  tlio  Fort  was  six  ami  tliroo- 
;'i"trr  ninetieths  of  a  dollar — at  the  station,  fitleen  aiul  one  ([uarter:  the  former  liad 
't"-Mi  contracted  for. 

tThis  includes  tl 
''ctoberC.     Ame 


garrisons  of  Forts  VVushingtoii  and  llaniiltoii. — (St.  Clair's  letter  of 
rican  S 


Papers,  v.  l.W.) 


CI 


air's  Journal.    (American  State  Papers,  v,  K 


300 


St.  Clair's  Drfmt. 


1790-9- 


1790-05 


fifteen  miles  from  the  Mhimi  vilhigc,  I  deli miiiird  to  tlirow  up  ;i  sljcl,; 
woiL,  the  plan  of  wliicli  was  concerted  tli:it  evening  with  Major  Ft 


I'lru- 


1111. 


son,  wherein  to  have  depo-^iled  the  nun'ri  knapsack-,  and  every  t! 
else  lliat  was  not  of  absolute  necessity,  and  to  have  moved  on  lo 
attack  the  enemy  as  soon  as  the  fir;;t  regiment  was  come  uj).  H,,; 
they  did  not  pernut  me  lo  execute  either:  for,  on  the  4th,  about  Inlf  ;in 
hunr  before  sunrise,  and  when  the  men   had  just  been  dismissed  from 


parade,  (lor  it  was  a  constant  praclico  to  have  llieiii  all  under  arms  a  f'o:> 
sidtrable   time  Ijeforc   day  light,)  im  attack  was  made  upon  tl 


10    llUllll,! 


Those  gave  way  in  a  very  little  time  and  rushed  into  camp  throii"!. 
Major  Uutler's  Ijaltalion,  (wliicIi,  together  with  a  part  of  Clarke's,  tlii^y 
iliey  threw  into  considerable  dis ;)rdcr,  and  whicli,  notwilhstamhiig  ih^- 
exertions  of  both  those  ofTicers,  was  never  altogether  remedied,)  i'.; 
Indians  following  close  at  their  heels.  Tho  fire,  however,  of  the  fron: 
line  checked  them  ;  but  almost  instantly  a  very  heavy  attack  began  upon 
ih.il  line  ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  it  was  extended  to  the  second  likeui.-c. 
Tho  great  weight  of  it  was  directed  against  the  centre  of  each,  ul 
Uic  artillery  was  placed,  and  from  which  the  men  were  repealed 
driven  with  great  slaughter.     Finding  no  great  efTecl  from  our  lire, 


lerc 


aiu 


confusion  beginning  to  spiead  from  the  great  number  of  men  wlio  wen  Hi 
falling   in  all   quarters,  it  became    necci^sary  to  try  what  could  be  doii 
by  the  bayonet,     Lieutenant  Colonel  Darke  was  accordingly  ordered! 


lliK  0 


HIS  ir. 


make  a  charge  with  part  of  the  second  line,  and  to  turn  the  left  11 
the  enemy.  This  was  executed  with  great  spirit.  The  Indi; 
standy  gave  way,  and  were  driven  back  three  or  four  hundred  yards; 
but  for  want  of  a  sufficient  number  of  riflemen  to  pursue  this  advuiii;i.a', 
they  soon  returned,  and  the  troops  were  obligetl  to  give  back  in  llitii 
turn.  At  this  moinenl  they  had  entered  our  camp  by  the  left  flank, 
having  pushed  back  tho  troops  that  were  posted  there.  Another  charifc 
was  made  here  b}'  the  second  regiment,  Butler's  and  Clarke's  battalio:;;, 
with   equal  effect,  and  it  was  repeated  several  times  and  always  \vi:' 


^y 


success  :   but  in  all  of  them   many  men  were  lost,  and  particularly 
officers,  whicli,  with  so  raw  troops,  was  a  los^  altogether  irremed 
In  that  I  just  spoke  of,  nride  by  the  second  regiment  and  Butler 


laD.e. 


s  ba.- 


tal 


1011. 


M; 


iior 


Butler  was  dangerously  wounded,  and  every  officer  of  i!'.o 
second  regiment  fell  except  three,  one  of  which,  Mr.  Greaton,  was  sLo; 
through  the  body. 

Our  artillery  being  now  silenced,  and  all  tlie  officers  killed  exi'cp; 
Captain  Ford,  who  was  very  badly  wounded,  and  more  than  half  ofllr: 
arm}''  fallen,  being  cut  offi  from  the  road,  it  became  necessary  to  attenipi 
the  regaining  it,  and  to  make  a  retreat,  if  [jossible.  To  this  purpo;e 
the  remains  of  the  army  was  formed  as  well  as  circumstances  wouK; 
admit,  towards  the  light  of  the  cncampmi  nt,  from  which,  by  the  *vay  o; 
the  second  line,  another  charge  was  made  upon  the  enemy,  as  if  \\\'-'- 


■he  d'^si 
■^■yi  rfTcc 
Iju't'd  Ii} 
rear. 

The  x(\ 
-rPL'ipilal 
7  fro  a!) at 
live  In  h; 

:!105t  i\U" 

:acn  tlire\ 

ivhicli  CO 

iirewed  w 

'.MWg  Iia( 

.'.ot  be  pri( 

irdcrs  I  s 

.'ram  parti 

::,;cd  quite 

::!;!c  after 

•.riiriri.',  ar 

Iiave  not 

Mjor   Ce 

M:!Jor  Fer, 

Colonel   S 

[.'••utcnant 

•ivlio  ecrvec 

r.ymhcr  of 

I  have  IK 

ien.>i!)ly  by 

"c  misfortu 

I  at  their  w 

.1  service,  . 

xrcd  it  ver 

:'iem  again 

11  the  ofTici 

■'Vcre  niy  c 

■iifTcriiig  111 

■lorse  wiihc 

ivould,  and 

:iiiiiibets;  ] 

posed  of  so 

■'-i'f.'d  throu 

■'Jii  I  founi 

■ity  had  be 

■'•feting  (he 


17!)U-!);;. 


:90-05. 


St.  Clair's  Dffcnt. 


361 


row  up  ;i  A\  h: 
li  M;ij()i-  1\  r_i,. 
and  cvrry  thi:,. 
e    moved    on  lo 
COlUe    llj).     P,.,; 
li,  ;d)(Hil  Iiulf  :;;; 
di?inis:Md  frij;;! 
udiu'  arni.s  ;i  ru:;- 
ipoii  tlio   militl;!, 
,0  camp  tlim;:;;!. 
jf  Clarke's,  t!,.y 
willistaiuliiijr  ill 
•  remedied,)  i'.? 
svcr,  of  tlic  fron: 
.tack  began  '.ypw 
second  likewi.c 
of  cacli,  wlurc 
were  repeatedly 
•oiu  our  lire,  ;uil 
)f  men  wlio  \vt! 
Kit  could  be  (lj:!c 
[liiigly  ordered  tu 
[  the  left  Hank  ol 
The  Iiuliaiis  i:;- 
hundred  yard<; 
tliiri  udvania.-j, 
ivc  back  ill  tlitu 
tlie  left  flank, 
Another  charife 
rke'd  bultaIio:;!f, 
nd  always  «i'.i; 
particularly  tlie 
ler  irremediable, 
liid  Butler's  h-y.- 


';cf 


i!"si''ii  to  turn  their  riL^it  f! 


ml 


Li;t  ill  fact,  to  nrain  the  road.     Tim 


•,vj?  rffccted,  and  ii-i  ^oon  as  it  was  open,  tin;   miliiia  t()(d<  alonj^r  it,  fol- 
lued  by  the  troops;  Maj(jr  T'larkc,   with   his  battalion,  (  overing  the 


rear. 


The  retreat,  in  ihi'-o  cireumstanrcp,  was,  you  may  I'e  sure,  :i  very 
ricijiitate  one.  It  was,  in  fact,  a  (light.  The  caiii[)  and  the  artillery 
vcri3  abandoned ;  but  that  was  unavoidable;  for  not  a  horse  was  left 
live  to  have  drawn  it  ofT,  had  it  otherwise  been  practicable.  I'ut  the 
:;io;t  difgraceful  jnirt  of  the  business  is,  that  the  greatest  part  of  tlie 
;:)cii  threw  away  their  arms  anil  accoulremeiits,  even  after  the  pur.-uit, 
li  continued   about    four    miles,   had    (!cased.      I    found    the    road 


:vlili 


•\m\ 


cd  with  them  fur  many  miles,  Imt  was  not  able  to  remedy  it;  for, 
i-viiig  had  all  my  horses  killed,  and  being  mounted  upon  one  that  could 
-ot  be  pricked  out  of  a  walk,  I  could  not  get  forward  myself;  and  the 
irdcrs  I  sent   forward  either  to   halt  the  front,  or  to  prevent   the   men 


join  parting   wi 


th   tl 


leir  arms,   w 


ere  unattended  to.      The  rout   coiiti- 


,;cd  quite  to  Fort  Jeirerson,  twenty  nine   miles,  which  was   reached  a 

lile  after   .sun -setting.     The   action   began   about   half  an  hour  !)eforc 

;;iri.s.',  and  the  retreat  was  attempted  at  half  an  hour  after  nine  o'clock. 

1 1  iiave  not  yet  been  able  to  get  returns  of  the  killed  and  wounded  ;  but 

M'jor   General    Butler,    Lieutenant  Coloiud    Oldham,    of   the  militia, 

Major  Ferguson,  ^Tajor  ITart,  and  iM;jor  Clarke,  are  among  the  former: 

Colonel   Sargent,   my   Adjutant    Ceneral,  ^Tiieutcnanl   Colonel    Darke, 

Lieutenant  (^olonel    Gibson,    Major  Buder,  and  the  Viscount  ^lalartic, 

ho  served  me  as   an  Aid-de-camp,  are   anion 

iiiilicr  of  captains  and  subalterns  in  both. 


n  the  latter ;  and  a  irreat 


I  have  now,  sir,  finished  my  melancholy  talc  —  a  tde  that  will  be  felt 
visibly  by  every  one  that  has  sympathy  for  private  di-trcss,  or  for  pub- 


..c  m 


isfortune.     T  have  nothing,  sir,  to  lay  to  the  charge  of  the  trooj 


)S, 


lit  their  want  of  discipline,  whi(di,  from  the  short  time  they  had  I)ecn 
1  service,  it  was  impossible  they  should  have  acquired,  and  which  ren- 
'ired  it  very  difllcult,  when  they  were  thrown  into  confusion,  to  reduce 
aein  again  to  order,  and  is  one  reason  why  the  loss  has  fallen  so  heavy 


11  the  ofhccrs,  who  did  every  ihii 


iig  m  their  powc 


T  to  eff,  ct  it.     Neither 


n-y  ollieer  ofi!;eB''fre  my  own 


exertions  wantiiiL^ :   but,  worn   down  with   illness,  and 


Sreaton,  was  sliot 

rs  killed  exi'cp: 
than  half  of  ill'-' 
ssary  to  atlcnipij 
To  this  purpose 
instances  wouL; 
,  by  the  >vay  i-;  I 
einy,  as  if  wi' 


-iifTer 
lorse 


in'r  under  a  nam 


ful  d 


isoase,  un 


.ble 


either  to  mount  or 


dis 


mount  a 


without  assistance,  they  were  not  so  great  as  they  otherwise 
vould,  and  perhaps  ought  to  have  been.  M'e  were  overpowered  by 
:.'jinl)ers;  but  it  is  no  more  than  justice  to  observe,  tliat,  though  com- 
posed of  so  many  different  species  of  troops,  the  utmost  harmony  prc- 
'ailcd  through  the  whole  army  during  the  campaign.  At  Foit  .lelTer- 
■ou  I  found  the  first  legiment,  which  had  returned  from  the  service 
'uy  had  been  sent  upon,  without  ACner  overtaking  the  deseriers,  or 
"i-'eling  the  convoy  of  provisions.     I  am  not,  certain,  sir,  whether  I 


3G2 


.SV.  rinlr's  Drfcat. 


1790-95. 


oujrlit  to  consider  tlio  aliseiicn  nf  this  rogiinont  from  the  fiold  of  netinr, 
as  forliiimto  or  othnrwisr.  I  indiiio  to  lliiiik  it  \v;is  fortiiiiiito  :  for,  1 
very  much  tloubt  whetlier,  had  it  hern  in  the  action,  the  fort\ino  nf  thf 
(lay  had  boon  turned  ;  and,  if  it  had  not,  the  triumph  of  the  onomv 
would  liave  been  more  complete,  and  llic  ountry  would  have  hepti  i!pv 
titutc  of  every  means  of  defence.  Takiuif  a  view  of  tlie  situation  nf 
our  brolicn  troops  at  Fort  Jiiler  m,  and  lliat  there  was  no  prnvisinn 
in  the  fort,  I  called  upon  the  field  oHicers,  viz  :  Tiieuteiiant  Colonel 
Darke,  Major  llaintramek,  Major  '/eigler,  and  Major  Gaither,  tngrilKr 
with  the  Adjutant  General,  [VVinthrop  Sargent,]  for  their  advice  what 
would  be  proper  further  to  bo  done  ;  and  it  was  their  unanimous  opinioii, 
that  the  addition  of  the  tirst  regiment,  unbroken  as  it  was,  did  not  [,u 
the  army  on  so  respectable  a  fool  as  it  was  iii  the  morning,  becaii.se  ;i 
great  part  of  it  was  now  unarmed  ;  that  it  had  been  then  found  uiicqiinl 
to  the  enemy,  and  should  they  come  on,  which  was  possible,  woiildle 
found  so  again  :  that  the  troops  conld  not  be  thrown  into  the  fort,  both 
because  it  was  too  small,  and  that  there  were  no  provisions  in  it;  tlia! 
provisions  were  known  to  be  upon  the  road,  at'the  distance  of  one,  or  :it 
most  two  marches  :  that,  therefore,  it  wouhl  be  more  proper  to  move 
without  loss  of  time,  to  meet  the  provisions,  when  the  men  might  Lave 
the  sooner  an  opportunity  of  some  refreshment,  and  that  a  proper 
detachment  might  be  sent  back  with  it,  to  have  it  safely  deposited  in  li.e 
fort.  This  advice  was  accepted,  and  the  army  was  put  in  motion  al  lea 
o'clock,  and  marched  all  night,  and  the  succeeding  day  met  willi  a 
quantity  of  flour.  Part  of  it  was  distributed  immediately,  part  taken 
back  to  supply  the  army  on  the  march  to  Fort  Hamilton,  and  the 
remainder,  about  fifty  horse  loads,  sent  forward  to  Fort  Jefl'crson.  The 
next  day  a  drove  of  cattle  was  met  with  for  the  same  place,  and  I  have 
information  that  both  jjot  in.  The  wounded,  who  had  been  left  nt  ili;!t 
place,  were  ordered  to  be  brought  to  Fort  Washington  by  the  r(liir:i 
horses. 

I  have  said,  sir,  in  a  former  part  of  this  letter,  that  we  were  over- 
powered by  numbers.  Of  that,  however,  I  have  no  other  evideii'"' 
but  the  weight  of  the  fire,  which  was  always  a  most  deadly  one,  and 
generally  delivered  from  the  ground — few  of  the  enemy  showing  them- 
selves afoot,  except  when  the}"-  were  charged  ;  and  that,  in  a  few 
minutes  our  whole  camp,  which  extended  above  three  hundred  and  fifiy 
yards  in  length,  was  entirely  surrounded  and  attacked  on  all  qiiartcr?. 
The  loss,  sir,  the  yublic  has  sustained  by  the  fall  of  so  many  olliccr?, 
particularly  General  Butler  and  Major  Ferguson,  cannot  be  loo  much 
regretted;  but  it  is  a  circumstance  that  will  alleviate  the  misfortune 
in  some  measure,  that  all  of  them  fell  most  gallantly  doing  their  duty, 
I  have  had  very  particular  obligations  to  many  of  them,  as  well  ns  to 
tlie  survivors,  but  to  none  more  than  Colonel  Sargent,     He  has  di- 


-90-95. 


.S7.  Clair's  Difval. 


3r,;i 


fipld  of  actin:\ 
brtuiKito  :   for,  1 
le  fortuno  of  t!;f 
\    of  tlio  onrniv 
liavo  l)pP!i  (!p<. 
the  siliKitinn  nf 
as  no  pritvisinn 
utciiant  ('olono! 
riaithor,  tng"!htr 
iieir  advice  wlul 
mimoiis  opinion, 
was,  (.lid  not  [v. 
rniiig,  because  a 
II  found  uiicqr.iu 
)ssil)lc,  would  'a 
ito  the  fort,  both 
ision-^  in  it;  tli^i! 
ince  of  on(>,  or  .: 
proper  to  mmy 
men  might  Lave 
id   that  a   proper 
'  deposited  in  ti,c 
in  motion  ;il  ie:i 
day  met  with  a 
ately,  part  takca 
iniilton,  and  itif 
Jefferson.     The 
)lace,  and  I  liavi" 
been  left  at  tli:;i 
m  by  the  rctiira 

I  we  were  over- 
other   evidpnc' 

deadly  one,  ami 
y  showing  ihc'i- 
that,  in    a  few 

uiidred  and  fifiV 

on  all  quarter-. 

0  many  oil'iccrN 

01  be  loo  miitli 
the  miBfortiiiie 

oinir  their  dutv. 
m,  as  well  a^  t' 
t.     He  has  (li- 


ii^rgcd  the  various  duliL's  of  lii.s  ofliiM:  with  zeal,  with  c.xaclnc.-^,  and 
\uili  intelligence,  and  on  all  oecasions  ad'orded  nic  every  as?i.-ilant:c  in 
..,3  power,  which  I  have  also  experienced  from  my  aid-ile-camp,  Lieu- 
;  iiiuit  Denny,  and  the  Viscount  Malarlie,  who  served  with  lae  in  the 
..aiiun  as  a  volunteer.* 

To  this  (k'scrij)ti{)n  liy  the  cfJininaiKlcr,  \vc  add  llic  following 
-ki'ich  by  u  siil;nrdiiiatc  aclor  in  the  scene,  whose  account  brings 
v!\idly  to  view  tht;  confusion  Ijoth  ol  tlie  battle  and  lliglil. 

On  the  fourth  [of  Novemlier]  at  daybreak,  I  began  to  prepare  for 
::;iirniiig  [to  Fort  Wasbington,t]  and  had  got  about  half  my  luggage 
::i  my  horse,  wlien  tlic  firing  commenced.  We  were  encamped  just 
wiihin  the  lines,  on  the  right.  Tbo  attack  was  made  on  the  Kentucixy 
T,ilitii.  Almost  instantaneously  the  small  remnant  of  them  that  escaped 
roko  through  the  line  near  us,  and  this  line  gave  way.  Followed  by  a 
:r?mendous  fire  from  the  enemy,  they  passed  me.  I  threw  my  !)ridle 
)vpr  a  stump,  from  which  a  tent  pole  had  been  cut,  and  followed  a  short 
:i5t:ince,  when  finding  tin;  troops  had  iinlted,  I  returned  and  brought 
ay  horse  a  little  farther.  I  was  now  between  the  fires,  antl  iinding  the 
ro'ips  giving  way  again,  was  obliged  to  leave  him  a  second  time.  As 
I  quitted  him  he  was  shot  down,  and  I  felt  rather  glad  of  it,  as  I  con- 
duded  that  now  I  shall  be  at  liberty  to  share  in  the  engagement.  My 
;?.experienec  prompted  me  to  calculate  on  our  forces  being  far  superior 
1  any  that  the  savages  could  asseml)le,  and  that  we  should  soon  have 
.'le  plf-asure  of  driving  them.  Not  more  than  five  minutes  had  yet 
:'.;ip?ed,  when  a  soldier  near  me  had  his  arm  swinging  with  a  wound, 
[requested  his  arms  and  accoutrements,  as  he  was  unable  to  use  tliem, 
promising  to  return  them  to  him,  and  commenced  firing.  The  smoke 
«3s  settled  down  to  al)out  within  three  feet  of  the  ground,  but  I  gen- 
frally  put  one  knee  to  the  ground,  and  with  a  rest  from  behind  a  tree, 
«Tiitcd  the  appearance  of  an  Indian's  head  from  behind  his  cover,  or 
Mr  one  to  run  and  change  his  position.  IJefore  I  was  convinced  of  my 
:!iiMaken  calculations,  the  battle  was  half  over  and  I  had  become  famil- 
irizcd   to  the  scene,     Hearing  the  firing  at  one   time  unusually  brisk 

'ar  the  rear  of  the  left  wing,  I  crossed  the  encampment.  Two  levy 
:'iriccrs  were  just  ordering  a  charge.  I  had  fired  away  my  ammunition, 
nd  some  of  the  bands  of  my  musket  had  flown  off.  I  picked  up 
■iioiher,  and  a  cartridge  box  nearly  full,  and  pushed  forward  with  about 
':irty  others.  The  Indians  ran  to  the  right,  where  there  was  a  small 
■jviae  filled  with  logs.  I  l)ent  my  course  after  them,  and  on  looking 
wild,  found   I  was  with  only  seven  or  eight  men,  the  others  having 

'American  State  Papers,  v.  137. 

■  -'ii-'  w,u  ill  tlio  iourtcr-iunti.T  ■jrciioral's  service  ;  ^o  that  ho  •'  iou;'hlou!rH  own  liDok-" 


364 


Van  dcvc's  account  nf  St.  CA/</'.v  Ihfeat.       1700-90 


Ivopt  strp-iglit  forward,  ;incl  Iriltcd  a!)OUt  lliirty  yards  o(T.  Wo  li;;!t,  '; 
al-o,  nn.'  boinij  so  near  to  whore  llic  savages  lay  concealed,  llio  srcor' 
fire  from  tlicin  left  mo  stuidiiig  alone.  My  cover  was  a  small  siijr 
tree  or  hnocli,  scarcely  large  enough  to  hide  me.  I  fired  away  nil 
my  ammunition;  T  am  uncertain  whether  with  any  cfTect  or  no'. 
I  then  looked  for  the  party  near  me,  and  saw  them  retreating  ami  h  .l;" 
way  back  to  tlic  line??.  I  followed  ihcm  running  my  hest,  and  \w~ 
soon  in.  T?y  this  time  our  artillery  had  been  taken,  I  do  not  know 
whether  the  first  or  second  time,  and  our  troops  had  just  retaken  it,  xv\ 
were  charging  the  enemy  across  the  creek  in  fiont;  and  some  per-:) 
told  me  to  look  at  an  Indian  running  with  one  of  our  kegs  of  powil'r, 
but  I  did  not  sec  him.  Tliere  were  about  thirty  of  our  men  and  olTi- 
cers  lying  scalped  around  the  pieces  of  artillery.  It  appeared  that  tl,c 
Indians  Iiad  not  been  in  a  hurry,  for  their  hair  was  all  skinned  ofT." 

Dinicl   Bonham,  a  young   man  raised  by  my  uncle  and  brouj;;lit  i;, 
with   me,  and  whom  I  regarded  as  a  brother,  had  by  this-  time  recoirt ! 
a   shot  tlirough  his  hip?,  and  was  unable  to  walk.     I  procured  a  linr-r 
and    got   him  on.     My  uncle  had  re  eivcd  a   ball   near  his  wrist  that 
lodged  near   his  elbow.     The  ground  was  literally  covered  wltlii!:.! 
and  dying   men,   and   the   commander   gave  orders  to  take  the  w;iy— 
perhaps    they   had  been  given  more  explicitly.     Happening  to  sec  my 
uncle,  he  told  me  that  a  retreat  was  ordered,  and  that  I  must  do  the  lir-: 
I  could,  and  take  care  of  myself.     I]onham  insisted  that  ho  had  a  be'.;  : 
chance  of  escaping  than  I  !iad,  and  urged  me  to  look  to  my  own  siil'i 'y 
alone.     I  found  the  troops  pressing  like  a  drove  of  bullocks  to  the  rii;!i'.. 
I  saw  an  ofTicer  whom  T  took  to  be  Lieutenant  Morgan,  an  aid  to  (It:- 
oral   Hutler,  with  six  or  eight  men,  start  on  a  run  a  little  to  the  left  of 
where  I  was.     I  immediately  ran  and  fell  in  with  them.     In  a  shor; 
distance    we  were  so    suddenly  among  the   Indians,  who  were   not  ;;;- 
apprised  of  our  object,  that  the)'  opened  to  us,  and  ran  to  the  right  aiiJ 
left  without  firing.     I  think  about   two    hundred    of   our   men  pa«(  1 
through  thorn  before  they  fired,  except  a  chance  shot.     When  we  In! 
proceeded  about  two  miles,  most  of  those  mounted  had  passed  me.    A 
boy  had  been  thrown  or  fell  oiV  a  horse,  and  begged  my  assistance.    I 
ran,   pulling   him  along  about  two  miles   further,  until  I   had   become 
nearly  exhausted.     Of  the  last  two  horses  in  the  lear,  one  carried  two 
men,    and   the    other  three.     I   made   an    exertion  and   threw  him  on 
behind    the  two   men.     The  Indians    followed   but   about   half  a  niilo 
further.     The  boy  was  thrown  ofiTsome  time  after,  but  escaped  and  go^ 
in  safe  ly.     INIy  friend  Bonham  I  did  not  see  on  the  retreat,  but  under- 
stood   he    was   thrown  ofi'  about  this    place,  and  lay  on  the  left  of  t!ic 
trace,  where  he  was  found  in    the  winter  and  was  buried.     I  took  t.i? 
cramp    violently  in  my   thighs,  and  could    scarcely  walk,  until  I  f' 
within  a  hundred  yards  o.^  the  rear,  where  the  Indians  were  tomalnwK 


/        1700  <■   I  l'^^^~^^-       ^'"^^  Clcvc'-y  account  of  St.  Clu'u''ii  Defeat. 


36i 


on:       Wo   li;;llr: 
!alcil,  lllO  f-fcoi;' 

I   a   small  sa;- 

fired  away  all 

clToot    or    110'. 

reatiiig  aiiil  liilf 

y  best,  and  v,s 

I  do  not  know 

it  rctakcMi  it,  a:il 

nd  some  per-;! 

kegs  of  pow.l'r. 

ir  men  and  olTi- 

ippeared  t!iat  !!,.• 

jkinned  o(T." 

and  broiwlit  r;- 

lis  time  rfrcivi  1 

proouiTd  a  Lnr-. 

ir   liis  wrist  iha! 

vered  with  dc.i! 

take  the  way— 

iCning  to  soo  inv 

mnst  do  the  Ik-: 

I  he  had  a  be!;  r 

my  own  sal'r'v 

<:s  to  t!ir  ri;:!i'.. 

an  aid  to  fli  ::- 

t!c  to  llie  kit  i)f 

■m.     Ill  a  sho:; 

10  were   not  ;.;• 

to  tlie  riglit  anJ 

r   men  pa'^-^i  ! 

When  we  hi! 

passed  me.    A 

assistance,    f 

I   had   become 

one  carried  two 

threw  him  c; 

ut   half  a  iiiiK' 

caped  and  g^ 

eat,  but  under- 

the  k^ft  of  the 

I  took  th? 

Ik,  until  I  p'- 

ere  tomaliawk- 


iniT  the  okl  and  wounded  men  ;  and  I  stopped  here  to  tie  my  pockei 
handkerchief  around  a  man's  wounded  knee.  I  saw  the  Indians  vXc^v 
in  pursuit  at  this  time,  and  for  a  moment  my  spirits  sunk,  and  I  felt  in 
Jcspair  for  my  safety.  I  consider!  d  whether  I  should  leave  the  road, 
nr  whetlier  I  was  capable  of  any  further  exertion.  If  I  left  tlie  road, 
the  Indians  were  in  plain  sight  and  could  easily  overtake  mo.  I  threw 
ilie  slioes  ofT  my  feet,  and  the  coolness  of  the  ground  seemed  to  revive 
liip.  I  again  began  a  trot,  and  recollect  that,  when  a  bend  in  the  road 
oll'ercd,  and  I  got,  before  half  a  dozen  persons,  I  thought  it  would 
occupy  stime  time  for  the  enemy  to  massacre  thciu,  before  my  turn 
would  come,  liy  the  time  I  had  got  to  Stillwater,  about  eleven  miles, 
Iliad  gained  the  centre  of  the  dying  troops,  and,  like  them,  came  to  a 
walk.  I  fell  in  with  Lieutenant  Shaumburg,  who,  I  think,  was  the  only 
oiTicer  [of  artillery  that  got  away  unhurt,  with  Corporal  Mott,  and  a 
woman  who  was  called  red-headed  Nance.  The  latter  two  were  both 
frying.  Mott  was  lamenting  the  loss  of  a  wife,  and  Nance  that  of  an 
infant  child.  Shaumburg  was  nearly  exhausted,  and  hung  on  Molt's 
Jill.  I  carried  his  fusee  and  accoutrements,  and  led  Nance  ;  and  in 
iliis  sociable  way  we  arrived  at  Fort  Jefferson  a  little  after  sunset. 

The  commander-in-chief  had  ordered  Colonel  Darke  to  press  for- 
ward to  the  convoys  of  provisions,  and  hurry  them  on  to  the  army. 
Major  Truman,  Captain  Sedan  and  my  uncle  were  setting  forward  with 
him.  A  number  of  soldiers,  and  packhorsemen  on  foot,  and  myself 
aii:oiig  them,  joined  them.  We  came  on  a  few  miles,  when  all,  over- 
come with  fatigue,  agreed  to  halt.  Darius  Curlus  Orcutt,*  a  packliorsc 
;aaslcr,  had  stolen  at  Jefferson  one  pocket  full  of  Hour  and  the  olhci 
\A  of  beef.  One  of  the  men  had  a  kettle,  and  one  Jacob  Fowler  and 
:aysclf  groped  about  in  the  dark,  until  we  found  some  water,  where 
1  tree  had  been  blown  out  of  root.  We  made  a  ketde  of  soup,  of 
which  I  got  a  small  portion  among  the  many.  It  was  then  coiickided 
3J  there  was  a  bend  in  the  road  a  few  miles  further  on,  tliat  the  Indians 
might  undertake  to  intercept  us  there,  and  wo  decamped  and  travelled 
about  four  or  five  miles  further.  I  liad  got  a  rifle  and  ammunilion  at 
Jefl'crson,  from  a  wounded  militiaman,  an  old  acquaintance,  to  bring  in. 
A  sentinel  was  set,  and  we  lay  down  and  slept,  until  the  governor 
came  up  a  few  hours  afterward.  I  think  I  never  .slept  so  profoundly. 
1  could  hardly  get  awake,  after  I  was  on  my  feet.  On  the  day  before 
i!ie  defeat,  the  ground  was  covered  with  snow.  The  flats  were  now 
:i!lcd  with  water  frozen  over,  the  ice  as  thick  as  a  knife  blade.  I  waij 
worn  out  with  fatigue,  with  my  feet  knocked  to  pieces  against  the  roots 
:!i  the  night,  and  splashing  through  the  ice  without  shoes.    In  the  morn- 

'  (Jrciitt's  packliorses  were  branded  D.  C.  ().,  and  it  was  a  standing  joke,  wlicn  any  one 
lakcil  wliat  the  brand  meant,  to  aimwer  that  L).  C.  stood  for  Darby  Carey,  and  the  rounU 
0  tor  his  wife. 


:3GG 


FJfi^d  of  St.  Clair's  I), feat. 


1790-0: 


ing  wo  got  to  a  camp  of  packliorscmon,  and  nmongst  iliom  I  got  \ 
doiiglihoy  or  wator-diiiiipling,  ami  proceeded.  We  got  williin  sever, 
miles  of  Hariiillou  on  this  day,  and  arrived  lliero  soon  on  tlie  morninj 
of  the  riixlli.* 

'I'lius  wtTc  all  the  plans,  iiopcs  and  labors  of  Washington,  K'n(/\ 
and  Si.  Clair,  in  rt'l'crc-nce  (o  the  Indian  campaign,  in  one  (hiv, 
overtlirown.  The  savages,  again  victorious,  could  neither  he  ex- 
pectcd  to  make  terms  or  exercise  i'orhearanc-e ;  and  along  tin 
whole  line  of  the  frontier  there  were  but  few  that  did  not  feci 
anxiety,   terror,   or  despair,  f     In   its  vl/ccts\    this  was   a  skoih; 

'  li.  \':ui(;l(:n',  in  Aincricaa  PioiuxT,  ii.   LOO. 

t  We  give,  in  illawtTiifion  tlio  following, —  Ti([>ri^(vt<iti<m  from  Ihi  in]iiihli„/,!<,  ,i 
Ihi  hiirii  iif  Pi'tshi/ris,  (Jdtf'fJ,  Pltlylnirish,  Ificiinhir  Wilt.  1"^! — Sir:  Tn  ronsf'i|ii(iirp  m' 
tlio  lato  iMtollif,"'n(:o  of  tlio  tiilo  oftlio  ciiiniiaign  to  tlio  Westward,  the  inlial)itarits  of  thf 
town  of  I'lttsjjurg  liavc  coiivi'Mud,  and  apixjinti'd  us  ii  coniiiutli'f!  liir  tiio  imrpusc!  of  ail- 
dressing  your  Kxccllcncy.  'I'hc  late  disaster  of  the  army  innst  grt.'atly  effc-et  tlic  s.ifiiv 
of  this  jihice.  Th<'rc  can  he  no  doui)t  hut  the  enemy  will  now  cf)nio  forward,  ami  w:;), 
more  s])irit.  and  frreater  nundiers,  than  they  ever  did  before,  for  success  will  give  rci;- 
fidence  and  sen  "e  allies. 

\Vc  serifnisly  a])[)rehend  that  the  .Si;;  Nations,  heretofore  wavering,  will  now  ,i\uw 
themselves;  ;it  least  their  young  men  will  come  to  war.  lie  that  as  it  may,  the  linliii,,- 
at  present  hostile,  arc  well  aciinainted  with  the  defenceless  situation  of  tliis  tou;;. 
DnriTig  the  late  war  there  was  a  garrison  at  this  place,  though,  oven  then,  there  was  no: 
Kucli  a  comhination  of  the  savage  nations,  nor  so  much  to  he  dreaded  from  them.  At 
present,  we  have  neither  garrison,  arms,  nor  ammunition  to  defend  the  place.  If  the 
enemy  should  be  disposed  to  pursue  the  blow  they  have  given,  which  it  is  morally  ccr;i;n 
they  \>ill,  tliey  would,  in  our  situation,  fiiul  it  easy  to  destroy  us;  and,  should  this  jilrni 
J)e  hist,  the  wliole  country  is  oi)en  to  them,  and  must  l)e  abandoned. — A.  Tanncliill  ami 
others,  to  the  (lovcrnor  of  Pennsylvania. 

Mitiw  rial  from  the  inliuhUaiils  of  I  lie  county  of  IV^tgtiiwrdand,  Waskiniiton,  L'mji'h, 
a/xl  Alhfshiiiiy,  to  the  Coa  ritor  of  Fi  n/i,<ijlv'i/iin: — To  his  Excellency  Thomas  M:l!La, 
Esi].,  C.cnernor  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania: — Your  Kxccllency  is  well  awirc 
of  the  great  extent  of  our  frontier;  and,  when  you  consider  the  high  degree  of 
spirit  which  the  savages,  animated  by  two  successive  victories,  entertain,  you  may  ii;orc 
easily  conceive,  llian  we  can  ilescribc,  the  fears  which  pervade  the  breasts  of  tlmac  r.ie:i. 
women  and  children,  who  are  more  innncdiately  subject  to  their  barbarities  and  (!r;)rcJ:i- 
tions.  Had  the  [jeople  a  sufficiency  of  arms  in  their  hands,  they  might,  in  some  moasiirc, 
defend  themselves  until  tlic  General  Government,  to  whose  care  the  common  defence  is 
entrusted,  should  adopt  elficient  steps  for  that  purpose.  At  the  same  time,  we  beg  le;ivt 
to  stale  to  your  ]v\eellency,  what  occurs  to  us  as  the  most  speedy  and  elfectiial  iiiotii'. 
AVhi'u  the  extent  of  country  to  be  [iroteeted  is  taken  into  view,  we  conceive  lliiit  ogi.t 
liundred  elfective  men  will  not  be  deein(>d  more  than  sufficic^nt.  They  should  be  activf 
partisans,  under  exjjcrienced  ollicers,  and  provided  with  good  rifles,  to  suit  the  grantl 
object  of  meeting  the  enemy  upon  eijual  terms  ;  of  scouting,  and  giving  the  alarm  nUuii 
needful.  Such  a  body  should  have  encourag(.'nient  proportioned  to  the  price  of  toh.iauu 
labor  in  this  country,  which  averages  at  fitly  shillings  jier  month,  as  the   pay   allowed  to 

j  III  liraddock's  l);>ttlc  of  one  thousand  t\vo  hundred  men,  seven  hundred  and  fmirfr'^n 
were  killed  and  wounded  ;  in  St.  Clair's,  of  fourteen  hundred  ir.en,  eight  hundred  and 
ninety-four:  of  ]!raddock"s  officers,  eighty-six  in  number,  sixty-three  were  killed  am' 
wounded  ;  of  yt.  Clair's,  sixty-one  out  of  about  an  equal  number;  (8G  to  90.) 


I         I 


Ht    lllOin    I    (Tfit   T 

;nt  within  never. 
on  the  inornin- 


shiii^'ioii,  K'lidx 
n,  in   one  dav. 

neither  he  ex- 
and  alontr  thr 
it   did   not  tuii 

was   a  .second 


■i  (hf  inli'ihihiii'.f  ti 
:  Tn  conspqiiniro  nf 
le  inhal)it;iiits  oftiip 
tlio  purpusi!  of  iiil- 
tly  cfr(>ct  tlic  ?.,[>■; 
n  forwaril,  nin!  \\.:\ 
iccss  will    give  (•(;:- 

ng,  will  now  :\\v\K 
it  iii.iy,  tin:  liidii;,- 
atioii  of  this  toun. 
thou,  thorp  was  n"'. 
lied  from  tlicin.  At 
the  phicp.  If  the 
it  is  morally  ccrtiin 
should  this  ii!^'  '■ 
■A.  Taniicliill  sui 

'dshi/ii^lon,  ['(iiji'ii. 

icy  Thomas  M;l!l.ii. 

lev     is     wrll    awim 

in   liigh    degree  of 

tain,  you  may  ii.ori: 

■casts  of  those  ii;t:i. 

aritios  and  (l(';iii\:.:- 

t,  in  some  mrasiirc 

;ornmon  dci'cucc  li 

liuic,  we  beg  have 

ud  ctrcctiial  ino(ii\ 

'(iiicfivo  that  rii'i.t 

■y  should  be  act..'' 

to    suit  the   [iraiKl 

ig  the  alarm  \iluii 

price  of  cuh.;atii 

pay   allowed  to 

idrpd  and  fourfrcn 
eight   hundred  and 
3  were  killed  ami 
90.) 


1790-95. 


Causes  of  St.   Clair'^s  JJifiitl. 


3G7 


Bratldoek'.s  (leA^at,  wa.s  ll  so  in  its  causis?  Cieiieral  Knox  a.s- 
siifiu'd  as  the  eliiel' reasons  ol' St.  Clair's  overthrow, — 1st,  the  (hTi- 
rii'iicy  of  good  troops:  -Jd,  the  want  ol  aj)i)roj)riate  training  among 
those  lie  (St.  C'hiir)  hati :  .'^d,  the  hiteness  of  the  season.*  The 
romniittee  of  the  House  of  Representatives  which  examined  the 
matter,  upon  the  Sth  of  May  17!)2  reported  the  causes  of  the 
catastrophe  of  the  previous  Novcndjer  to  have  been,  in  their 
opinion, —  1st,  the  (k'hiy  in  preparing  estimates,  ice.,  for  the  (h'- 
I'liicc  of  the  frontiers,  and  the  late  passage  of  the  Aet  (March  'M,) 
for  that  piM-pose:  2d,  the  dehiy  caused  by  the  neglects  in  the 
(Quartermaster's  department:  3d,  the  hiteness  of  th(!  season  wlien 
•;lie  e.xp 'dition  was  commenced:  atid,  4th,  the  want  of  discipline 
,;iiJ  experience  in  the  trcjops.  'I'his  Committee  also  expressly 
(ifchired  General  St.  Clair  tree  of  all  blame  in  rehition  to  every 
:liing  both  before  and  during  the  action. f  Will  the  causes  thus 
,issio;ned  fully  explain  the  defeat.'  In  aiKSwer  it  may  be  observed, 
'  ven  by  one  wholly  ignorant  of  military  matters,  that  the  late  pas- 
^age  of  an  act  of  Congress, —  the  want  of  proper  measiu'cs  by  the 
Quartermaster,  and  the  lateness  of  the  season  were  obviously  not 
among  the  leading  causes  of  the  rout  of  November  4th,  17fn  ; 
these  things  might  have  prevented  the  accomplishment  of  the  plan 
!or  erecting  a  fort  at  the   INIianu  Village,  even  liad  St.  Clair  been 

;V  troops  oftlic  United  States  would  not  ho  a  sufTiciont  inducomont  to  al)lo  bodied  men, 
;A??pssing  the  reipiisito  (pialifications.  We  sug^;est  these  general  ideas  from  our  knowl- 
■<'.:v  of  local  circumstances,  wiiich  tliey  who  are  at  a  distance,  unac(|uainted  with  the 
.tup.l  situation  of  th(^  western  country,  cannot  so  well  perceive.  It  is  not  our  wish  tn 
'MT  into  a  minute  detail,  being  convinced  tliat  your  Excelloncy  is  not  only  fully  ac- 
iiiinteil  with,  but  feelingly  alive  to,  those  impressions,  which  a  state  such  as  ours  must 
:.vc  rise  to ;  nor  can  we  apply  to  any  person  more  [jropcr  than  yourself  to  procure  that 
i«istaiicc  which  it  recpiires-. 

Fm.vi  Ijf  Ti!  prrsi  )itiil  irc<  of  the  Cotinlij  of  Ohio  lo  Ihr  Hnvrrfior  of  Vhfiiihi  : — Sir : 
'!'':i' alarming  intelligence  lately  received,  of  the  dofoat  of  the  army  in  the  western  coun- 
t'v,  fills  our  minds  with  dreadful  fears  and  apprehensions,  concerning  the  safety  of  our 

ilow-citizens  in  the  county  we  represent,  and  we  conlidently  hope  will  be  tin  excuse  to 
.'iiir  Kxccllency,  whose  zeal  has  been  so  fVcijiiriitly  evinced  in  behalf  of  the  distressed 
'"'I'tior  cnunties,  for  the  reqtu'st  we  are  now  compelled  to  make.  Tn  the  cniir'-e  of  last 
var,  upwards  of  fifty  of  otir  ]ieoplo  were  killed,  and  a  great  part  of  our  country  plunder- 
■  1,  notwithstanding  the  aid  afforded  by  the  I'ennsylvanians,  who  joined   the  Virginians  in 

ir  ilel'eiice.  Tln^  success  of  the  IndLauK  in  their  late  engagement  with  (ieneral  St. 
'liir,  will,  no  doubt,  render  them  more  dariirj  and  bold  in  their  future  inciirsiotis  and 
sticks  upon  our  defenceless  inhabitants;  those  adjoining  fhir  county  of  Harrison,  exfond- 
ij  a  hundred  miles  ;  covering  the  county  of  Monongalia  ;  and  wc  conceive  that  not  less 
than  sixty  or  seventy  men  will  be  sutlicient  to  ilefend  them.  Through  you,  sir,  we  beg 
■'.cive  to  recpiost  this  assistance.    (American  State  Papers,  v.  2\5,  216.  222.) 

*  -Vmerican  State  Papers,  v.  198. 
^American  State  Papers,  xii.  38,  39. 


3G8 


Causes  of  Si.   Claii\'i  Defeat. 


\r)()~%  I  |7<)()-f)5. 


victorious  oil  tli;il  (lii),  hill  llicy  did  not.  ciuisc  his  (UTciit.  Wa,  ; 
tlicn  the  wiiiit  ol'  ifood  troops?  \\v  lliiuk  ii  re-pcrusal  of  ih, 
fJencral's  hllcr  will  show  that  his  troops  were  not  wctrthlcss  1,^ 
riiiy  iiitaiis;  tlio  action  hej^an  ahoiit  ,si\  o'cdock,*  and  hisltd  lii; 
liall-past  nine,  —  this  couhi  not  have  Ix'cn  the  case  willi  iindiso 
plined  ti'oo})s,  iinU-ss  they  liad  possessed  at  least  tiie  raw  niatiri,i. 
of  soldiers,  and  had  been  men  who,  well  situa(<'d,  would  hav. 
done  well.  However  much,  then,  the  troops  may  have  liicn 
wnntini^  in  a  projier  trainiiif^,  it  seems  clear  to  us  tliat  this  aloni 
would  not  e\i)lain  the  fortune  of  the  day  unless  the  enemy  had 
been  j)res('nt  in  overwlielminii;  numbers;  and  such  was  not  ])rolia- 
bly  the  case,  the  best  evidence  we  have  goincr  to  show  that  iIm 
Indians  Avere  but  about.  lOOt)  in  iiuml>er,t  Avliih;  thi"  Aiuerifaii 
well'  1  ICO.  Leaving  then  the  reasofis  ofTiciall}  assigned,  we  •-n:- 
gcsl  that  to  the  reader  ignorant  of  mililary  science  it  seems  ijia' 
two  striking  causes  of  the  melandioly  result  are  unnoticed  by  thi 
Secretary  of  War  and  the  Committee  of  Congress:  viz.,  tln>;;- 
prise  by  the  Indians,  who  were  in  no  degree  expected  In  tin 
army,  and  the  confusion  introduced  at  the  outset  by  the  llyiiii: 
militia.  Had  the  attack  been  expected,  the  troops  prepared,  nil 
chance  of  confusion  avoided,  and  had  the  very  able  oflicers  who 
commanded  been  obeycnl,  —  with  all  the  disadvantag(>  of  rnw 
troo]is,  tlie  event  might  have  been,  probably  would  have  hini. 
wholly  dilferent.     We  are  then  led  to  ask,  how'  it  happened  tjin' 


inn! 


the  troops  were  surprised:  —  were  proper  measures  taken  to  m 
against  surprise?  — The  militia,  as  St.  Clair  says,  were  a  (]i!a'-'r: 
of  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  main  army,  and  beyond  the  end;; 
still  farther  in  advance  was  Captain  Slough,  who,  with  a  voliinln; 
parly  of  regulars,  went  out  to  reconnoitre ;  and  orders  had  been 
given  Colonel  Oldham  who  commanded  the  militia  to  have  ik 
woods  thoroughly  examined  by  the  scouts  and  patrols,  as  Imli:ui> 
were  known  to  be  Iian<»ini>'  about  the  outskirts  of  the  anii\. 
In  all  this  St.  Clair  seems  to  have  done  his  entire  duty  as  far  ;!-> 
sickness  would  permit  him ;  could  he  have  seen  in  person  to  the 
essential  steps  it  would  have  been  better.  During  the  night  Cap- 
tain Slough,  who  was  a  mile  beyond  the  militia,  found  so  larp;e  a 


•  November  4th,  siinriso  is  about  half  after  six. 

f  American  State  Papers,  xii.  37. — The  Secretary  of  War  in  December  1791,  cstlniati  1 
the  Indians  at  ;iO00,  l)Ut  tli(!  Coniniittco  of  the  following  May,  liaving  his  anil  otlier  eu- 
(l(-nrc  cut  the  njinbtr  down  to  1010. — Anu:ric:in  Stiite  I'ajicrs,  v.  IDS. — Anierican  SU'.. 
Papers,  xii.  •i'1. 


:()()-95. 


Cdusrs  of  Sf.   CIfi!r\s  Diji'ui. 


•MV.) 


liliu'd,  we 


Illy  of  savar^i'S    leathering    al)i)iil    liim,    thai    he    fi  11   hack    ami 

iportcd  his  (ihscrvatlons  to  (JciiiMal  nutlcr.     IJut  the  (Iciic  al,  i'or 

;,a>()ns  unexphiint'cl,*  made  no  dispositions  in  ronsi-tiucnct.'  ol"  tliis 

iilnrmation,   and  did  not    rcporl    il  to  the    Conunandrr-in-cliifl'. — 

h'loiul  Oldham  also  obeyed  his  onU'is,  thr  woods  were  siarciu-d, 

liiiil  tlio   prcscnru    ol'  the  enemy   det'Cted,   hut  he  too   reported, 

•!irou<,di   Captain   Slou<eh,   to  (Jeiiei       Butler,    i)eyond    whom  the 

.Mormation  did  not  '^o.\     The  eonse(iuence  was  that  in  the  morn- 

r,i;tlH'  army  was  taken  unawares  anil  unjirepaii'd.     But  even  thus 

"ikiii  there  was   a  great  ciiance  of  victory  for  the    United   States 

IrHips,  had  they  not  heen  tlirown  into  disorder  at  the  outset  by  the 

'••^ht  of  the  militia;  and  this  leads  us  to  notice  the  coincidence  ol 

vnimon  sense  uniid'ormed  by  technical  knowledge,  with  practiced 

,'i!iiry  skill,  for  hoth   ^.d'ler   Ilarnuir's   experience   of  17i){)  with 

|:r,f  western  militia,) — would  have  forbidden  the  step  taken  hy  St. 

ICIair,  when  he  posted   his  militia  in  a  hody  in    front  of  the   othei 

ops.  The  experience  of  Hardin,  under  Ilarmar,  had  demon- 
Ivrated  that  militia  could  not  he  trusted  as  a  military  force  opposed 

Indians,  however  brave  the  individuals;  as  in  the  war  of  the 
liii'voliition  their    untrustworthiness    as    troops,  when  opposed  to 


'  llo  was  killed  in  tlie  Iwttlo.     St.   (lair    and    lliiticr   were  not  on  good  terms  at  the 

''.    (St.  Clair's  \arr:ilivc.  31  to  3t;.)     Various   stories   art^    told  as  to  (iciicrai    HiitlirV- 

'h:  some  [see  John  Johnston's  pnpor  in   Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscclliriy,  ii.  2f>0.)  siy  hi' 

I'i-killed  by  a  son  of  his  own,  a  lialf-brpcil  Shawaiu^sc  cliicd';  Stono  (l.d'c  oi'  lirant,  ii. 

.  savs  he  was  ha<lly  woinidod,  and  hcini;  Icll  on  tlic   Held   asked   Simon  (drly  to  kdl 

".liiitttiat   he   refiised,  and    an  Indian  then    put  him   out  of  his  jiain  ;  taking;  his  scalji 

■  hi^artas  trophies:  —  others  (Hutler's  Kentucky,  '201)  say  he  was  voiinded  and  taken 

I '■  ilie  American  canij),  and  there,  while  his  wounds  were  being  dressed,  killed  by  an 

"M.  who  in  his  turn  was  instantly  slain.     This  last  account  se(!ms  to  be  disproved  by 

.'Iitson  who  says,  that  in  the  following  winter,  when  Wilkinson  sent  a  party,  (of  whicii 

|:=«:isone,)  to  the  field  of  St.  Clair's  defeat,  they  found,  as  was  thought,  IJutler's  body 

'.thf!  thickest  of  the  carnage  " — (Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  ii-  31.)    Colonel  Sem|)le, 

"fvcr,  (St.  Clair's  Narrative,  221)  deposes  that  he  saw  four  soldiers  [lutting  (ie'neral 

frier,  after  his  fall,  into  a  blanket.     General    Butler  had    been  an    Indian  Irader  at  an 

Jti'yday;  the  "  Letters  of  an  American   I'lantcr"  contain  a  map  of  the   Scioto,  takcMi 

la  his  Journal ;  it  gives  the  names  of  eight   Indian   towns  on  the  upper  Scioto;  they 

r'e  Mamaconiink,   Puckshenoses,  Maipicchaick,   lilue  Jacket's  town,  Prcowick,  Kis- 

f  ij.Waccachalla,  and  (^liillichatee  :  these  wc're  on  Deer  Creek,  Alleman  Crrrk,  &c. 

'Deposition  of  Captain  Slongh  in  St.  Clair's  Narrative,  213  to  21!).— Marshall's  Ken- 

■■J.  i.  .ISO. — St.  Clair's  report  P.  S.  m  American  State  Papers,  v.  13S.     (Sluujrh  is  mis- 

l'''l''(l  Hough.)     There  was  an  Indian  camp  three  (juarters  of  a  mile  in  extent  in  advance 

■^'■position  of  the  militia.     (See  report  of  February  17D1,  in  Dillon's  Indiana,  i.  liOS.) 

'"-iim  and  Slough  were  convinced  the   army  would   be  attacked   in  the  morning,  (St. 

[I's  Narrative,  pp.  2ir),217;)  yet  Oldham  took  no  measures  in   consequeiict:,  and  sent 

[■"'•port  to  St.  Clair  in  a  very  iiidill'erent  way,  and  through  othf  rs.     lie  was  kUled  in  tin 

pf-    Had  St.  Clair  received  his  account  lie  says  he  should  have  attacked  the  Indiun.'j. 

'  ■■••ative,  135.) 

24 


:no 


Causes  of  Si.   Clair's   Dt/ral. 


WMUY 


I'cpjiilars  lind  been  ('vpcrirncntnlly  proved:  —  *  and  rotnmon  scnvt, 
if  IVcM',  mifclffrcd  l)y  fcrliriicril  rules,  wntild  we  tliirdc  Imvc  jip. 
vented  Si.  Clair  plaein";  liis  militia  as  he  did.  With  this  we  s;i\ 
skill  a<j;rees,  for  we  find,  Jolin  Armstrong,  the  vietor  of  Kittaninu, 
and  an  e\i)eri<'nced  Indian  warrior  saying, —  "placing  the  mJliiM 
in  a  hody  over  the  l)rof)k,  permit  mo  to  say,  was  an  unwarraiitulile 
step,  where  two  or  throe;  small  pickets  would  havo  served  a  hcitir 
purpose."!  And  ho  adds,  in  words  whicli  suggest  a  third  imI 
cause  of  defeat, — 

"  Tt  seems  prohahle,  that  too  mucli  attachment  to  regular  or  inili 
lary  rule,  or  a  too  great  confidence  in  the  artillery  (which  it  seem 
formed  j)art  of  the  lines,  and  had  a  tendency  to   render  the  tro(i| 
stationary,)  must  have  been  the  motives,  which  led  to  the  adnpti 
order  of  action.     I  call  it  adopted,  because  the  General  docs  no 
speak  of  having  intended  any  otiier,  whereby  ho  presented  a  hir^' 
and  visible  object,  perhaps  in  c'ose  orders  too,  to  an  enemy  inai 
enough  to  destroy,  but  from  their  known  modes  of  action  compara. 
tively  invisi])lo:  whereby  wo  may  roadily  infer,   that  five  humln 
Indians  wore  fully  sulficiont  to  do  us  all  the  injury  wo  have  vii 
tainod,  nor  can  I  conceive  them  to  havo  boon  many  more.    But  tra- 
•deal  as  the  event  has  been,  wo  have  this  consolation,  that  durin 
tho  action  our  ofFicers  and  troops  discovered  great  bravery,  anJ  tl 
the  loss  of  a  battle  is  not  always  tho  loss   of  tho  cause.     In  vain, 
however,  may  we  expect  success  against  our  present  advorsari 
without  taking  a  few  lessons  from  them,  which  I  thought  Auk 
cans  had  learned  long  ago.     Tho  principles  of  their  military  adioi 
are  rational,  and  therefore  often  successful.     Wo  must  in  a  dcgn 
take  a  similar  method  in  order  to  counteract  them." 

If  those  views  are  sound,  there  was  no    such    neglect  on  Si 
Clair's,  as  there  was  on  Braddock's    pari;  no  ovorweeniiij,'  si 
confidence,  or  disregard  of  so\md  advice  ;  there  was  nothin<jr,  ali^i 
lutoly  nothing,  to  excuse  the  abuse  and  persecution  to  which 
was  afterwards  subjected;  but  there  was,  1st,  apparent  neglect 
the  part  of  General  Butler  and  Colonel  Oldham,  leading  to  a  sai 
prise;  2d,    a  mistaken  position  assigned  the   militia  by  Si.  Clai 

•  Militia  men,  Yika  tho  members  of  a  mot),  want  that  ferJing  of  confuleiim  in  tin 
Icctivc  force  of  the  troop  which  sustains  the  regular  soldier;  each  man,  however brai 
knows  himself  unable  alone  to  oppose  the  enemy,  and  he  feels  for  the  moment  as 
.ere  alone.  * 

+  Armstrong's  letter   of  December  23d,  1791,  to  Washington.—yparlfB'  VVashingti 
1.  223.— Note. 


1790-90  ■  i:90-9&. 


Plans  for  furthtr  (icfion. 


.371 


common  vi  n., 
tliiiik  liiWf  lip] 
"ith   tliis  we  si\ 
tor  of  Kitliiniii;;, 
icing  tlif  milii  i| 
in  unwaiiiiiiliilil 
r;  served  ii  Ijcitir] 
gesl.  a  tliii'il  n  il 

()  regular  or  mil 
,■  (which  it  scciiij 
render  the  troupjl 
m1  to  thi!  adopt.  (l| 
rjeneral  doc^  mt 
presented  a  liir:: 
to  an  enemy  ii(,ii 
f  action  eoiiipa:;J 
tliat  five  liumlrw 
ury  w'c  have  sus 
ly  more.  But  \m 
lation,  that  durinj 
t  bravery,  an>l  tlia 

cause.     In  vainj 
csent  advorsarii 
I  thoiiglit  Ann 
eir  military  acting 

must  in  a  d(';;re 
n." 

h  neglect  on  SS 
overweening'  >^'^^ 
A-as  nothing,  a!i<a 

it  ion  to  which 

parent  negk'Ct 
leading  to  a  sii^ 

litia  by  St.  Clail 

of  confidenoo  in  the  'ol 
ch  man,  however bri^ 
or  the  moment  as 


!i  accordance  with  the  maxims  dl'  most  oflicers  of  tlie  day :  and 
{|,  ;i  needless  adherence  to  military  rides  on  the  part  of  the  Com- 
,ian(U'r-in-Chief,  which  made  his  force  a  target  fur  the  Indians  to 
■hnot  at.* 

One    circumstance    connected   with   this   battle,  and  on«'  of  no 
iiconsiderable   interest,  lias   Ijeen  but  lately  brought  to  light,  and 
::iay  even  now,  perhaps,  be  doubted;  it  is  the  presence  of  J(»seph 
Prant,    Thayenda.icgea,  —  the    great    Captain    of    the    Mohawks. 
I'ntil  this  was  announced  in  18.'JS,  by  Colontd  Stone  in  his  life  of 
•!iaf  Chieftain,   the   Little   Turtle,   Mecliecunnaipia,   Ciiief  of  the 
\Iianiis,  liad  been  universally  regarded  as  the  leader  at  St.  Clair's, 
;^ lie  had  been  at  Ilarmar's,  defeat.     Mr.  Stf)ne\s  information  was 
luived  frr)m  Tbant's  family;  but  as  there   might   liavi!    been  error 
.itht!  tradition,  —  as  it  is  very    imi)robable   that    he   should   have 
itn  there,  aiul  no  whisper  from  any  source  have  got  abroad  in  all 
Lc  time  since  elapsed  ,  —  as  he  had   been  before  and    was  after- 
wards a  messenger  and  advocate  of  peace, —  and  as  to  believe  him 
it  St.  Clair's  defeat  would  be  to   believe  him  guilty   of  needless 
lisguise  and  deception,  —  we  cannot  but  doubt  the   correctness  of 
liotale  told  Mr.  Stone. f     But  whoever  led  the  savage  forces,  led 
liem  with  ability  and  valor,  and  in  no  recorded  battle  did  the  sons 
jf  the  forest  ever  show  themselves  better  warriors. 

It  was  on  November  4th  that  the  battle  took  place ;  on  the  8th 
iio  remains  of  the  army  reached  Fort  Washington  ;  on  the  9th  St. 
I'lair  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  War ;  on  the  l-2lh  of  I)ecend)er 
ill' information  was   communicated  to  Congress;  and  on   the  ;2Gth 

1  December  Gent^ral  Knox  laid  before  the  President  two  reports, 
iiL'  second  of  which  containi'd  suggestions  as  to  future  operations. 
After  noticing  the  policy  of  the  Government  toward  the  native 
i.'ibes,  the  futility  of  all  attempts  to  })reserve  peace,  and  the  justice 

f  the  United  States  claim,  the  Secretary  proceed^, — 

Hence  it  would  appear,  that  the  principles  of  justice  as  well  as  policy, 
md  it  may  be  added,  the  principles  of  economy,  all  combine  to  dictate, 
'•!iat  an  adequate  military  force  should  he  raised  as  soon  as  possiljlc,  placed 
■jpon  the  frontiers,  and  disciplined  according  to  the  nature  of  die  service, 
in  order  to  meet,  with  the  prospect  of  success,  the  greatest  probable 
'Combination  of  the  Indian  enemy. 

Although  the  precise  manner  in  which  die  force  to  be  raised  should 


I. — Sparks-  WashiDi;;*    '  Wayne  and  Harrison,  as  all  know,  avoided  this  trouble  lij  tlicir  open  order  of  battle. 
t  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  313. 


372 


rians  of  (iencrnl  Knox. 


1790-95  I  :9()-9r 


be  cmploynl,  cfiniiol  l)o  poiiilnl  imt  wllli  i)roi)ricty  at  ihis  liinr,  as  it  wi! 
drpcml  on  llic  ciri-iiiii.siaiiccH  of  tlu;  iiKtiiH  iii,  ytt  it  may  not  he  i(n[iro|if: 
to  olisorvf!,  that,  upon  a  rc'view  of  llic  merits  of  tlic  main  oljcnt  of  \\,t 
Into  rain[t;ii;,'n,  to  wit  :  the  i'slalilixlimcnt  of  a  slronj,' military  pohl  at  tho 
Miami  village,  \vill>  the  neccjtsary  \n)n\^  of  oommnnicalion,  tlio  nocenKiiy 
and  prupri«!.y  thereof  remain  the  «amc  ;  that  this  noccHsiiy  will  probaMy 
continue  until  we  ^liall  ho  poHHewscil  of  the  posts  upon  I/akc  Micliii,'3n, 
of  Detroit,  and  Niajrara,  witlilulil  from  us  hy  (ireat  lliilain,  contrary  i) 
treaty.  Without  rfMnarkinji;  upon  lh(!  principles  of  this  coiuiuci,  it  mjy 
be  observed  generally,  that  every  arrangement  in  the  power  of  tiic  I m. 
ted  States,  for  establishing  the  trancpiiliiy  of  thefronlie-rs,  will  be  inferior 
to  the  possession  of  said  posts.  That  it  is,  however,  considered,  that, 
if  the  said  posts  were  in  our  possession,  wo  ought  al.'jo  to  have  a  slnn^ 
post  at  the  Miami  village,  in  order  to  rcndir  the  j)rotection  ellcctual, ami 
that  the  posts  above-mentioned  will  require  garrisons  whensoever  liny 
shall  be  given  up. 

The  sid)soriber  having  deliiierately  contemplated  the  present  stale  of 
aflairs  upon  the  frontiers,  from  the  south  to  the  north,  jiaving  rocurrcl 
to  the  past  in  order  to  estimate  tlic  probable  future  events,  finds  himself 
eonstrained  by  his  publie  duty,  although  with  greut  reluetanec,  to  slate, 
as  the  result  of  his  judgment,  that  the  public  scrviee  requires  an  incrtjjc 
of  the  military  force,  according  to  the  following  arrangement : 

That  the  military  establishment  of  the  United  Stales  .shall,  during  tie 
pleasure  of  Congress,  consist  of  five  thousand  one  hundred  and  iixn- 
eight  non-commissioned,  privates  and  musicians. 

That  the  said  non-eonimissioncd  olficers  and  privates  shall  be  enli;ieil 
to  serve  three  years,  unless  sooner  discharged. 

That  the  said  troops  be  organized  as  follows  : 

One  squadron  of  cavalry,  of  four  troops,  each  of  70  non-com- 
missioned and  privates,  .......        'Mn\ 

It  should  be  a  stipulation  in  the  engagements  of  these  men, 
that  they  should  serve  on  fool  whenever  the  service  requires  the 
measure. 

One  battalion  of  artillery,  of  four  companies  each,  to  consist 
of  70  non-comnussioned  and  privates,     -         .         .         .         .        3(it 

Each  company  of  artillery  to  have,  as  part  of  its  composition, 
ten  artificers  each,  including  the  pay  of  artillerists  to  have  ten  dol- 
lars per  month. 

l"'ive  regiments  of  infantry,  one  of  which  to  be  riflemen  entire- 
ly, each  of  three  battalions;  each  battalion  of  four  companies; 
each  company  of  70  non-commissioned  and  privates  ;  amounting, 
for  each  regiment,  to  U12, •tc'"''" 

5,lt'^ 


noo-D;:  I  :'»o-90. 


Plans  tif  (Iffwrtil  Knox, 


:n3 


ic  present  state  of 


s  shall  be  enlijiC''! 


I  iion-com- 


to  consist 


Th;it,  in  addition   to  \hr  forrjroin;j  :>rrnn|^rrnpnl,  it  would  he  proper 
.;M  ihn  President  of  llio   Uniii'il   Staton   nfioiild  be  autlioriznd,  hmidos 
I  Ic  employ rntMit  of  militia,  to  take  hucIi  luoaMircn,  for  the  (lcfrn«ivo  pro- 
.(•lioii  of  till!  exposed  parts  of  tlio  frontiers,  l»y  calling'  into  service  ex* 
vrt  woodsmen,  as  patrols  or  scouts,  npon  such  terms  as  he  may  juilgc 
;:opcr.     That  he  be  further  aulliorized,  in  case  he  shoidd   deem  the 
xcisurc  expedient,  to  cringe  mounted  militia  for  defensive  oj)er.itions, 
irsudi  time,  and  on  such  terms,  as  ho  may  judge  equitable.     Thai  he 
('further  antliori/ed,  in  case  ho  sthould  <lecm  the  measure  expedient,  to 
:i[il()y  a  body  of  Indians  l)clon;fiii^f  to  irilios  in  alliance  with  the  United 
I''  lies,  to  act  at^ainsl  the  hostile  Indians  ;   and  that  ho  bo  authorized  to 
•  ipulate  such  terms  as  he  shall  judj^'e  rif,Mit. 
Thut  it  docs  not  seem  essential,  at  this  time,  that  there  ahonld  be  any 
i;ioiial  appropriations  for  the  defensive  protection,  the  niounted  militia, 
lorihe  oniployment  of  Indians,  althou^r|i   ihc  actual  expenses  for  those 
oiijccls  may  amount  to  considcral)lfi  sums,  because  the  estimates,  before 
hi'iitloned,  comprehend  the  entire  expense,  for  one  year,  of  the  pro- 
;u«c(l  establishment  as  complete.     Hut,   let  the  exertions  to  coniplclc  it 
teever  so  jrrcat,  yet  it  is  probable  a  deficiency  will  exist,  which  will  of 
course  occasion  a  less  expense,     'i'ho  moneys,  therefore,  which  may  be 
jppropriated  to  the  establishment,  and  not  expended,  may  be  api)Iicd  to 
;l:e  extra  objects  above  mention"(l,     If,  however,   there  sliould  be  a  dc- 
■:'ienpy,  it  may  hereafter  be  provided  for.     That  the  nctt  pay  of  tlio 
private  soldier,   at   present,  free   of  rdl  deductions,   is   two   dollars    per 
:;ionlli.     But,  as  the  experience  of  the  recruitin:^  service,  of  the  present 
|vtar,  evinces  that  the  inducement  is   insufficient,  it  seems  necessary  to 
rsise  the  pay  to  thrno  dollars  j)er  nioiuli,  free  of  all  deductions  ;  and  the 
Irin-comniissioned  officers  in  proportion.     The  rifle  corps   will  require 
Ixnro.     Hut  whether,  under  present  circumstances,  even  the   additional 
py.  and  an  extension  of  bounty  to  eight  dollars,  would  ^ivc   such  an 
111  pill -0  to  the  recruiting  service,  as  to  fill  the  battalions  immediately, 
I'liiiaips  to  be  tried.      Nothing  has  been  said  upon   an   increased    pay  to 
'le  commissioned  ofTicers,  bccriusc  a  memorial  upon  that  subje(.'t  has 
|bccn  presented  to  Congress.     Hut  it  cannot  bo  doubled  that  a  small  in- 
rPHsc  would  be  highly  grnteful  to  the  ofllccrs,  and  probably  beneficial 
')t!io  service.     The  mounted  militia  is  suggested  to  be  used  during  the 
|;^fparation  for  the  main  expedition,  (and   afterwards,  if  circumstances 
htioukl  render  it  indispensable.)     The  efl^oct  of  such  desultory  opera- 
lions  upon  the   Indians   will,  by  occupying  tliem  for   their  own  safety, 
pd  tliat  of  their  families,  prevent  their  spreading  terror  and  destruction 
|aloii(r  the  frontiers.     These  sort  of  expeditions  had  that  precise  elTect 
(luring  the  last  season,  and  Kentucky  enjoyed  more  repose,  and  sustain- 
5tl  less  injury,  than  for  any  year   since  the    war   with   Great  Britain. 
IHiis  single  effect,  iiultpendcnt  of  the  injury  done   lo  the  force  of  ihe 


,374 


Pacijir  Offer f;  to  tJw  Iroquou 


1700-n- 


InJians,  is  worth  grcally  nioro  th:ui  tlio  arlual  cxponso  of  3iicli  rxpril; 
tions.  TUit,  wliilc  it  is  acknowlodgnl  tliat  niountcil  mililia  may  he  verv 
proper  for  sudden  enterprises,  of  short  duration,  it  is  conceived  tin; 
militia  arc  'Utterly  unsnitahle  to  carry  on  and  terminate  the  war  in  whin!. 
wc  are  engaged,  with  honor  and  success.  And  besides,  it  wouhl  be 
ruinous  to  the  purposes  of  husbandry,  to  keep  them  out  long,  if  it  were 
practicable  to  accomplish  it.  Good  troops,  enlisted  for  a  considerablo 
period,  armed  and  well  disciplined  in  a  suitable  manner,  for  the  nalur':' 
of  the  service,  will  be  t  ,  :al,  individually,  to  the  best  militia  ;  but,  whei. 
it  is  considered  to  these  qualities  are  added,  the  obedience,  the  patience, 
the  promptness,  the  economy  of  discipline,  and  the  inestimable  value 
of  good  officers,  possessing  a  proper  pride  of  reputation,  the  coniparisor, 
no  longer  holds,  and  disciplined  troops  attain  in  the  mind,  and  in  actual 
execution,  that  ascendancy  over  the  militia,  which  is  the  result  of  ajiis; 
comparative  view  of  llieir  relative  force,  and  the  experience  of  all  na- 
tions and  ages.  The  expediency  of  employing  the  Indians  in  alliaiicj 
with  us,  against  the  hostile  Indians,  cannot  be  doubled.  It  has  beer. 
shown  before,  how  difficult,  and  even  impracticable,  it  will  probably  be, 
to  restrain  the  young  men  of  the  friendly  tribes  from  action,  and  that,  ill 
we  do  not  employ  them,  they  will  be  employed  against  us.  The  justice 
of  engaging  them  would  depend  upon  the  justice  of  the  war.  If  il. 
war  be  just  on  our  part,  it  will  certainly  bear  the  test  of  esaaiiiiaiio;:, 
to  use  the  same  sort  of  means  in  our  defence,  as  are  used  agaiii;-i  v.- 
The  subscriber,  therefore,  submits  it  as  his  opinion,  that  it  would  le 
proper  to  employ  judiciously,  as  to  time  and  ciicumslances,  as  many  c; 
the  friendly  Indians  as  may  be  obtained,  not  exceeding  one  thousamli.i 
number.* 

In  the  necessity  for  a  competent  army  all  se-.  m  to  have  agreeu, 
but  it  \va.s  the  wish  of  Washington  that  before  this  arniy  wa- 
oreranized  every  efTort  should  be  again  made  to  prevent  bloodshni. 
Colonel  Pickering,  in  his  meeting  of  June  and  July  1791,  wii'u 
the  Iroquois  at  the  Painted  Post,  had  among  other  things  proposal 
that  certain  Chiefs  should,  in  the  following  January,  go  to  Phila- 
delphia while  Congress  was  in  session  and  shake  hands  with  tlici 
newly  adopted  father. 

The  importance  of  the  proposed  visit  became  more  evident  atte 
the  news  of  St.  Clair's  discomfiture,  for  the  fidelity  of  the  Nov 
York  Indians  even,  was  doubted.  On  the  20th  of  Decemboi. 
1791,  accordingly,  we  find  Knox  writing  to  the  Rev.  Saiinu! 
Kirkland,  the  Iroquois  missionary,!  pressing  through  him  the  invi 


*  American  State  PapcrS;  v.  198-190. 


t  See  ,uitv,  p  Ul 


:90-95. 


Instructions  to  Pond  and  Sledman. 


!0  ilHtf,  [>    UJ 


:atioii  given  Ly  the  eoininissioner,  and  especially  urging  the  prrs- 
,iici'  of  lirant.  To  aid  the  proposed  peaee-measures,  a  respccilul 
•iiiJ  kind  message  was  sent  to  the  Seneeas  on  the  7th  ol'  January, 
171)2;  while,  to  guard  against  surprise,  means  were  adopted  to 
yarn  the  purpose  of  a  great  council  called  at  Builalo  creek,  and 
also  to  ascertain  the  intentions  of  the  tribes  on  the  Wabash  and 
Miami.  This  was  done  in  part  through  the  agency  of  the  Rever- 
end Mr.  Kirkland,  and  partly  by  the  mission  of  Captain  Peter 
Pond  and  William  Stedman,  who,  on  the  nth  of  January,  two  days 
before  Knox's  two  plans  above  referred  to  were  laid  before  Con- 
fess, received  their  instructions  as  secret  messengers  or  spies 
among  the  western  Indians ;  from  those  instructions  we  cpiote  a  few 
[laragraphs. 

Rppiir  to  Niagara  and  Detroit,  without  siiircring  your  business  to  escape 
von,  until  the  proper  time.  When  at  Detroit,  assume  the  rliaraclers  of 
ip.ders  with  the  Indians — a  business  Mr.  Pond  is  well  acquainted  with. 
Mix  with  the  Miami  and  Wabash  Indians.  Find  tlicir  views  and  intcn- 
;;ons,  through  such  channels  as  your  discretion  sliall  direct.  Learn  the 
o;)inions  of  the  more  distant  Indians.  Insinuate,  upon  all  favoral)]e 
occasions,  the  humane  disposition  of  the  United  States  ;  and,  if  you 
can  by  any  means  ripen  their  judgment,  so  as  to  break  forth  openly,  and 
Jcflare  the  readiness  of  the  United  States  to  receive,  with  open  arms, 
'.he  hidians,  notwithstanding  all  tliat  is  past,  do  it.  If  such  declaration 
should  be  made,  at  the  Miami  or  AV abash,  and  be  well  received,  you 
Tiijht  persuade  some  of  the  most  influential  chiefs  to  repair  to  our  posts 
on  the  Ohio,  and  so,  from  post  to  post,  to  this  place. 

But,  if  you  should  be  so  fortunate  as  to  succeed  in  persuading  the 
cliiefs  of  the  Miami  and  hostile,  and  any  other  neighboring  tribes,  to 
repair  here,  every  possible  precaution  must  be  taken  by  you,  and  by  the 
commanding  oflficer  of  the  troops,  who  is  hereby  required  to  afTord  the 
necessary  escorts,  in  order  to  guard  ihe  Indians  f-"  ,  '  '.'ing  injured  by 
ihe  whiles. 

While  among  the  Indians,  or  at  Niagara,  or  Dei  lit,  enueavor  to  find 
out  the  numbers  and  tribes  of  the  Indians  who  w  .  ■  the  attack  of 
General  St.  Clair,  and  their  loss,  killed  and  wounded  ;  what  number  of 
prisoners  they  took  ;  and  what  they  did  with  them  ;  what  disposition 
ihey  made  of  the  cannon  taken,  arms,  tents,  and  other  plunder ;  what 
are  their  intentions  for  the  next  year;  the  numbers  of  the  association  ; 
how  iliey  are  supplied  with  arms,  ammunition,  and  provisions. 

You  will  readily  perceive,  that  the  information  required  must  be 
given  me  at  the  earliest  period  possible.  You  will,  therefore,  let  me 
know,  by  some  means  which  you  must  devise,  your  arrival  at  Niagara, 


37G 


Wayne  selected  to   Command. 


1790-0,- 


Detroit,  and  tho  IMiaiiii  villago  ;  and,  if  po^^slblc,  from  ihcnce,  what;;: 
your  pro.spcct.s.'' 

Pond  and  liis  mmpaninTi,  however,  could  ijjrt  no  farther  tlia; 
Niai^ara.f  While  by  the  northern  route  this  was  attempted,  W'l!. 
kinson,  conunandingal  Fort  \Vasliin<^loii,  on  the  lOth  of  Frhruarv. 
was  instructed  to  send  word  to  Major  Ilamtramek,  at  Vinccnntv. 
lliat  the  Government  wished  to  secure  the  agency  of  the  FrciKli 
colonists  and  frii'ndly  Indians  in  ([uelling  the  war-spirit. ||  h, 
February  also,  further  friendly  messages  were  sent  to  the  Seiicca>,' 
and  ;in  invitation  forwarded  to  Brant  from  the  Secretary  of  Wai 
himself,  asking  him  to  come  to  Philadelphia  ;§  in  March  fifty  Iro- 
(juois  chiefs  reached  the  city  of  brotherly  love,  and  in  the  spirit  oi 
love  transacted  their  business  with  the  American  rulers  ;1f  and  durinii 
April  and  May,  Captain  Trueman  and  others  w^ere  sent  from  \h: 
Ohio  to  the  hostile  tribes,  bearing  messages  of  friendship.**  Bn- 
before  we  rcdate  the  unhappy  issue  of  Trueman's  expedition,  wi 
must  notice  the  steps  taken  by  the  Federal  Government  in  ntt:'- 
ence  to  military  preparations,  which  were  to  be  looked  to  in  n<f 
all  else  should  fail.  St.  Clair  liad  request(>d  a  Court  of  Inquiry  t'l 
examine  the  reasons  of  his  defeat,  and  hafl  expressed  his  wi'^li  in 
surrender  his  post  as  commander  of  the  western  forces  so  soon  ;i> 
the  examination  had  taken  place;  but  this  proposition  to  retain  l;i^ 
commission  until  after  his  trial,  was  rendered  nugatory  l)y  the  fait 
diat  under  the  existing  system  no  court  of  inquiry  could  be  consii- 
luted  to  adjudge  his  case,  and  Washington  accordingly  infornud 
him  that  it  was  neither  possible  to  grant  him  the  trial  he  desired, 
nor  to  allow  him  to  retain  his  positioji.ff  St.  Clair  having  with- 
drawn, it  became  a  very  dilHcult  question  for  the  Executive  to  hit 
upon  a  person  in  all  respects  suited  for  such  a  charge,  (ieneial 
Morgan,  General  Scott,  General  Wayne,  Colonel  Darke,  and 
(leneral  Henry  Lee  were  all  thought  of  and  talked  of.  Of  these 
W^avne  was  the  one  selected,  although  his  appointment  <'aiise(l, 
as  General  Lee,  then  Governor  of  Virginia,  wrote  Washington, 
"extreme  disgust"  among  all  orders  in  the  Old  Dominion. ||    But 


t  American  State  Papers,  v.  23:'). 
8  American  Stale  PaperM,  v.  228. 


*  American  State  Papers,  v.  227. 

[  American  State  Papers,  v.  236. 

§  American  State  Papers,  v.  228. 

1!  American  State  Papers,  v.  '229.    Sparlis"  Washington,  x.  240. 

**  American  State  Papers,  v.  229. 

■\\  Sjiariis"  Washington,  x.  227    22S. — Letters,  March  2S.  April  4. 

\\  Sparks'  Washington,  x.  241.  note. 


1790-95.    nilfansonsctuhtoJidtlofSl.  Clair's  J), fcaf.  377 

:lir  President  had  seleeled  Wuyne  not  luistlly  nor  through  "parti- 
ality or  irilhience,"*  iind  no  idle  words  aflected  liim.  In  June, 
Ik'iieral  Wayne  moved  westward  to  Piltsburj^,  and  proct.'ech'd  to 
oriranize  the  arrny  which  was  to  he  the  idtiinale  ari^unient  of  the. 
American  with  the  Indian  confederation.  Throut:;h  the  summer  of 
l7t)-2,  the  preparation  of  the  sohliers  was  steadily  altencU'd  to; 
"train  and  (liscijjline  them  for  the  service  tlioy  are  meant  for," 
<ai(l  \Vashinf2;ton,  "and  do  not  spare  pow(h'r  and  1  ad,  so  the  men 
be  made  marksmen. "f  In  December,  1792, |  the  forces,  now 
recruited  and  trained,  were  ojathered  at  a  point  about  twenty-two 
iiiilf'S  below  Pittsburg  on  the  Ohio,  calknl  LegionviHe;  tbe  army  it- 
self having  been  christened  the  Legion  of  tbe  United  States,  divided 
into  four  sul)-legions,  and  provided  with  h'gionary  ai;d  su])-K'gionary 
oiricers.||  Meantime,  at  Fort  Washington,  vVilkinson  had  suc- 
ceeded St.  Clair  as  commandant,  and  in  January  had  or(h.'r(;il  an 
ixpedition  to  examine'  the  field  of  the  late  disastrous  conliict :  this 
jjody  reached  the  point  designated  on  Ftibruary  1st,  and  from  the 
letter  of  Captain  Buntin  to  St.  Clair,  relative  to  what  was  found  there, 
we  take  the  following  passage. 

"  la  my  opinion,  those  uiifortunatB  men  wlio  fell  in  the  enemy's  hands, 
with  life,  were  used  with  the  greatest  torture — having  their  limbs  torn 
olT;  and  the  women  have  been  treated  with  llic  most  indecent  cruelty, 
Laving  stakes  as  thick  as  a  person's  arm  drove  through  their  I:)odics. 
The  first,  I  observed  when  burying  the  dead  ;  and  the  latter  was  dis- 
covered by  Colonel  Sargent  and  Doctor  Brown.  A\'e  found  three 
whole  carriages;  the  other  five  weic  so  much  damaged  tliat  they  were 
rendered  useless.  By  the  General's  orders,  pits  were  dug  in  different 
places,  and  all  the  dead  bodies  that  were  exposed  to  view,  or  could  be 
conveiiienUy  found  (the  snow  being  very  deep)  were  buried.  i)uring 
iliis  time,  there  was  sundry  parties  detached,  some  for  our  safety,  and 
others  in  examining  the  course  of  the  creek  ;  and  some  distance  in  ad- 
vance of  the  ground  occupied  by  the  militia,  they  found  a  large  camp, 
not  less  than  three  quarters  of  a  milu  long,  which  was  supposed  to  be 
'>h;it  of  the  Indians  the  niuht  before  the  action.  We  remained  on  the 
field  that  night,  and  next  nrorning  fixed  geared  horses  to  the  carriages 
and  moved  for  Fort  JefTerson.  ■'*  '■  *  As  there  is  little  reason  to 
believe  that  the  enemy  have  carried  off  the  cannon,  it  is  the  received 
opinion  that  they  are  either  buried  or  thrown  into  the  creek,  and  I  think 
•he  latter  the  most  probable  ;  but  as  it  was  frozen  over  widi  a  thick  ice, 

'  Sparks'  Wusliington,  x.  24S. 

r  SpiiiUs"  Wasliiiif,'ti)i,  X.  257 — (iiiotcil  in  sulistance. 
;  l.i'Uor  of  Cit'orjjro  Wills,  Aincricnii  I'ionoor,  i.  293, 
!,'Sue  orgauizaUon,  American  State  Papers,  xii.  40. 


378 


Speech  to  Indians  sent  by  Trueman. 


1790-95 


and  that  covered  with  a  deep  snow,  it  wa3  impossible  to  make  a  search 
with  any  prospect  of  success,  in  a  former  part  of  tliis  letter  I  Imve 
mentioned  the  camp  occupied  by  the  enemy  the  nigiit  before  the  action: 
Had  Colonel  Oldham  been  able  to  have  complied  with  your  orders  on 
that  evening,  things  at  this  day  might  have  worn  a  diflerent  aspect."* 

While  Wayne's  army  were  gathering  and  largel-shooting,  Ihf 
peace-measures  of  the  United  States  were  pressed  witli  equal  perse- 
verance. In  the  first  place,  the  Iroquois,  through  their  chiefs  win. 
came  to  Philadelphia,  were  led  to  act  as  peace-makers:  in  addition 
to  them,  on  the  3d  of  April,  Colonel  Trueman  received  his  inslnn- 
lions  to  repair  to  the  Miami  village  with  friendly  messages,  oflerinu 
all  reasonable  terms: 

Brothers  : — The  President  of  the  United  States  entertains  the  opinion, 
that  the  war  which  exists  is  founded  in  error  and  mistake  on  your  pan?, 
That  you  believe  the  United  Slates  want  to  deprive  you  of  your  land;, 
and  drive  you  out  of  die  country.  Be  assured  this  is  not  so :  on  ihe 
c(  trary,  that  we  should  be  greatly  gratified  with  the  opportunity  of 
imparting  to  you  all  the  blessings  of  civilized  life  ;  of  teaching  you  to 
cultivate  the  earth,  and  raise  corn;  to  raise  oxen,  sheep,  and  other  do- 
mestic animals;  to  build  comfortable  houses,  and  to  educate  your  chil- 
dren, so  as  ever  to  dwell  upon  the  land. 

BroUiers : — The  President  of  the  United  States  requests  you  to  take 
this  subject  into  your  serious  consideration,  and  to  reflect  how  abund- 
antly more  it  will  be  for  your  interest  to  be  at  peace  with  the  United 
States,  and  to  receive  all  the  benefit,  thereof,  than  to  continue  a  war 
which,  however  flattering  it  may  be  to  you  for  a  moment,  must  in  the 
end  prove  ruinous. 

This  desire  of  peace  has  not  arisen  in  consequence  of  the  late  dcfeai 
of  the  troops  under  Mnjor  General  St.  Clair;  because,  in  the  beginning 
of  the  last  year,  a  similar  message  was  sent  you  by  Colonel  Precier, 
but  who  was  prevented  from  reaching  you  by  some  insurmountable  dif- 
ficulties. All  the  Senecas  at  Bufl'alo  Creek  can  witness  for  the  truth  of 
this  assertion,  as  he  held,  during  the  month  of  April  last,  long  confe- 
rences with  them,  to  devise  the  means  of  getting  to  you  in  safety. 

War,  at  all  times,  is  a  dreadful  evil  to  those  who  are  engaged  therein. 
and  more  particularly  so  where  a  few  peojjle  engage  to  act  against  so 
great  numbers  as  the  people  of  the  United  Stales. 

Brodiers  ; — Do  not  sufi'er  the  advantages  you  have  gained  to  mislead 

*  Dillon,  i.  308.  Sec  .ilso,  Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  ii.  30.  Several  writers  havi 
given  an  account  of  an  expedition  by  General  Scott  to  St.  Clair's  battle  ground,  soon  alter 
the  contest:  the  whole  story  seems  to  be  a  fable  or  "myth:"  no  such  expedition  vi* 
over  made,     (liutler's  History  of  Kentucky,  20C.) 


1690-95. 


fnsfrucdons  to  Riifus  Putnam. 


379 


ined  to  mislead 


votir  jiulgmcnt,  and  infliipnce  you  to  continiio  the  war  ;  but  rcflcrt  upon 
the  destructive  consequcnres  wliicli  must  attend  such  a  measure. 

The  President  of  the  United  States  is  higlily  desirous  of  seoing  a 
luimber  of  your  principal  cliicfs,  and  convincing  you,  in  person,  how 
much  he  wishes  to  avoid  the  evils  of  war  for  your  sake,  and  the  sake  of 
humanity. 

Consuh,  therefore,  upon  the  great  ol)jcct  of  peace  ;  call  in  your  parties, 
311(1  enjoin  a  cessation  of  all  other  depredations  :  and  as  many  of  the 
piincipal  chiefs  as  shall  choose,  repair  to  Philadelphia,  the  seat  of  the 
(Jeneral  Government,  and  there  make  a  peace,  founde  1  upon  the  prin- 
ciples of  justice  and  humanity.  Remember  that  no  addilion;d  landfi 
ffill  he  required  of  you,  or  any  other  tribe,  to  those  that  have  been 
ceded  by  former  treaties,  particularly  by  the  tribes  who  had  a  right  to 
make  the  treaty  of  Muskingum  in  the  year  1789. 

But,  if  any  of  your  tribes  cnn  prove  that  you  have  a  fair  right  to  any 
lands,  comprehended  by  the  said  treaty,  and  have  not  1  ren  compeusated 
ihercfor,  you  shall  receive  full  satisfaction  upon  that  head. 

Tiic  chiefs  you  send  sliall  be  safely  escorted  to  this  city  ;  and  shall  be 
well  fed  and  provided  with  all  things  for  their  journey ;  and  the  faith  of 
the  United  States  is  hereby  pledged  to  you  for  the  true  and  liberal  per- 
formance of  every  thing  herein  contained  and  suggested :  and  all  this  is 
confirmed,  in  your  manner,  by  the  great  white  belt,  hereunto  attached.* 

To  assist  farther  in  attaining  the  desired  objects,  Captain  Ilcn- 
drick,  chief  of  the  Stockbridge  Indians,  on  the  8th  of  May  was 
despatched  to  urge  the  views  of  Washington  at  the  approaching 
council  of  the  north-western  confederacy ;  and  on  llie  22nd  of  the 
same  month,  instructions  were  also  issued  to  General  Rufus  Put- 
nam to  go  in  company  with  the  Moravian  missionary,  John  Ileck- 
ewelder,  into  the  Indian  country  and  strive  to  secure  peace  and  a 
permanent  treaty. f  Some  parts  of  those  orders  are  deserving  o{ 
perpetuation  in  every  form,  and  therefore  we  extract  them. 

The  chiefs  of  the  Five  Nations  of  Indians,  who  were  so  long  in  this 
city,  lately,  were  astonished  at  the  moderation  of  our  claim  of  land,  it 
being  very  different  from  what  ihey  hud  been  taught,  by  designing 
people,  to  believe. 

It  would  seem  that  the  Indians  have  been  misled  with  respect  to  our 
claims,  by  a  certain  map,  published  in  Connecticut,  wherein  are  laid 
out  ten  new  States,  agreeably  to  a  report  of  a  committee  of  Congress. 

The  United  States  are  desirous,  in  any  treaty  which  shall  be  formed 
in  future,  to  avoid  all  causes  of  war,  relatively  to  boundaries,  by  fixing 


*  American  State  Paoers,  v.  230. 


+  American  State  Papers,  v.  233. 


1790-05. 


Instructions  to  RuJ^us  Pi/fnani. 


38(1 


the  pnmo  in  'mjoIi  n  miinnor  as  not  to  be  mistalvon  by  the  mcnnest  cap;,. 
city.  As  the  linsis,  therefore,  of  your  negotiation,  you  will,  in  the 
strongest  and  most  explicit  terms,  renounce,  on  the  part  of  the  United 
St;Ues,  all  claim  to  any  Indian  land  which  shall  not  have  been  ceded  by 
fair  treaties,  made  with  the  Indian  nations. 

You  may  ray — That  we  conceive  the  treaty  of  Fort  Ilarmar  to  have 
been  formed  by  the  tribes  having  a  just  right  to  make  the  same,  and 
that  it  was  done  with  ihcir  full  understanding  and  free  consent. 

'J'hat  if,  however,  the  said  tribes  should  judge  the  conipensaiioii  lu 
have  been  inadequate  to  the  object,  or  that  any  other  tribes  have  a  ju>i 
claim,  in  both  cases  they  shall  receive  a  liberal  allowance,  ou  ihcir 
finally  settling  all  disputes  upon  the  subject. 

As  the  United  States  have  never  made  any  treaties  with  the  Wabash 
Indians,  allhougli  the  said  Indians  have  been  repeatedly  invited  thereto, 
their  claims  to  the  lands  east  and  south  of  the  said  Wabash  have  no: 
been  defined. 

This  circumstance  will  be  ^  subject  of  your  inquiry  with  the  as- 
sembled Indian  tribes ;  and  you  may  assure  the  parties  concerned,  thai 
unequitable  boundary  shall  be  arranged  witli  them. 

You  will  make  it  clearly  understood,  that  we  want  not  a  foot  of  tlieir 
land,  and  tliat  it  is  theirs,  and  theirs  only  ;  that  they  have  the  right  to 
sell,  and  the  right  to  refuse  tu  sell,  and  that  the  United  States  will 
guarantee  to  tb^m  the  said  just  right. 

That  it  is  not  only  the  sincere  desire  of  the  United  Slates  to  be  ui 
peace  with  all  the  neighboring  Indian  tribes,  but  to  protect  them  in  their 
just  rights,  against  lawless,  violent  white  people,  If  such  should  com 
mit  any  injury  on  the  person  or  properties  cf  a  peaceable  Indian,  they 
will  be  regarded  equally  as  the  enemies  of  the  General  Government,  as 
the  Indians,  and  will  be  punished  accordingly, 

Your  first  great  object,  upon  meeting  the  Indians,  will  be  to  convince 
them  that  the  United  States  require  none  of  their  lands. 

The  second,  that  we  shall  guaranty  all  that  remain,  and  take  the  In- 
dians under  our  protection. 

Thirdly;  they  must  agree  to  a  truce,  and  immediately  to  call  in  al! 
their  war  parties.  !t  will  be  in  vain  to  be  negotiating  with  them  while 
they  shall  be  murdering  the  frontier  citizeas. 

Having  happily  effected  a  truce,  founded  on  the  above  assurances,  it 
will  then  be  your  primary  endeavor  to  obtain  from  each  of  the  hostile 
and  neighboring  tribes  two  of  the  most  respectable  chiefs,  to  repair  to 
the  seat  of  the  Government,  and  there  conclude  a  treaty  with  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  in  which  all  causes  of  difTercncc  should  be 
buried  forever. 

You  will  give  the  chiefs  every  assurance  of  personal  protection  wlmc 
on  their  journey  to  Philadelphia,  and,  should  they  insist  upon  it,  hosta- 


1700-1 

(res  ol 

I'ompha 
tion  of 

But 
lifeline 
plan  for 

Wc 

Secretai 
Englisl 
:lie  rccji 
himself, 
Mjiilal' 
oy  all  w 
imdcrstci 
States ; 
nnthe2l 


1790-95.  Dmth  of  Trucman  and  Hardin.  381 

2P:^  of  officers  for  the  safe  return  of  the  chiefs,  and,  in  case  of  their 
compliance,  yon  will  take  every  precaution  by  the  troops  for  the  protec- 
tion of  tlie  said  chiefs,  which  the  nature  of  the  case  may  require. 

But  '  after  having  nsed  your  utmost  excriions,  the  chiefs  should 
ijcclinc  the  j'^-urney  to  Philadelphia,  then  you  will  agree  with  ihcni  on  a 
plan  for  a  general  treaty.* 

We  have  montionod  the  invitation  (TJvon  in  Fcbniary  by  the 
Secretary  of  \var  to  lirant  to  visit  Pliila(lelj)liia :  —  Sonu-  of  his 
English  friends  urged  the  Mohawk  by  no  means  to  comply  with 
the  request,  but  he  had  the  independence  to  tlilnk  aiul  act  for 
liimself,  and  on  the  20lh  of  June  appeared  at  the  then  Federal 
rapitalf  He  remained  there  ten  or  twelve  days,  and  vS'as  treated 
hy  all  with  marked  attention:  <Treat  pains  were  taken  to  make  him 
understand  the  posture  of  affairs  and  the  wishes  of  (he  United 
States;  and  in  the  hope  that  he  woidd  prove  a  powerful  iJiielficalor, 
on  the  27th  of  June  a  letter  was  addressed  to  him  by  General  Knox, 
layinf^  before  him  tlie  wishes  of  the  Government  and  making  him 
another  messenger  of  peacc.^  The  fact  that  five  independent  em- 
Ivssics,  asking  peace,  were  sent  to  the  inimical  tribes ;  and  the 
'nine  of  the  papers  from  which  we  have  extracted  so  full},  will  d<;- 
iuonstrate,  we  think,  the  wish  of  the  United  States,  to  do  the  abor- 
i^aiies  entire  justice.  But  the  victories  they  had  gained,  and  the 
iHVorable  whispers  of  the  British  agents  closed  the  ears  of  the  red 
men;  and  all  propositions  for  peace  were  rejected  in  one  form  or 
iiiothcr.  Freeman,  who  left  Fort  Washington,  April  7th;  ||  True- 
man,  who  left  it  May  22d  for  the  Maumee,  and  Colonel  Hardin, § 
who  on  the  same  day  started  for  Sandusky,  were  all  murdered  ;1; 


'  American  State  Papers,  v.  234.  +  Stone's  Brant,  ii.  328. 

\  American  State  Papers,  v.  236. 

II  Letter  from  Wilkinson  to  Armstrong,  quoted  by  Dillon,  (History  Indiana,  i.  312.) 

§For  a  sketch  of  Hardin's  life,  see  Marshall,  ii.  44  to  51. 

1  Letter  from  Wilkinson  to  Armstrong,  in  Cist's  Miscellany,  i.  18.  The  statements  in 
■liation  to  Tr:  enian  afford  a  curious  c.\ani|)le  of  the  uncertainty  in  matters  of  detail  of  even 

ir  late  Western  History.  Marshall  (ii.  1:2)  and  Butler  (History  Kentucky,  219)  say  that 
!i?  WHS  sent  by  Wilkinson,  whereas  he  was  sent  by  the  Federal  Government ;  Atwater, 
'History  of  Ohio,  ' 4.7,)  says  he  was  sent  by  Wayiin;  .Tudge  JUirnet,  (Oh:  j  Historical 
■"iiciety  Transactions,  part  2,  vol.  1,  p.  30,  note,)  says  he  was  sent  by  liarmar,  soon  aflei 
tiis  defeat,  at  least  eighteen  months  before  Wayne  was  ajjpointed  to  command  ;  but  his 
iistriictions,  above  referred  to,  are  dated  April  3(1,  1792.  The  most  jicrplcxing  account, 
'iiiwever,  is  that  given  by  William  May,  and  contained  in  the  American  State  l>aj)ers,  v. 
-l^.who  states  that  he.  May,  lell  Fort  Hamdton,  on  or  about  the  13</(  of  April,  '•  to  fol- 
'iw  on  the  trail  of  Trueman,  who,  with  a  French  baker  and  another  man,  were  sent  as  a 
•'js;  to  tlie  Indians ;  "  further  on  he  says,  that  on  the  7tli  day  lie  *'  discovered  Trueman 


382 


Result  of  Putnam'' a  Mission. 


1700-95. 


Trucman,  it  would  seem,  however,  not  by  a  body  of  Indians,  bui 
by  a  man  and  boy  whom  be  met  in  buntinj^.*  Jirant,  from  sick- 
ness  or  eaution,!  did  not  attend  the  western  eouneil,  as  bad  been 
ex'peeted.  TIen(h"ieks  gave  bis  message  into  llie  lii.nds  of  Colom  | 
MeKee,  and  kept  away  from  tb(^  gathering  of  the  united  nations;; 
and  of  ibe  four  individual  messengers,  Trueman,  IJrant,  Ilendrick, 
and  Putnam,  Putnam  alone  reached  his  goal.  That  gentleman  Ictl 
Marietta,  upon  the  2Glb  of  June,  and  on  the  2d  of  July  was  u; 
Fort  Washington  ;  here  he  heard  of  Jndlan  hostilities  at  Fort  Jef- 
ferson, and  of  the  probability  of  'I'rueman's  murder.  lie  t'ouihl 
also  that  it  would  be  in  vain  to  ask  the  chiefs  under  any  eiicum- 
slances  to  go  to  Philadelphia,  and  that  it  was  extremely  doubltiil 
if  thciy  could  be  prevaili:d  on  to  visit  even  Fort  Washington;  un- 
der these  circumstances,  conceiving  it  desirable  that  some  sttp 
should  be  taken  at  once,  he  determined  to  proceed  to  Fort  Knox, 
(Post  St.  Vincent,)  and  there  meet  such  of  the  Wabash  leaders  as 
could  be  got  together,  in  the  hopes  that  they  might  at  least  be  di- 
tached  from  the  general  league.  This  determination  he  carried 
into  eflect  on  the  17th  of  August,  when,  with  several  Indian  pris- 
oners to  be  restored  to  their  friends,  and  presents  for  them  beside, 
he  left  Cincinnati,  and  reaching  Vincennes  in  due  time,  upon  the 
27th  of  September  formed  a  treaty  with  the  Eel  river  tribe,  tk 
Weas,  Illinois,  Potawatamies,  Musquitoes,  W^abash  Kickapoos, 
Piankeshaws,  Kaskaskias,  and  Peorias.  This  treaty,  howevi:, 
was  never  ratified  by  the  Senate,  and  proved  practically  of  little  or 
no  use,  although  sixteen  chiefs  of  the  Wabash  tribe  were  prevails! 
on  to  go  to  Philadelphia,  jl 

and  tlie  two  other  men  lying  dead,  scalped  and  stripped.*'  He  afterwards  gives  a  partic- 
ular account  of  Trucman's  death,  which  account  he  received  from  an  Indian.  Tiiis  st.itc- 
ment  appears  suspicious,  from  tlio  fact  that  General  Knox  wrote  Tr\icman  as  late  as  ihc 
?2d  of  May,  (American  State  Papers, v.  234,;  and  also  from  the  fact  that  news  of  hisiicith 
first  reached  Vincennes,  June  2Sth  (American  State  Papers,  v.  23S  j )  as  well  as  from  t!." 
circumstance  that  May  left  in  pursuit  of  Trueman  only  ten  days  after  the  date  of  li:" 
(Trucman's)  instructions  at  Philadelphia.  The  whole  mystery,  however,  is  cleared  np  by 
reading  in  May's  alfidavit, "  Freeman  "  for  "  Trueman  ;  "  Freeman  left  Fort  Washington, 
April  7th;  April  10th,  Wilkinson  wrote  Armstrong  to  order  May  to  desert,  so  as  to  at- 
ijuiro  information  from  the  Indians;  (Dillon's  History  of  Indiana,  i.  312;'')  and  or.  'r 
al)out  the  13th  he  did  so,  and  on  Ilarmar's  trace,  which  Freeman  had  been  instructed  to 
follow,  found  his  body. 

*  May's  deposition.  Brant's  Letters,  (American  State  Papers,  v.  243.  245;)  abo. 
McKee's  account  sent  Brant,  (Stone's  Brant,  ii.  333.) 

t  Stone,  ii.  334.    May's  deposition. 

X  American  State  Papers,  v.  322.  The  council  probably  broke  up  about  the  10  or  I2th 
of  October,  [do.  do.] 

\  American  Suite  Papers,  v.  238.  239.  240.  319.  338. 


1790-9'). 

f  Indians,  \i\u 
lit,  i'roiii  sick- 
,  as  had  been 
[ids  of  ('oloiitl 
litcd  nulioiis ;  J 
ant,  Iliindrlck, 
gentleman  Ictl 
ot"  July  WHS  a' 
DS  at  Fort  Jtl'- 
cr.  He  Ibuih! 
jr  any  clrcum- 
umely  doubtl'iil 
'asliington;  uu- 
Ihal  some  step 
to  Fort  Knox, 
bash  leaders  as 

at  least  be  tk- 

Lion  he   carriid 

iral  Indian  pris- 

3r  them  beside, 

time,  upon  the 

river  tribe,  tlic 

ash  Kickapoos, 

caty,    however, 

cally  of  little  or 

were  prevailed! 


[kvards  gives  a  panic- 

Indian.     Tliis  suite- 

licinan  as  late  as  '.b: 

biat  news  of  his  ilcith 

as  well  as  IVoia  t'.'" 

iftcr  the  date  of  h;'' 

;vcr,  is  cleared  'ip  hv 

left  Fort  Washington, 

desert,  so  as  to  ac- 

l.  312;  •')  and  or.  if 

been  instructed  to 

V.  243.   24j;)  abO: 


about  the  10  or  V.^' 


1790-95. 


Adair  Mtackcd. 


383 


Neither  did  the  effort.s  of  the  Six  nations  in  the  north-wost 
roiincil*  prove  inort;  eflirarious.  On  tlic  irith  of  November  the 
.missaries  of  the  Iroquois  gavi;  an  account  of  their  doings  to  the 
vfy.wi  for  the  United  States  and  others  at  I^ufFalo  creek,  and  the 
mode  in  which  the  information  is  communicated  is  so  peculiar 
tlmt  w(!  should  transcribe  the  speech  entire  if  our  limits  would 
permit,  t 

Wy  this  council,  it  appearc(1,  rvery  thing  was  referred  to  another 
■oiincil  to  be  held  in  the  spring,  but  with  the  (dear  intimation  that 
'he  Ohio  must  be   th(!   boundary  of  the  American  lands,  and  that 
the  treaties  of  Fort  Mclnto.sh  and  Fort   Ilarmar,  must  be  regarded 
as  null.     Soon  after  this  council  broke  up,  on  the  Glh  of  Novem- 
ber, Major  Adair,   commander  of  the   mounted  Kentucky  infantry 
was  attacked  by  a  body  of  savages  in  the   neig}il)orhood   of  Fort 
St.  Clair,  twenty  miles  north  of  Fort   Hamilton.     The   attack  was 
viidden  and  violent  and  with  difTiculty  repelled.     'J'he   officer   in 
iharge  of  the   station   took  no   part  in  the  conflict  as  he  bad  been 
vtrictly  ordered  by  General  Wilkinson  to  act  only  on  the  defensive, 
but   Adair's    men    received    ammunition    from    the    fortress,   and 
returned  thither  with   their    wounded.}     This    action,    however, 
tngether  with   other  evidences  of  continued   hostilities  ||    did  not 
prevent  the  United  States  from  taking  measures  to  meet  the  hostile 
tribes  "  at  the  Rapids  of  the  Miami  (Maumee)  when  the   leaves 
were  fidly  out."     For  this  purpose  the  President  at  first  selected 
Charles  Carroll  and  Charles  Thompson,  but  as  they  declined  the 
nomination,  Benjamin  Lincoln,  Beverly   Randolph,  and   Timothy 
Pickering  were,   on  the  1st  of  March§  1793,  appointed  to  attend 
the  proposed  meeting  which  it  was  concluded   should  be  held  at 

•This  council  was  held  at  the  mouth  of  the  An  fJlaizo,  and  was  onr>  oftlin  largest  ever 
held ;  beside  the  Western,  Now  York,  and  Canadian  Indians,  there  were  present  twcnty- 
-ovcn  other  nations;  among  thein  the  (loras,  who  liad  been  a  uiiole  season  reaching  the 
point  designated.  See  Cornplantcr's  speech  to  (^lencral  Wayne,  December  8,  1792. 
(American  State  Papers,  v.  337.) 

t  American  State  Papers,  v.  323. 

}  Adair's  letter,  Americun  State  Papers,  v.  335. — JIS.  Irtlor  of  Judge  Collins  who  was 
n  the  action.  From  the  latter  we  learn  that  tlic  Indians  were  commanded  by  Little 
Turtle,  that  they  were  bound  for  Columbia,  r.t  the  month  of  the  lower  Miami,  which 
iliey  meant  to  destroy,  and  attacked  Adair  for  his  horses,  most  of  which  they  got. 

\  July  7th,  1792,  the  Indians  fired  on  a  boat  a  mile  and  a  half  above  Fort  Washington, 
ind  took  captive  Oliver  M.  Spencer. — See  his  Narrative,  and  Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany, 
1.46  and  261. 

§  Sparks'  Washington,  x.  313,  314. 


384 


Lcllcr  In  (invernor  Slincoe. 


I7f)()  fi: 


Sandusky.*  On  llic  '^Olli  (•!'  Apiii,  llif  Coininissioiicrs  rcciivci! 
tlnii' iiislriiclioiis;  (jii  Uit:  27lli  (u'licral  I/mcolu  li  I'l  IMiiliulcljilii;! 
jur  Ni;i;^;iiii  h)  llir  way  of  Nrw  York;  and  on  the  .'JOtli  llic  (illm 
I  wo  .stalled  l)y  the  ronlf  tlirou^di  Penn.sylvania,  which  Kd  up  iIk 
vallifs  of  the  Scu^llvill,  Siisuncliannah,  Lycoming',  and  Conhoctdn 
and  across  to  the;  (jcnoscc.  These,  Iravellini^  mori-  raindly,  |oi 
Lincoln  had  the  stores  and  l)a;:;^ai^(', —  readied  Niagara  on  ih. 
I7lh  of  .May,  and  were  at  once  invited  'oy  Kieutenunl  (jeiuial 
Sinu'oe  to  1ak(!  np  tlieir  resiih'iict;  at  his  .seat,  Na\'y  Hall;  with 
this  invitation  they  complied  and  remained  there  nntil  the  '2St!i  (,| 
June.  The  cause  of  tliis  (h-lay  was  \\h'  Ix-Hef  expressed  li\ 
MrK(.'e  and  others  that  lln.'  Indians  wouhl  not  be  ready  to  incit 
the  (commissioners  before  the  last  of  June,  as  private  councils  liad 
first  to  l)e  liehl  ainont;  the  various  tribes. f  While  restini^  in  hiv 
Majesty's  dominion,  the  andiassadors  were  nowise  idle,  and  auKni;; 
other  interestiiif^  documents,  on  the  7th  of  June  presented  the  fol- 
lowing note  to  Governor  Simcoe: 

Thn  (;ommi.«sionor.s  of  tho  United  States  for  niakiiif^  peace  willi  tk 
western  Indians  bofr  leave  to  suggest  to  (Jovemor  Simcoe  :  tliat  llio  very 
liigh  importance  of  tlio  negotiation  committod  lo  their  management, 
makes  them  desirous  of  using  every  proper  means  tliat  may  coiUrilniti 
lo  its  success.  That  they  have  observed  witli  pleasure  the  di.spositioii 
manifested  by  the  Governor  to  afford  every  requisite  assistance;  in  iIic 
preparatory  arrangements  for  holding  tlie  treaty  wit!)  t'.ic  hostile  Indini).". 
But,  all  the  facilities  thus  allorded,  and  all  the  expenses  incurred  by  tlu 
British  government  on  diis  occasion,  will  perhaps  bo  fruitless,  ulllcs^ 
some  means  are  used  lo  counieract  the  deep  rooted  prejudices,  and  un- 
founded reports  among  the  Indian  tribes:  for,  the  acts  of  a  few  bad  men 
dwelling  among  them,  or  having  a  familiar  intercourse  will;  lliem,  by 
cherishing  those  prejudices,  or  raising  and  spreading  those  reports,  in;iy 
be  sufficient  to  defeat  every  attempt  to  accomplish  a  peace.  As  an 
in.stance  of  such  unfounded  reports,  the  commissioners  have  noticed  ilic 
declaration  of  a  Mohawk,  from  (Jrand  Eiver,  that  Governor  S'umo( 
advised  the  Indians  to  make  peace,  but  not  to  give  up  any  of  iluir 
lands.     The  commissioners  further  observe  that  il"  any  transactions  at 


'  American  State  Papcr.s,  v.  343.  \Vasliin<;ton's  answer  to  the  Western  Indians  in  ttu 
previous  autumn  liad  caused  doul)ts  among  them,  l)ecausc  it  said  nothing  of  the  liritisli 
attending  the  treaty. — American  State  Papers,  v.  J12. 

t  American  State  Papers,  v.  3-13,  where  ttip  Journal  of  the  Commissioners  is  given. 
also  Massachusetts  Historical  Collections,  third  series,  vol.  v.  100-19G,  where  Ci('n(r;il 
Lincoln's  .lourniil  is  given,  together  with  a  drawing  of  thn  conference  at  Niagara,  .July  7th 
made  by  Colonel  Pilkingtou  of  the  Uritish  army  ;  this  is  also  given  in  Stone's  Brant,  ii. 


'Tfio-n'). 


(Inrrr/mr  Slmcof^s  I'i'plij. 


.185 


■ -mcr  IrcniicH  wrro  rxcrjMioii  iM',  tlic  priiii'iiilrs  df  ihc  imcscuI  treaty 

r^  r;il(Mll:itr(I  to  remove   llie   e;iii-es  of  eniiipliiiiit  ;  for  the  views  of  gov- 

"iiiu'iil  arc  [X'rfeeily  \':\\\\     Ami,  ;i!lli(Mi;,fli  it  is  itnposxiljle  to  relraci!  nil 

r  steps  tlu'ii  t:il;eii,  llio  United  States  arc  (li>[iose(I  to  receile,  as  far  as 

J  ill  he  iiidisponsaMe,  and  llic  existin;,'  slat(!  of  lIiii|i/H  will  admit;  and, 

'  rt!i'  lands  retained,  to  make  ampU;  conipeM^aliou.     Tlw!  views  ol' iIkj 

Iiiitcil  Slates  \w\\\ir   tluis   f.dr  and  liheral,   the   commissioners  wish  to 

Mi'iraee  (:very  means  to   make    llieni  ap|)(;ar   no   to   llie    Indians,   aijainst 

ny  contrary    .siigi,'csii(iMs.     Ainoii<f    llies(;    means,   the    commissioners 

;;-i(ler  the  proseneo  of  sonic   ee'uilenien  of  die  arm}'  to  he  of  coii»^c- 

].irii(!e :  for,  allliongh  iIh^  Indians  nalnr.dly  lu(di  np  to  their  supcrinlen- 

';  ;its  as  their  patrons,  yet  the  picsenc<!  of  sonic  oflieers  of  the  army  will 

:'o!Ki!ily  induce  them  to  neyoliato  with  greater  confidence  on  the  terms 

f  pnco.     Independently  of  tlii.'so   coiij-ideralioiis,   llie  eommi.'^sioners, 

rllieir  own  sakos,  rccioest  t!ic  jdea'^ure  of  their  company.     TIk,'  coiii- 

:!ii«sionors,  feeling  the  greatest  solicitnde  to  accromplish   the  ohjecl   of 

,  oir  mission,  will  ho  Iiapj)y  to  receive  from  the  CJovcrnor  every  infor- 

ralinn  relating  to  it,  whii  h   his  siltialion  enahlc.s  him  to  comimiiiieale. 

•lenuisihc  aware  that  the  sales  anil  s(!lllemciits  of  the  lands  over  the 

'lio,  foniided  on  the  treaties  of  Forts  ]Mi,'Iiito-li  and  Ilarinar,  rendered 

iiiipos>il)le  now  to  niakc  thai  river  the  honndary.     The  expression  of 

.■^opinion  on  this  point  in  particular  will  give  ihein  great  satisfaction. * 

To  this  nolo  the  lollowlng  answer  was  sent: 

Colonel  Simcoe,  commanding  the  King's  forces  in  Upper  Canada, 
I' the  honor,  in.  answer  to  llio  paper  delivereil  to  him  tliis  morning  hy 
ic  commissioners  of  the  United  States  for  making  peace  with  the 
'voslern  Indians,  to  stale  to  those  gentlemen,  that  he  is  duly  impressed 
•fitli  the  serious  importance  of  the  negotiation  committed  to  their 
iWL'c,  and  shall  be  happy  to  contril)iit(!  hy  every  proper  ineajis  that 
niy  tend  to  its  suooess.  lie  is  mueli  ohiiged  to  them  for  the  polite 
"lanncr  in  which  they  have  expressed  their  sense  of  his  readiness  to 
;ilorJ  them  such  facilities  as  may  have  been  in  his  power,  to  assist  in 
"^  preparatory  arrangements  for  holding  the  treaty.  He  is  perfectly 
^■ivare  that  unfounded  reports  and  deep  rooted  prejudices,  have  arisen 
■nioncT  the  Indian  tribes:  but  whether  from  the  acts  of  a  few  bad  men 
vin<f  among  them,  he  cannot  pretend  to  say.  Ikit,  he  must  observe, 
•pon  the  instance  given  by  the  commissioncis,  of  one  of  "  those  uu- 
'inded  reports,  that  a  Mohawk  from  the  Grand  River  should  say,  that 
Jiivcrnor  Simcoe  advised  the  Indians  to  make  peace,  but  not  to  give 
[itlieir  lands,"  it  is  of  that  nature  that  cannot  be  tru(! ;  the  Indians,  as 
t!.  not  having  applied  for  hio  advice  on  the  subject:    and  il  being  a 

'American  State  Papcru,  v,  347. 

25 


38r, 


Tifau!  nu't'ts  the  rnmmisfiionors. 


1790-f): 


point,  of  iill  oilirrf»,  on  wliicli  tlipy  nrn  tlio  U-mt  likely  to  rnnsiili  t)ir 
Mritish  ofTu'crs  commriiuliiij?  in    T'ltpcr  Cjitiiula.     Colonel  Siinroo  cnn. 
sidcrs  iiiin-cir  porffctly  jiixlilicd   in  !i(Iiiiitliiif,',  on  llic  nMiuisitiun  ol' ilm 
{•oMnnirtsioncrs,  somo  ofllrcrs   to  nttrnd   tlio  trraly  ;  and,  llicruforc,  m 
addition  to  tlio  gontloinrn  appointed  to  control  tlio  delivery  of  the  Hriii^h 
provisions,  &c.  he  will  des-iro  ('aptain  Hnnhury,  of  tlic  fifth  re^irmnt, 
and  liicMitenant  (iivcns,  who  has  Honie  knowli;(lj.'e  of  one  of  the  Indun 
lanmiai^es,  to  uccoin[)any  the  coniniissioners.     (Jolonel  Sinn  on  can  (,'iv( 
the  coinmissionL'rs  no  fiirilicr  infoiniaiion   than  what  is  alVurded  hy  tl, 
speeches  of  the  conCedcralc  nalion.s,  of  which  (Jeneral  Hull  haw  aullid;. 
tic  copies.     IJiil,  as  it  has  been,   ever  since  the  conquest  of  Canada,  tLi 
principle  of  the  IJrilish  government  to  nnite  the  American  Indians,  that, 
all  petty  jealousies  being  cxtinguiHlied,   the  real    wishes  of  the  scvrr' 
tribes  may  be  fully  expressed,  and  in  coMseqiicnce  of  all  the  tri'atit< 
made  with  them,  may  have  the  most  complete  ratification  and  univrr^ ! 
concurrence,  so,  ho  feels  it  proper  to  slate  to  the  commissioners,  tlin!  i 
jealousy  of  a   contrary  conduct    in  the  agents  of  the  United  States,  ap- 
appears  to  him  io  have  been  deeply  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the 
confederacy.* 

On  tlu'  (liiy  belore  this  cDrresiJondcnee  lli(>  siv  Quakers  \s\v 
i)()lli  by  their  own  rcMHicst  and  that  of  the  Indians,  had  acrnm- 
panicd  the  dcputalion,  together  with  ITfckcwclder  and  others 
<aih'(l  for  Detroit  to  learn  how  matters  stood;  and  on  the  •JGtl 
the  month  the  Commissioners  tliemselves,  receiving  no  news  fr 
Siindwsky,  ])repared  to  ('iid)ark  for  tjic  mouth  of  Detroit  river, 
the  I5tli  of  July,  while  still  detained  ])y  head  winds  Col 
Rutler,!  Brant  and  some  fifty  natives  arrived  from  the  ]Maiiin((\ 
and  two  days  after  in  the  preseneo  of  tlie  fiovernor,  Brant  tli'i< 
addressed  the  Ami  irans  :  — 

Brothers :  Wc  have  met  to-day  our  brothers  the  Bostonians  and  Eiij- 
lish.  We  are  glad  to  havo  the  meeting,  and  think  it  is  by  the  appoiir- 
mcnt  of  the  Great  Spirit.  Brothers  of  the  United  Slates  :  We  told  yo'i 
the  other  day,  at  Fort  Erie,  that,  at  another  time,  we  would  inform  yoi 
why  we  had  not  assembled  at  the  time  and  place  appointed  for  holding 
the  treaty  with  you.  We  now  inform  you  that  it  is  because  there  is  so 
much  of  the  appearance  of  war  in  that  quarter.  Brothers  :  We  li;ive 
given  the  reason  for  our  not  meeting  you;  and  now  wc  request  n.ii 
explanation  of  those  warlike  appearances.  Brothers:  The  people  you 
sec  here  are  sent  to  represent  the  Indian  nations  who  own  the  land- 
north  of  the  Ohio,  as  their  common  property,  and  who  are  all  of  one 


1  (^ 


'01!': 


onH 


*  American  State  Papers,  v.  347. 

t  The  Commander  of  tlie  Tories  at  Wyoming,  afterwards  Indian  Agent. 


nno-Ho.  I  .:f)o-95. 


» Inswtr  to  Ciiptiiiii  BianCs  .speerii.  .'J87 

„ml — OHO  licait.  IJrollu;iH:  Wo  liavo  coiiio  to  speak  lo  you  lor  iwo 
>i»oii8:  one,  ht'oaii.-'c  youi"  warriors  beinjr  in  our  UDijflihorliooil,  hav(! 
:( vented  niir  meeting  nt  tho  .ipiiointcd  placo:  tliu  uilier,  to  know  if  you 
a  propcily  aiilliori/((l  to  r\iii  and  i'Alal)li.'<li  a  new  boundary  lino  be- 
;w(cii  llio  lands  of  tin!  United  Slates,  and  ol'llic  Indian  nalunis.  We  am 
•nil  desirous  of  meeting  you  at  the  ajipointed  plarc.  llrotliers:  Wc 
wuii  you  to  deliberate  well  on  this  business.  We  have  spoken  our 
stiuimcnts  in  sincerity,  considerinn  ourselves  in  the  presen(!c  of  llio 
urtat  Spirit,  from  whom,  in  lime  of  danger,  we  expect  assistance.* 

On  thf  I'oUowiii;^^  (hiy  the  Coniiiiissioiurs  icplit'd. 

Uroihers :  You  have  mentioned  two  objects  of  your  coming  to  meet 
;« at  this  place.  One,  to  obtain  an  explanation  of  the  warlike  ajjprar- 
:.nrcs  on  the  part  of  tho  United  States  on  the  northwestern  side  of  tho 
Ohio;  the  otlicr,  to  lo.irn  whetlicr  wc  have  nudiority  to  run  and  cstab- 
'«h  a  now  boundary  liiu'  between  your  lands  and  ours,  Hrothers  :  On 
lie  first  point  wc  cannot  I)Ut  express  our  extreme  regret,  that  any 
reports  of  warlike  appearances,  on  tho  part  of  tho  United  States,  shoidd 
:.ive  delayed  our  meeting  at  Sandusky.  The  nature  of  the  case  irro- 
•istibly  forbids  all  ajjprehensions  of  hostile  incursions  into  tho  Indian 
"ountry  north  of  the  Ofiio,  during  the  treaty  at  Sandusky.  Mrothers  : 
We  are  deputed  by  the  (ireat  (Mii-'f  and  tho  (ireat  (Jonncil  of  tho 
lulled  Slates  to  treat  with  you  of  peace; ;  and  is  it  possible  that  the 
raiuo  CI  real  Chief  and  his  Great  Council  could  order  their  warriors  to 
.ii;iko  fresh  war,  while  we  were  silting  round  the  saujc  liro  with  you,  in 
.rJer  to  make  peace  ?  Is  it  possible  that  our  Croat  (Jhitf  and  his  Coun- 
,1  could  act  so  deceitfully  towards  us,  their  Comniissioncio,  as  well  as 
■iwaids  you?  I'rolhers  :  Wo  think  it  is  not  possible  ;  but  we  will  quit 
r^umcnts  and  come  to  facts.  Brothers:  We  assure  you,  that  our 
(ireat  Chief,  (ieneral  Washington,  has  strictly  forbidden  all  hostilities 
jjainst  you,  until  the  event  of  the  proposed  treaty  at  Sandusky  shall 
Ijc  known.  Hero  is  the  proclainaiion  of  his  head  warrior,  General 
Wayne,  to  that  cfTect.  But,  brothers,  our  (Jreat  Chief  is  so  sincere  in 
liis  professions  for  peace,  and  so  desirous  of  preventing  every  thing 
ivhieh  could  obstruct  the  treaty  and  prolong  the  war,  thai,  besides  giv- 
mir  the  above  orders  to  his  head  warrior,  he  has  inl'ornicd  the  Governors 
ol  iho  several  Slates,  adjoining  the  Ohio,  of  the  trea.y  proposed  to  be 
iield  at  Sandusky,  and  desired  them  to  unite  their  power  with  his  to 
prevent  any  hostile  aiiempts  against  the  Ir.dians  north  of  the  Oiiio, 
lentil  die  result  of  the  treaty  is  made  known.  Those  Governors  have 
accordingly  issued  their  orders,  stricdy  forbidding  all  such  hostilities. 
The  proclamations  of  the    Governors  of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  we 


*  American  State  Papers,  v.  344. 


388 


Tribes  present  at  the  Maumce  Council.         1790-'J.} 


have  here  in  our  Iiaiuls.  I'roiliers  :  If,  afler  all  ihcse  precautioi;,  o 
our  Great  (^'liief,  any  Iioslilities  sliould  be  coinmitted  iiorlli  of  ilie  Ohin 
tlicy  niuf'l  pr(jeced  from  a  few  disorderly  people,  whom  no  consider] 
lions  of  justice  or  jtuMic  good  can  restrain.  But  we  hope  and  bcHrv 
that  none  sucli  can  be  found. 

"  Urothcrs  :  After  those  explanations,  we  hope  you  will  possess  youi 
minds  in  peace,  relying  on  llu;  good  failh  of  the  United  States  th;it  w 
injury  is  to  be  apprehended  by  you  during  the  treaty.  Brothers :  ^V(■ 
now  conic  to  the  second  point:  wliedier  we  arc  properly  authorized  ic 
run  and  establish  a  new  boundary  line  between  your  lands  and  ours. 
Brothers  :  We  answer  explicitly  that  we  have  that  authority,  AVliert 
this  line  should  run,  will  be  the  great  subject  of  discussion  at  the  treaiv 
between  you  and  us ;  and  we  sincerely  hope  and  expect  that  it  nn\ 
then  bo  fixed  to  the  satisfaction  of  both  parlies.  Dou')lIe3S  some  cu:i 
cessions  must  be  made  on  both  sides.  In  all  disputes  and  cuaricl.^;. 
both  parties  usually  take  some  wrong  steps  ;  so  that  it  is  only  by  mutual 
concessions  that  a  true  reconciliation  can  be  effected.  Brothers:  AVc 
wish  you  to  understand  us  clearly  on  this  head  ;  for  we  merai  that  a!! 
our  proceedings  should  be  made  with  candor.  We  therefore  repeat  an  1 
say  explicitly  that  some  concessions  will  be  necessary  on  your  part,  a; 
well  as  on  ouis,  in  order  to  establish  a  just  and  permanent  [leaco. 
Brotliers  :  After  this  great  point  of  the  boundary  shall  bo  fully  consi!- 
ered  at  the  treaty,  we  shall  know  what  concessions  and  stipulations  i; 
will  be  proper  to  make  on  the  part  of  the  United  States  ;  and  we  trii^: 
they  will  be  such  as  the  world  will  pronounce  reasonable  and  jm. 
Brothers  :  You  have  told  us  that  you  represent  the  nations  of  Indian- 
who  own  the  lands  north  of  the  Ohio,  and  whose  Chiefs  are  now 
assembled  at  the  Rapids  of  the  Maumce.  Brothers:  It  would  be:: 
satisfaction  to  uy  to  be  informed  of  the  names  of  those  nations,  and  o! 
llie  numbers  of  the  Chiefs  oi'  each  so  assembled.  Brothers:  We  onci 
moic  turn  our  eyes  to  your  representation  of  the  warlike  appearance-^ 
in  your  country  ;  to  give  you  complete  satisfaction  on  this  point,  wo 
now  assure  you  as  soon  as  our  council  at  this  place  is  ended,  wc  wil! 
send  a  messenger  on  horseback  to  the  Great  Chief  of  the  United  Stales, 
to  <lcsire  him  to  renew  and  strongly  repeat  his  orders  to  his  head  war- 
rior, not  only  to  abstain  from  all  hostililies  against  you  ;  but  to  remain 
quietly  at  his  points  until  the  event  of  the  treaty  shall  be  known."* 

To  the  enquiry  made  by  the   Agents  of  the   United   Slates  as  t( 
tribes  Brant  said, — 


Yesterday  you  expressed  a  wish  to  be  informed  of  the  names  of  thf 
nations,  and  numbers  of  Chiefs  assembled  at  the  Maumee  ;  but,  as  they 

*  America  11  State  Papers,  v,  'iiO. 


700-05. 


Ah'('l'u)g  of  (ho  Connc'd  «t  S't/i'Jt'y/.ij. 


3R0 


led  Slates  as  to 


•,vi  rf  daily  ••oniing  in,  \vr  cniiiirit  ^Ivc  you  rx".ct  iiinirmiitinn.  You  wiU 
for  ydUrHf'lvcs  in  ;i  few  (1;'.ys.  ^^'!lr■l1  ^vp  Irfl  il  llic  nillowin.^  iiiitim;?; 
^vf'iT  thero,  to-wit :  Five  IV;ition«i,  "Wyniv! 't-,  SIi;nvr,;r  .=r,  Pi  l:i\v.;ics, 
M'.iii^cf^-")  Miainics,  (Jhipprwns,  Ottawa?,  Poitiwatainii's,  Naiilikukie:', 
Mingocs,  Clicrokecs:   the  principal  men  of  these  were  there."* 

The  jealousy  ui'llie  Iiidians  as  to  liostile  inovenieiits  was  owin^ 
..  ihe  j'act  thai  Wayne  was  at  this  time  o;atlierin<(  liorses  and 
;iiiic,  and  cuttiniT  roads  in  the  heart  of  llie  contested  country, 
rvnnd  l''orl  .lellerson,  \vithin  lliree  days  journey  of  the  Indian 
[,iw\  fpiarters.f 

![!-•  "  T.e<i;ion"  liad  pas'vcd  tlu'  winter  of  170-2-3  at  TiCLiidinllle, 
•'!  there  reiunined  niitil  tlie  last  of  Api'il,  'O'l,  Avlieii  il  was  taken 
'  wn  tlie  river  1o  Cincinnati,  wliei'c  it  encani})(  il  iicai-  Fort  Wasli- 
:,''r))i;:{:  and  'l.iere  it  conlinued  (intil  Ortobri',  chnaged  nier*  ly  in 
.  illiiig  and  })rcparati(;ns,  the  Coiumandei-iii-C'liirf  luning  heiu 
I'.'.vcled  by  tlie  Executive  \o  issue  a  Pioclania'/mu  Idrbidding  all 
;,i>lile  uioveuieuls  uorili  of  die  Ohio  undl  the  iiorlhein  Conimii;- 
-luiiias  were  heard  iroiu.||  This  prochunatiou  was  issued,  and  the 
iiuutry  remained  tranquil,^  although,  as  we  have  said,  prej)ara- 
'lions  were  made  lor  action  in  ease  it  sliould  finally  become 
riifdful. 

While  Wayne,  encountering  many  obstacdes,  was  perfecting  tlie 
!iM;apline  of  his  soldiers  at  "  Ilobson's  choice,"*!  and  striving  to 
:<i  forward  mounted  volunteers  from  Kentutdcy,  who,  after  the 
\porience  of  1700  and  1701  could  not  be  had,  so  strong  was 
If'ir  repugnance  \o  serve  with  regulars, —  **  the  C'ornniissioners 
'd  crossed  Lake  Erie,  and  on  the"?lst  of  July  took  up  their 
:;;irl('rs  at  the  liouse  of  the  fliuious  or  infamous  C'ap'aiii  ^latlhew 
Elliott,  at  the  mouth  of  Detroit  ri\er.  rf  On  the  day  of  theii'  arri- 
val they  wrote  to  Colonel  McKee  asking  hlin  to  hasti'ii  the  pro- 
;"^Ld  meeting  at  Sandusky,  whic  h  he  jn'omised  to  do.  On  the 
-'ill  of  July  twenty  Indians  ani\ cd  fnua  the  liapids  to  see  the 
U'Uiiiiissioners ;  and  on  tlie  diree  i'ollowing  da_\s  the  while  and 
•il  men  met  in  council, —  Simon  (drly  acling  as  mtei'preter.  It 
-allied    tlie    confederacy    Avere    not    satisfied    with     the    meeting 

'Aiiirricn.il  State  Piipors,  v.  350.  +  Ainrricnn  State  Papers,  v.  .'i'll. 

;  Anirrican  Pioneer,  i.  29.J.  ||  Americiin  State  I'lipers,  v.  3  12. 

j  Aiaericaii  State  I'upers,  v.  3.09. 

'  Till   name  "I"  Ills  eiuMiniuiH'iil  at  ('iaciiiinti  ;  s  iii!  tn  have  lircii  so  naiiicd  l)ccaiio  itie 

-'!i  "atcr  wlien  the  Loj^ion  canio  down  proveiitod  their  laiuiiiifr  elsewhere. 

"  Wayne's  letter,  American  State  Papers,  v.  3()0.— iJiitlor  221. 

'^  ill'  lia<l  20(10  acres  mostly  cultivated:  see  description  iii  Weld's  travels,  ( London, 

'•"',)  vol,  li.  no. 


I 


390         Speech  of  the  Cfiitf  nf  the  Wynmhts  in  Counr!/.   ITOO-H: 

brfwf'fn    Bnint    nnd    tlic    rninmis^inncrs    nt    \i;t!:i;ai'a,    ainl    n  ■ 
wi^lu'd  to  ]i,jnv  (li';<inctl\ ,  :iii(]  merely,  if  llic  riiifcd  Slntcs  v/di" 
or  "would  not  mnlce  tlic  Oliio  llic  l)oiiiidniy.     To  lliis  iiujuii'^   il 
Commissioners    replied    (Jidy    ol)    in    writing-,    .selling    for'.li  i|. 
Amerienu   (daiins,   the  grounds   of  tliem,  and  the  inipossibiliiy  , ; 
making   the    ()hio    the  line  of  settlement.     The    answers  to  il,,. 
eomniunicatioii,  one  of  whii'h  was  delivered  orall>    on  the  >\i>., 
and  the  other  on  the  IGlh  of  August,  in  writing,  are  so  eharaiui- 
istic  and  able,  that  on  this  aeeount,  as  well  as  because  they  wt;. 
the  ulUinata  of  the  Indians  in  this  negotiation, —  we  give  emin 

Urothcrs:  Wc  are  all  brothers  you  see  here  now.  Brothers:  In, 
now  Uiree  years  since  you  desired  to  speak  wilh  us.  "We  heard  vuu 
yesterday,  and  understood  you  well  —  perfectly  well.  ^V'e  have  a  kw 
words  to  say  to  you.  Brothers:  You  mentioned  Uie  treaties  ol"  furi 
Stanwix,  lieaver  creek,*  and  oilier  phu-es.  Those  treaties  were  iij 
complete.  'J'liere  were  but  a  few  chiefs  who  treated  with  you.  Y  ,. 
have  not  bought  our  laiiilt!.  They  belong  to  us.  You  tried  to  dr;uv  n:': 
some  of  us.  ijiothers  :  Many  years  ago,  we  all  know  that  tlic  ():.ii 
was  made  the  boundary.  It  was  sealed  by  Sir  William  Jolni=toii, 
Tills  side  is  ouis.  We  look  upon  it  as  our  property,  lirolhers:  Yoi: 
mentioned  General  Washington.  He  and  you  know  you  have  you. 
houses  and  your  people  on  our  land.  You  say  you  cannot  move  iIr!., 
ofl':  and  we  cannot  give  up  our  land.  Brothers  :  We  are  sorry  we 
cannot  come  to  an  agreement.  The  line  has  been  lixed  long  -isjo, 
BroUiers :  We  don't  say  much.  There  has  been  much  mischict  0:1 
both  sides.  We  came  here  upon  peace,  and  thought  you  did  the  same. 
We  shall  talk  to  our  head  war.nors.  You  may  return  whence  yu; 
came,  and  tell  Washington. 

The  council  here  breaking  up,  Captain  Elliott  went  to  Uie  Shawanc;- 
chief  Ka-kia-piladiy,  and  told  him  that  the  last  part  of  the  speech  wm 
wrong.  That  chief  came  back  and  said  it  was  wrong.  Giriy  i^aiJ 
that  he  had  interpreted  truly  what  the  Wyandot  chief  spoke.  .V:i 
explanation  took  place  ;  and  Girty  added  as  follows:  "Brothers:  In- 
stead of  going  home,  we  wish  you  to  remain  here  for  an  answer  liom 
iir  We  have  your  speech  in  our  breasts,  and  shall  consult  our  heal 
warriors."  t 

The  head  warriors  having  been   consulted,  the   f.nal   me.'^Ni., 
came  in  these  words, — 

•*  To  the  Commissioners  of  the  United  States.     Brothers;  Wc  liavo 
received  your  speech  dated  the  31st  of  last  month,  and  it  has  been  intt'r- 

*  Fort  Mclutosli,  t  American  State  Papers,  \.  J't9 


uicil.  iTOO-n: 


ii 


790-95. 


FuKil  action  of  tlin  Gcmral  Council. 


;i!)l 


to  the  Shawanese 


r.nal  nKS:<a. 


liOiecl  to  nil  ilio  ililTcreiit  n;Uiuii.s.'  We  have  hecii  lung  in  scnilin^^  you 
a  iui:5\ver,  bt  cause  of  the  great  iniiioi'laneo  of  tlie  suhjcet.  But  we 
xow  aii:5\ver  it  fully  ;  havuig  given  it  all  the  eon^iileratiun  in  our  power. 

"  Brothers  :  You  tell  us  that,  after  you  hail  niailc  pcaee  with  the  King, 
our  fithcr,  about  ten  years  ago,  '  it  r.'iuainod  to  make  poaec  between 
ilic  United  States  and  tlie  Indian  nations  who  h;ul  taken  part  with  the 
Kiag.  For  this  j)ur[)0.5e  Conimisnioner.s  were  appointed  who  sent  nics- 
ra^cs  to  all  those  Indian  nations,  inviting  them  to  conio  and  make 
|ii\u'0 ;'  and,  nfler  reciting  the  periods  at  which  you  say  treaties  were 
i.rld,  at  Fort  Stanwix,  Fort  Alclntosh  and  Miami,  all  which  treaties, 
ai-cording  to  your  own  acknowledgement,  were  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
making  peace,  you  then  say,  '  T3rothcrs,  the  Commissioners  who  con- 
ilurted  these  treaties,  in  behalf  of  the  Un'ted  States,  sent  the  papers 
containing  them  to  the  general  council  of  the  States,  who  supposing 
them  satisfactory  to  the  nations  treated  with,  proceeded  to  dispose  of  the 
lands  thereby  ceded.' 

«'  Brothers  :  This  is  telling  us  plainly,  what  we  always  understood 
lobe  the  case,  and  it  agrees  with  the  declarations  of  those  few  who 
attended  those  treaties,  viz  :  That  they  went  to  meet  your  Commission- 
ers to  make  peace;  but,  through  fear,  were  obliged  to  sign  any  paper 
t;i;it  was  laid  before  then.  ;  and  it  has  since  appeared  that  deeds  of  ces- 
sion were  signed  by  them,  instead  of  treaties  of  peace. 

"Brothers  :  You  ;hen  say,  '  after  some  time  it  appears  that  a  nund)er 
of  people  in  your  nations  were  dissatisfied  with  the  treaties  of  Fort 
Mcintosh  and  Miami,  therefore  the  council  of  the  United  States  ap- 
pointed Governor  St.  Clair  their  Commissioner,  with  full  power,  for 
the  purpose  of  removing  all  causes  of  controversy,  relating  to  trade, 
and  settling  boundaries,  between  the  Indian  nations  in  the  northern  de- 
jiartinent,  and  the  United  States.  He  accordingly  sent  messages,  invi- 
ting all  the  nations  concerned  to  meet  him  at  a  council  fire  he  kiuvlled 
at  the  falls  of  the  Muskingum.  While  he  was  waiting  for  them,  some 
mischief  happened  at  that  place,  and  the  fire  was  put  out :  so  he  kindled 
a  council  fire  at  Fort  Ilarmar,  where  near  six  hundred  Indians  of  difler- 
ciit  nations  attended.  The  Six  Nations  then  renewed  and  confirmed 
the  treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix:  and  the  Wyandots  and  Delawares  renewed 
and  confirmed  the  treaty  of  Fort  Mcintosh  :  some  Ottawas,  Chippewas, 
Potlawatamies,  and  Sacs,  were  also  parties  to  the  treaty  of  Fort  Ilar- 
mar.' Now  brothers,  these  are  your  words  ;  and  it  is  necessary  for  us 
to  make  a  short  reply  to  them. 

"  Brothers  :   A  general  council  of  all  the  Indian  confederacy  was  held. 


*  It  soeitis  liowovcr,  that  liraiit  and  tlio  Cliiiits  ol' tlio  Irocjuois  wlin  hail  ;ir!:ni'il  tor 
peace  were  not  consulted. — Letter  of  the  Commissioners  to  Gcnernl  Knox. — Aaiencau 
State  Papers,  v.  359. 


392 


/'(irri'f,iiiij's  ci 


2/'  Ihc  Ctiicrui  Chuiidt. 


17!)0- 


18  vmi  \vf 


}■ 


111; 


lov.c\- 


ll 


lOW,    I 

il 


■1  l!;c'  r„Il  (if  llio  yr:ii-    17^'=!,  ;.t  this  jilir-r 


('(iiiiinl  \v:is  iii\ 


.1  1 


y  }■ 


n;:r  f 'otiiini.-sloi'.cr  (lovcriiDr 


■I.  (']. 


toiiiPtt  Iiiia  fur  llio  jH'.rp'isc  (if  li(i!iliii!j'  ;i  trr;:ly,  wi'h  r(  gan!  to  il 
hiiul.s  infutii  iicil  by  you  to  lia\o  1  ecu  ccdcil  liy  tlio  trcali(  s  ul'  1"^ 
Slaiiwix  ami  Furt  .Mclutosli. 

"  I'nitlicis  :   AVc  arc  in  possession  of  tlic   spcTtlics  ruul  letti  rs  wlii, 
passed  on    that    occasion,    lictwccn  tlioso  dcpiitecl   l)y  llic    conriilcruii 


liKliai 


IS, 


jkI   (I'ovcrnor  St.    Clair,   tlio    Conimissioner    of  the    I' 


iiitf, 


States.  Those  papers  prove  that  your  said  (/'ouunissioncr,  in  the  be- 
ginniiii,f  of  th(!  year  17H9,  after  hnving  hccn  iiiforinecl  by  the  l'iih  rd 
council  of  the  precedinir  fall,  that  mo  hart;ain  or  sale  of  any  jiaii  ui 
these  Indian  lands  would  be  consitlertd  as  valid  or  binding  unless  aj^rtul 
to  by  a  general  council,  nevertheless  persisted  in  collecting  togriUr  ,1 
few  chiefs  of  two  or  threi;  nations  only,  and  ,vit]i  them  held  a  ircuty  I'li 


tl 


le  cession  ol   an  ininicnsc  country^  in  which  they  were  no  more  iiitt; 


cstcd,  tlian  as  a  briinch  of  the  general  cenfetleracy,  a.nd  who  wer 
manner  authorized  to  make  any  grant  or  concession  whatever. 


c  la 


"  I?rothers  :   How  then   was  it  i^ossible    for 


you  to   expect   to  cnjay 


leace 


and  (piietly  to  hold   these  lands,    whi  n  your  Coniniissioner 


\v;is 


informed,  long  before  he  had  the  treaty  of  Fort  Ilrirniar,  that  the  run- 
sent  o<'  a  general  council  was  absolutely  necessary  to  convey  any  jjiii 
of  these  lands  to  the  United  States.  The  part  of  these  lands  which  il,o 
United  States  now  wish  us  to  relinquish,  and  which  you  say  are  setiliJ, 
have  been  sold  by  the  United  States  since  that  time. 

"Hrothers:  You  say  '  the  United  States  wish  to  have  conlirmcd  u!l 
the  lands  ceded  to  them  by  the  treaty  of  Fort  llarmar,  and  also  a  siiuill 
trad  at  the  rapids  of  the  Ohio,  claimed  by  Cieneral  Clark,  for  the  use  01' 
himself  and  his  warriors.  And,  in  consideration  thereof,  the  UniitJ 
Stales  would  give  such  a  large  sum  of  money  or  goods,  as  was  never 
given,  at  any  one  lime,  for  r.ny  (juanlity  of  Indian  lands,  since  the  wlii'.c 
people  first  set  their  feet  on  lliis  island.  And,  because  these  lands  Jk! 
every  year  furnish  yon  m  iih  skins  and  furs,  with  which  '•on  hou;;lit 
clothing  and  other  necessaries,  the  United  Slates  will  now  furnish  the 
like  constant  supplies.  And  tlierefore,  besides  the  great  sum  to  be 
delivered  at  once,  they"  will  every  yoar  deliver  you  a  large  quantity  ol 
such  goods  as  arc  best  lilted  to  the  wants  of  yourselves,  your  women, 
and  children.' 

"  Hrotliers  :  Aloney,  to  us,  is  of  no  value  ;  ;nid  to  most  of  us  un- 
known ;  an(h  as  no  consideration  whatever  can  induce  us  to  sell  I'.iC 
lands  on  which  wc  get  sustenance  for  our  women  and  children,  we  hope: 
we  may  lie  allowed  to  point  out  a  mode  liy  which  your  setllcis  may  bo 
easily  removed,  and  peace  thereby  obtained. 

"  Hrolhers  :  We  know  that  these  settlers  are  poor,  or  they  woiilil 
never  have  ventured  to  live  in  a  country  which  has  been  in  contiiHial 
trouble  ever  since  they  crossed  the  Ohio.     Divide,  therefore,  this  larirc 


1 1 


17!)0-9:, 


1:90-9; 


Prvccr(liiii;s  (if  Ihc  (!( iifi'nl  Cvuncll. 


'y< 


f)3 


rriior  S'l.  ('!.;;■ 

''1    l'(  :;;inl  to  il.. 

treaties  uf  rtn' 

lid  lclter'<  wliirl 

he     COllflMlcrald' 

of  the    I'l,!:,,! 

)nrr,  in  the  be. 
by  the  grni.r-il 
of  any  pail  oi 

\g  unlets  aoi-Lu! 

Ctillg    tntrrlUi  ,1 

held  a  trLuty  ;',! 
1  no  more  ink;- 
wlio  uei'i.;  ill  r„, 
itever. 

.'xpcet  to  ciiihv 
nimissioiier  wa^ 
r,  that  lilt'  I'uu- 
;onvey  any  p:iri 
landd  wliidi  il.e 
say  ai'c  selilLnl, 

e  coDliriTied  all 
nd  abo  a  siiuill 

,  lor  the  ii.-e  ui' 
ol",  the  Unind 
s,  as  was  never 
since  ihe  while 
these  lands  did 
eh  ^'ou  houiilit 

ow  furnish  ihc 
rat  sum  to  hi' 
rgo  quantity  ni 

yonr  women, 

most  of  11.^  un- 
us  to  fell  the 
Idren,  we  hope 
settler.s  may  bo 

or  they  woiihl 
ti  in  eonlimi^l 
fore,  this  large 


•i;iii 


uf  money,  wliicli  yon  have   offered   to 


lis. 


iino! 


Ih 


p',. 


lo  11,- 


IS  wc; 


Give  to  taih,  al.-o,  a  proporliiin  of  wlial  yon  say  yon  would  n^wv. 
;,iiiiuully,  over  and  ahovc   this   very  larj^o   sum  of  money;  and, 
arc  persuaded,  lliey  would  nmst  readily  aeeept  (d'it  in  Tk  11  ol'  the  lands 
vuii  >old  ihuiu.      ll   )ou  add,   al>o,    the  great  sums  you    must  e.\|iciid  in 


;IMl 


nu  our 


^lll 


1^   and    paying   armies,    with  a    view    to  foicc  us  lo  \  icM    ^ 
y,  yon  will  certainly  have  nnno  than  snnirlcnt  for  tlu-  imrposc  of 


avHiLf  these  sellicrs  lor 


their 


1)0 


r  and  llicir  im|>rovenieiit- 


"I'rothers:  You  have  talked  to  us  about  eonecssioiis.  It  appears 
ruaiige  that  you  should  expeel  any  from  us,  who  have  only  heen  ihl'end- 
. lilt  our  just  rights  against  your  invasions.     AVc  want  peace.     Restore 


;,i  Us  o 


ur  eouiilry,  and  we  shall  Le  •nemles  no  long<  r 


Jirolhtrs:    Yon   make  one    eon(;t.s.-ion    tons 


jII 


y   ollering  lis   your 


HiOII 


ey ;  ami   another   hy  having    agreed   to   do  ns  justice,   al'uu-   having 
d   injuriously  withheld  il  :  we   mean   in   the   ueknowleilgtinent 


Villi  1 1 


avc  now  made,  that  the  Kiieruf  Jlniiland  never  did, 


nor  luvii  iiad 


iiijit  to  give  you  our  eoiiiilry,  l.y  the  treaty  of  peace.     And  y.  u  want 


',3  ma 


kc  this  act  of  comnu)ii  justice  a  great  part  of  your   c 


line 


v-ions 


•,:id  seem  to  expect  that,  beeaitse  you  have  at  last  acknowledged  our 
iiidcpcndcncc,  we  should,  for  sinh  a  favor,  surreiuler  to  you  our 
Miiiitry. 

liioihers  : — You  have  talked,  also,  a  great  deal  about  pre-emption, 
:,:id  your  exclusive  right  to  purchase  Indian  lauds,  as  ceded  to  you  by 
;;;i'  king,  at  the  treaty  of  peace. 

liioihers  : — We  never  made  any  agreement  with  the  king,  nor  with 
as  other  natior  that  wo  would  give  to  either  the  exclusive  right  of 
.uichasing  our  lands  ;  and  wc  declare  loyou,  that  we  consider  ourselves 
::,i'  to  make  any  bargain  or  cession  of  lands,  whenever  and  to  whom- 
iOL'ver  wc  please.  If  the  white  people,  as  yoi;  say,  made  a  treaty  that 
none  of  them  but  the  king  should  purchase  of  us,  and  that  he  has  given 
'k\\  viuhi  to  the  United  States,  it  is  an  aflair  which  concerns  you  and 
.1111,  and  not  us  :   we  have  never  parted  with  such  a  power. 

Brotliers  : — At  our  general  council,  held  at  the  (JIaizc  la'-t  .all,  we 
;5'epil  to  meet  commissioners  from  the  United  Stales,  lor  the  puriiose  of 
■t-loriiig  peace,  proviilcd  they  consented  lo  acknowledge  and  eoiiiirm 
-lir  howndary  line  to  be  the  Ohio,  and  we  determined  not  to  meet  you, 
-til  you  gave  us  satisfaction  on  that  point:  that  is  the  reason  we  have 
•icvcr  met. 

Wo  desire  you  to  consider,  brothers,  that  our  only  deiu'-^nd  is  the 
[cu'cablc  po?sessioii  of  a  small  part  of  our  once  great  country. 
I^'ii)k  hack  and  review  the  lands  from  whence  we  have  been  driven  to 
■■'^  sjiot.  We  can  retreat  no  farther;  because  the  country  behind 
-'I'dly  aflords  food  for  its  inhabiliiils  ;  and  we  have,  therefore,  residved 
■jl'-ave  our  bones  in  this  small  space  to  which  wc  arc  now  confined. 


394 


Reasons  w/iick  kept  (he  Indians  at  IVar.     1700-179;' 


IJrullicrs  :  \\v  siiall  bu  pcr.siuulcd  lliiit  yuii  mean  to  do  us  justice,  i, 
yor,  agrco  llial  llic  (Jliio  .shall  rciuain  tiie  buuiuiary  line  Ltlwcua  us.  1, 
you  will  n(<l  cunscut  llicrelo,  our  uiocling  will  bo  allogetlicr  iinnccxs- 
S'M-y.  This  la  iho  great  point  which  wo  IioiukI  would  have  beer. 
explained  before;  you  left  }  our  iioiuos,  an  our  message,  la^it  fall,  was 
prineipally  direcled  to  obtain  that  information. 

Done  in  general  council,  at  the  foot  of  ilie  JMaumec  Rapid.-^,  the  13i'.; 
day  of  August,  1793. 

NATIONS. 

A\'yandot3,  IMiumics,  Mohicans. 

Seven  Nations,  oi"  Canada,  Oltawas,  Connoys, 

Pottawattiniics,  Messasagoes,  Delawarcs, 

Srnoeas,  of  tlie  Cllaizc,  Chippewas,  Nantakokies, 

Shawanesc,  Munsecs,  Creeks, 
Cherokecs.'' 

This,  of  ncccssilyj  closed  the  attempts  of  the  United  States  ti 
make  peace  ;  some  lew  further  ellbrts  were  made  to  secure  tin 
lro(|uois  to  the  cause  of  America,  but  they  ended  in  nolhinsj; ;  and 
from  the  month  of  Auiijust,  the  preparations  for  a  decision  by  anib 
of  tie  fpiestions  pending  between  the  white  and  red  men  wen' 
forward  constantly. 

l^ut  it  is  natural  to  ask  what  causes  led  the  northwestern  savnt;v- 
tluis  to  stake  their  very  existence  upon  the  contest,  when  tt 
liljcral  were  offerod  by  their  opponents.  We  answer — first,  tl 
previous  success  did  much  ;  ami  secondly,  tliey  hoped  for  the  aii; 
of  Britain,  ami  at  length  of  Spain  also,  on  their  side. 

For  .several  years,  said  Brant,  we  were  engaged  in  getting  a  eonlVi!- 
eracy  formed,  and  thot  unanimity  occasioned  by  these  endeavors  anioiiL! 
our  western  brethren,  enabled  them  to  defeat  two  American  armiej. 
The  war  continued  without  our  biothcrs,  the  English,  giving  any  assis- 
tance, except  a  little  ammunition  ;  and  Uicy  seeming  to  desire  tli;it  ; 
peace  might  be  concluded,  we  tried  to  bring  it  about  at  a  time  that  ilio 
United  States  desired  it  very  much,  so  that  they  sent  commissioners 
from  among  their  first  people,  to  endeavor  to  make  peace  witii  the  ho- 
tile  Indians.  "We  assembled  also  for  that  purpose  at  the  Miami  river 
in  the  summer  of  1793,  intending  to  act  as  mediators  in  b'-inging  abou; 
an  honorable  peace;  and  if  that  could  not  be  obtained,  we  resolved  to 
join  our  western  brethren  in  trying  the  fortune  of  war.  But  to  our  sur- 
prise, when  upon  the  point  of  entering  upon  a  treaty  with  the  commis- 

*  American  Sl:ito  Papers,  v.  3.'>G. 

i  In  aiiutlier  portiDii  of  tlie  siiine  spcccli,  Cai)t;uii  Brant  stated  that  General  Ilaldiin;. 
exhorted  ihem  to  the  formation  of  tliat  union  with  tlic  diiTereut  natiojis. 


lis    M' 


1790-95. 


Lor<}  Dorrliestcrs  Sprcdi. 


39- 


Rapid.--,  ihe  laC. 


<ionor?,  we  found  lliat  it  w;i.;  opposoil  l)y  tliosp  artinr;  mulrr  tlir  r>ritis!i 
I'ovcrnmcnt,  und  lionos  of  Hii'tlirr  assist:!!!!';^  wen;  irivfii  to  our  M-i^s'.crii 
brellirrn,  to  ciicourajrp  thnii  to  iiipi^t  on  tlio  Oliio  as  :i  Ijouiulary  lic'wfTn 
thorn  and  the  United  Stales.* 

Throupjh  FJIiolt,  McICrr,  and  Bnil^r,  tliis  ronfidciicc  in  Eiip;- 
lisli  ;u(l  wns  llius  cxcilcd  nniniiu;  11h>  sa^■;^^•(•s,  licfrtrc  llicii'  fiii;i1 
R'fiisal  of  the  generous  teiius  oircrfd  i)v  Wasliington  ;  and  soon 
after,  the  higher  funetionaries  endorsed  llie  representations  of  Iheii' 
subordinates.  In  Fehruary,  1791,  T.ord  Doreheslei-,  addressing 
the  deputies  from  the  council  of  1793,  .said  : 

Children : — I  was  in  expectation  of  hearing  from  the  poojile  of  the 
United  States  what  was  required  by  them  :  1  hoped  that  I  should  have 
been  able  to  bring  you  together,  and  make  you  friendss. 

Children:  —  I  have  waited  long,  and  listened  with  great  attention, 
but  I  have  not  heard  one  word  from  them. 

Children;  —  I  flattered  myself  willi  tlic  hope  that  the  line  proposed 
ill  the  year  eighty-three,  to  separate  us  from  the  United  States,  ichich 
mis  immrdialdy  broken  by  themselves  us  soon  as  (he  pence  uas 
signed,  would  have  been  mended,  or  a  new  one  drawn,  in  an  amicable 
manner.     Here,  also,  I  have  been  disappointed. 

Children  ;  —  Since  my  retain,  I  find  no  appearance  of  a  line  rtMuains ; 
and  from  the  manner  in  which  the  people  of  the  United  States  rush  on, 
and  act,  and  talk  on  this  side  ;  and  from  what  I  learn  of  their  conduct 
toward  the  sea,  I  shall  not  be  surprised  if  we  are  at  war  with  theni  in 
llie  course  of  the  present  year ;  and  if  so,  a  line  must  then  be  drawn  by 
the  warriors. 

Children  : — You  talk  of  selling  your  lands  to  the  state  of  New  York. 
I  liave  told  you  that  there  is  no  line  between  them  and  us.  I  sluul 
acknowledge  no  lands  to  be  theirs  which  have  been  encroached  on  by 
iheni  since  the  year  1783.  They  then  broke  the  peace,  and  as  they 
kept  ii  not  on  their  part,  it  doth  not  bind  on  ours. 

Children  :  —  They  then  destroyed  thcii  right  of  pre-emption.  There- 
fore, all  their  approaches  towards  us  since  that  time,  and  all  the 
purchases  muje  by  tliem,  I  consider  as  an  infringement  on  the  King's 
rights.  And  when  a  line  is  drawn  between  us,  be  it  in  peace  or  war, 
ihey  must  lose  all  their  improvements  and  houses  on  our  side  of  it. 
Those  people  must  all  be  gone  who  do  not  obtain  leave  to  become  the 
King's  subjects.  What  belongs  to  the  Indians  will,  of  course,  be 
secured  and  confirmed  to  them. 

Children  :  — What  farther  can  I   say  to  you?     You  are  witnesses 

'Stone,  ii.  30S. 


39G 


BrU'isli  mid  Spanish  aid  Jiopcd  foi 


1790-n; 


IIkiI  oil  our  parts  we  liuvo  actcil  in  tlic  ino.sl  poacriiMo  iriaiuicr,  utu] 
b'liiK!  ihc  l.ui;;iia;,fo  and  (oiulucl  of  llii;  jicoiilc  of  llic  riiitnl  Slates  wiih 
i)alii'UiT.     I'lii  I  l)L'li(!V(!  our  pilii'iico  is  alinoal  (xhuuslcil.* 


And    wl 


ICIl, 


(liiiinLT    llic   siiiiuiicr   of    1791,    tlicrc    \v;is    ;i   cdii'ivt 


)ct  ween 


\hr    1 


lilted 


Stall 


ntid  tlic  Si\   Xatinps;,  rcla'lvc  t( 


•  •rcclidii  (if  a  \'^n-\  hy  the  former  ;it  Pi('S|ii'ilc  (I'ric)  on  lake  I!i 
niaiil,  ill  wilting-  to  llir  Uritisli  autlioiitics,  on  tlic  l!Jlli  of  J 
says  — 


iii\, 


III  ro^nnl  to  tlic  Prcsq'  Tslc  husincss,  should  wo  not  f^ot  an  answer  -w 
tlio  time  limited,  it  is  onr  hnsiiipjj.s  to  \i\\A\  lliox;  fellows  Imril,  ;rii! 
tlipreforo  it  is  my  intention  to  form  my  camp  at  Pointe  Ap])ine:!u  :  am! 
T  would  esteem  it  a  favor  if  liis  Exetdleney  tlio  [jioutemmt  Clovcriior 
would  lend  me  four  or  ^\\o  hatteaiix.  Should  it  so  turn  out,  and  slioulij 
those  fellows  not  j^o  ofl",  and  O'lJail  eontimm  in  the  same  opininn,  i,-! 
expedition  nnrninst  tliose  Yaidcecs  must  of  consecinenee  take  jilaee. 

Ilis   Mxeellenev  has  hcen  so   rrood  as    to   furnish   us   witli   a  ewt.  of 


powder,  am 


1  hall 


in  proportion,  w 


hici 


1  is  now  at  Fort  V.x'.? ;  hut  in  ilic 


event  of  an  attaek  upon  ]^c  I?(mif  people,  I  conld  wisii,  if  eons-isioiit, 
that  his  Excelleney  would  order  u  like  qnanniy  in  addition  to  beat 
Fort  Eiio,  in  order  to  be  in  readiness  ;  likewise  I  would  hope  for  a  Utile 
assistance  in  piovisions.:j: 

Bui  llie  conduct  of  En^'land,  in  scndinu^,  as  she  did,  Governor 
Simcoe  in  Ili(!  mouth  of  Ajiril,  179-1||  to  the  ra})ids  of  the  AInuinee, 
tluMT,  within  the  ackiunvledLfed  territories  of  the  Enifed  Sta*e<,  to 
erect  a  fort,  was  the  strongest  assurance  thai  could  liave  I)e('n 
given  to  the  noi'thwestern  trihes,  tliat  she  would  espouse  tlnir 
quarrel.  Tn  ^fay  of  1791,  a  messenger  from  the  Mississipjji  jirov- 
inces  of  S])ain  also  ap])eared  in  the  northwest,  ofTering  assis'.aiice. 

Children!  (he  said)  you  sec  me  on  my  feet,  grasping  the  tomahawk 

*  Tilt'  uiitliciUic  i1,y  oftliis  S[,,^('cli  lias  Ijooii  qurstiniUHl  ;  it  \v:is  (l()iil)teil  ;it  tlio  time  rvii;. 
fJooriio  Clinton  oi'New  York  sent  tlie  proofofifs  ^omiiiipnoss  to  Wnsliiiiy-tDii,  Miirrli  ?i)th. 
1794,  and  botli  ho  and  tlio  Prosidont  tlioii|^ht  it  autliontic.  Jiidjro  Marsliall  (I.ili'  <il' 
Wasliini,'t(in,  v.  b'ih)  stat<>s  it  is  nut  aiilheiitic,  and  Sparks  (Wasliiiigton  raj)ors,  x.  391, 
note)  scciiis  to  agrco  with  him  ;  lint  ]\Ii'.  Stono  toiind  aiiudicr  liraiifs  jiapcrs  a  i:ii  iiiini  .MS. 
copy  linni  which  tho  ahovc?  extracts  are  taken,  (Stone's  liiant,  ii.  3G8,  note);  and  Mr, 
Hammond,  the  I!-itish  niin'  '"r,  in  May,  1701,  acknowledged  it  to  be  genuine. — (Ameri- 
can Slate  Pajiers,  i.  462.     '        ilso  v.  4S0.) 

t  See  the  pajiers  relative  this  ufTair  at  length,  American  State  Papers,  v.  "lO^  to  fiM. 
i'lio  Americans  yielded  their  right  of  settlement  to  prevent  trouble.  (Aniencan  Slato 
Papers,  V.  4S7.) 

^  Stone's  Itranl,  ii.  ;"!S0. 

Jl  Letter  ofAjjnl  17,  American  State  Papers,  v    ISO. 


1790-0'). 

l(  il  Stales  Willi 


•;is    II.    coii'fvt 
II    I'.llsC    llii.  .'- 


1700-95. 


Causes  of  the  action  of  [J/iglnnd. 


;]97 


lOtll    ()[•  Jlilv 


■)i  :m  answer  -it 
i)\vs  liaril,  u-a! 
Appine:!ii  ;  ain! 
iiaiit  (Jiivenier 
r\\\\,  and  sliould 
mo  opini'iM,  im 
l<e  |i]ai-e. 
with  a  ewt.  nf 
',r'.?  ;  ImiI  ill  the 
I,  if  cDnsistPiit, 
l(lili(>ii  to  I  ('  at 
liopc  fur  a  liti'ip 


;o  PtriI<o  thorn.  Wc  will  .siriko  loirothor.  I  do  do  not  desire  yoii  to  go 
lic'fiiro  1110,  111  llic  front,  hut  to  follow  mo. 

Cliildroii :  I  prcsoiit  you  with  ;i  war-pipe,  whit'h  lias  heen  soiit  in  al! 
our  iiainos  to  the  INTusqiiakies,  and  all  tlioi-o  iiatioii.s  who  live  low  aids 
the  settin;,'  sun,  to  get  upon  their  feet  and  take  hohl  of  our  tomahawk  : 
nnil  as  soon  as  thoy  smoked  it,  thoy  sent  it  Iiack  wiih  a  i)roi,ii.<e  to  get 
iiiiniediately  on  their  feet,  and  join  lis,  and  strike  this  onemy. 

riiildren  :  You  hear  what  these  distant  nations  have  said  to  ms,  so 
ihal  we  have  nothing  farther  to  do  hut  jnit  our  designs  into  iminei'iate 
oxccutii/n,  and  to  forward  this  jjipi;  to  the  three  warlike  tialious  wlio 
!,avc  so  long  heen  struggling  for  their  country,  and  who  now  sit  at 
;I:c  CJIaizo.  'I'dl  them  to  smoke  this  pijie,  and  forward  it  to  all  the 
Like  Indians  and  tlrjir  northern  hrethreii.  Then  nothiiiij  will  he 
wauling  to  eompletc  our  general  union  from  the  rising  to  tlu,'  setting  of 
ilie  sun,  and  all  nations  will  be  ready  to  add  strength  to  the  hlow  wc 
arc  going  to  make."* 

The  oxplnnalinn  (d'  llic  conduct  alxnc  related  on  the  pnrt  of" 
Kiiirland,  is  not  dinicult.  Fii  Marcli,  1793,  Oi'cat  Biitain  and 
!vii<sia  had  united  for  the  purpose  of  ciittini^  of!"  all  the  coiiiincrcc 
of  revolutionary  France,  in  ilic  hope  thcrcliy  of  conipicriM^- lui'.  j 
In  June,  the  court  oC  St.  James,  in  accordance  with  this  agreement, 
issued  orders — 


did,  (Jovernnr 

the  Mauuirc, 

ilcd  Sla'fs,  to 

Id    have   heen 

espouse  llicir 

;issi])|)i  jirov- 

f  assistance. 

the  tonialtawk 

lit  tlio  tiinc  ever.. 
,'^um.  M;irr'i  Iwh. 
I\I;irs!i;ill  (I.il'c  "l' 
11   IVipi'is,  X.  3D1, 

IS  a  (.Til'lir.l  .MS. 
<,  iiotc)  ;  ami  Mr. 
uiiuini-'. — (AiMcri- 

ors.  V.  .'i(i:!  t'l  rrM. 
(Ainencaii  ^I'l''' 


To  .«top  and  detain  all  vessels  loaded  wholly  or  in  part  with  coriujiour, 
or  meal,  bound  to  any  port  of  France,  or  any  [lort  occupied  by  tlic 
armies  of  France,  and  to  send  them  to  such  ports  as  :-nould  be  most 
i^oiivcnient,  in  order  that  such  corn,  meal,  or  flour  might  be  purchased 
on  bch.ilf  of  his  majesty's  government,  and  the  ships  to  be  released  after 
m\\  piu'chase,  and  after  a  due  allowance  for  freight;  or  that  the  masters 
nfsiieh  ships,  on  giving  due  security,  to  be  approved  by  the  court  of 
I'liniralty,  be  permitted  to  dispose  of  their  cargoes  of  corn,  meal,  or 
Oour,  in  the  ports  of  any  country  in  amity  with  his  majesty. ;j: 

Ao'ainst  this  proceeding  tlic  United  States  protested,  v.liil(>  Eng- 
land  justified  the  measure  as  a  very  mild  ap})licatiou  of  interna- 
lional  law.  On  both  sides  great  irritation  jircvailcd,  and  during 
iliis  period  it  was  that  the  various  acts  of  Governor  Siincoe  and 
others  took  place. 

As  for  Spain,  she  had  long  been  fearful  and  jealous  of  the  west- 
'Tii  colonists  ;||   hhe  had  done  all  in  her  power  to  sow  dissensio/is 

*  MS.  uinong  the  Brant  Papers.— Stone,  ii.  T,b.  t  Pitltin'.s,  U.  S.  ii.  SOU. 

tPitliin,  ii.  390.  [  Sec  ante  pp.  221,  280,  &c.,  aml;os<. 


308  Wayne's  proxpeds  <nul  t forts.  1790-0,', 

between  llic  Ainerlciiiis  iiiid  tin;  .-Muitliern  lii'liaiis;'  and  now  lioin  i! 
to  eri[)[tle  her  An«:;lo-Sii\on  antai^onist  !>_)  movements  at  tlie  nnitli. 
JJiit  llie  Americans  were  in  nowise  disposed  to  }ield  even  in 
lliis  "Hydra,"  as  General  Wayne  called  it,  ol  Indian,  l>iiiiNli, 
and  Spanish  enmity.  On  the  IGth  f)!'  Au<^ust,  17IJ3,  the  |'in;i| 
messa<>;es  took  place  hetwci'n  the  Anierican  commissioners  ami  iIk 
Indians,  at  tlio  mouth  of  Detroit  river;  on  the  17th,  the  coinings, 
sioners  left  ('ajitain  Klliolt's;  on  tho  2.'M,  reached  Fort  Krie,  iicMr 
Niaijjara  ;  upon  the  same  day  tliey  sent  three  h'tters  to  Cieiicnil 
"Wayne,  by  three  distinct  channels,  advising  Inm  of  the  issue  df 
tlie  negotiation.!  Wayne,  encamped  at  his  "  Ilobson's  choicf," 
and  contendinii  with  the  unwillingness  of  Kentuekians  to  volm;. 
teer  in  connection  with  regular  troops,  —  with  fever,  inlluenzu  .ml 
desertion,  —  was  struggling  hard  to  bring  his  army  to  such  f(M;i 
and  consistency  as  would  enable  liim  to  meet  the  en(:my  wiili 
confidence.  On  the  5th  of  October,  he  writes  that  he  cannot  1io|m 
to  have,  deducting  the  sick  and  those  left  in  garrison,  more  than 
2, GOO  regular  troops,  '3G0  mounted  volunteers,  and  3G  guides  ;uid 
.spies  to  go  with  him  beyond  Fori  Jeflerson:  but  \\v  adds — 


This  is  not  a  pleasant  picture,  but  something  must  be  done  imme- 
diately, to  save  the  frontiers  from  impending  savage  fury. 

I  will,  therefore,  advance  to-morrow  with  tlie  force  I  have,  in  order 
to  gain  a  strong  position  about  six  miles  in  front  of  Fort  Jefferson,  so  ns 
to  keep  the  enemy  in  check  (by  exciting  a  jealousy  and  apprelicnsion 
for  the  safety  of  their  own  women  and  c'lildren)  until  some  favorablo 
circumstance  or  opportunity  may  present  to  strike  with  effect. 

The  present  apparent  tranquility  on  the  frontiers,  and  at  the  henil  of 
the  line,  is  a  convincing  proof  to  me,  that  tlie  enemy  are  collected  or 
collecting  in  force,  to  oppose  the  legion,  either  on  its  march,  or  in  smic 
unfavoral)lc  position  for  the  cavalry  to  act  in.  Disappoint  them  in  this 
favorite  plan  or  mana3uvre,  they  may  probably  be  tempted  to  attack  our 
lines.  In  this  case  I  trust  they  will  not  have  much  reason  to  triumpii 
from  the  encounter. 

They  cannot  continue  long  embodied  for  want  of  provision,  and  at  their 
breaking  up,  they  will  most  certainly  make  some  desperate  effort  upon 
some  quarter  or  other;  should  the  mounted  volunteers  advance  in  force, 
we  might  yet  compel  those  haughty  savages  to  see  for  peace,  before  thr 
next  opening  of  the  leaves.    Be  that  as  it  may,  I  pray  you  not  to  permit 


♦American   State  Papers,  v,  304,  308,  325,  &c.  &c.     (See  index  of  vol.  "Spain,' 
"  Spaniards,"'  &c.) 

+  American  State  Papers,  v.  357  to  360. 


1790-fj: 


1790-95. 


Woj/nr  biiilil.f  Fori  (ircmvlll 


100 


lul  now  liojii  i\ 
s  at  the  ikihIi. 
yield  even  ',, 
idiiui,  lirii'iMi, 
7'j;{,  Ihr  tlnal 
lioiKU-s  and  the 
1,  the  coinniN. 
'\)rt  Ki'if,  iitiir 
Ts  t(i  Clcni'ni! 
)f  llif  issue  (if 
son's  rlK)i(H'," 
ians  to  volm;- 
,  iidluonza  an 
y  to  such  lc,:;i 
le  (.'neniy  \s\\\\ 
le  cannot  1iu(m 
son,  moro  llian 
3G  <:;uidcs  ami 
adds — 


be  done  i 


iiuiie- 


havn,  in  onlor 

JcfTcrson,  ?n  a^ 

id  appreliciision 

some  favorable 
efTect. 
\  at  the  lipad  ol 

are  collected  or 
arch,  or  in  ?o'iic 
int  them  in  v.\\> 
ed  to  attack  our 
son  to  triumiili 

5ion,  and  atthtir 
?rate  ciTort  upon 
dvance  in  force, 
)eace,  before  thr 
on  not  to  permit 

X  of  vol.  "  Spain," 


nrr«pnt  appearances  lo  eaiise  too  mui-Ii  niixiely  cither  in  tlie  mind  of  the 
I'rr.'idcnt,  or  yourself,  on  account  of  tins  army.  Knowini:;  tlic  critical 
siliiation  of  otir  infant  nation,  and  fctding  for  liu;  honor  and  reputation  of 
(iovernment,  (wIhcIj  I  will  support  with  my  latest  breath)  you  may  rest 
osqircd  that  I  will  not  commit  the  legion  unnccesisarily  ;  and  indess 
ninre  powerfully  supported  than  I  at  present  have  reason  to  expect,  I 
will  content  myself  by  taking  a  strong  position  advanced  of  Jellerson, 
iiitl  I)y  exertiui;  every  power,  endeavor  to  protect  the  frontiers,  aiul  to 
ipcure  the  posts  and  army  during  the  winter,  or  until  I  am  honored  with 
vour  further  orders.* 

On  the  7tli  the  legion  left  Cincinnati,  and   upon  the  13th,  with- 
iit  any  accident,  encainjx'd   ui)oii   the   "  strong  position"  ahovc; 
I     I  :rt;rred  to.f     Here,  upon  tiie  21th  of  Ocl'r,  he  ^vas  joined  by  1000 
Mounted  Kentucky  volunteers  under  Cen.  Scott,  to  whom  he  had 
written  pressing  requests  to  hasten  forward  with  all  the  uicn  he 
iiuld  muster.     'I'his  request    Scott   hastened  to  coiu[)ly  with,  ami 
lie  Governor,  upon  the  2Sth  of  September  had  ordered,  in  addi- 
tion, a  draft  of  militia.     The   Kentucky   troojis,  however,  were 
>i)on  dismissed  again,  until  Spring;  hut  their  mar(dt  had  nf)l  been 
in  vain,  for  they  had  seen  enough  of  Wayne's  army  to  give  them 
'uifidence  in  it  and  in  him  ;  and  upon  their  return  home,  spread 
hat  confidence  abioad,  so  that  the  full  number  ot'  volunteers,  was 
asily  procured  in  the  spring. | 

One  attack  had  been  made  upon  the  troops  previous  to  the 
l%\  of  Oct.  and  oidy  one:  a  body  of  two  commissioned  and  ninety 
aou-eommissioncd  officers  and  S(ddicrs,  conveying  20  wagons  of 
supplies,  was  assaidted  on  the  17lh,  seven  miles  beyond  Fort  St. 
Clair,  and  Lieutenant  Lowry  and  f^nsign  Boyd,  with  thirtei'u 
rilliers,  \vere  killed.  ||  Although  so  little  opposition  had  thus  far 
betn  encountered,  however,  Wayne  determined  to  stay  where  he 
was,  for  the  winter,  and  having  70,000  rations  on  hand  in  Oclo- 
iiLT,  with  the  prospect  of  120,000  more,  wdnle  the  Indians  were 
sure  to  be  short  Jof  provisions, §  he  proceeded  to  fortify  his  posi- 
tion ;wdiich  he  named  Fort  Greenville,  and  wdiich  was  situated 
'ipon  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  town  of  that  name.  This 
being  done,  on  the  23d  or  24th  of  December,  a  detachment  was 
^ent  forward  to  take  possession  of  \\u\  field  of  St.   Clair's  defeat. 

'  American  State  Papers,  v.  360. 

t  See  in  American  Pioneer,  ii.  290,  plate  and  account  of  Wayne's  mode  of  cncamp- 
liicnt.    Also  in  Cist's  Cincinnati  jNIisccllnny,  ii.  55,  a  journal  of  the  march. 
I  Marshall,  ii.  83,  84.  1|  American  State  Papers,  v.  361.  ^  Ibid,  v.  361. 


100 


I/nluiii'!  nly  tin  IhiHs/i. 


17!)()'»: 


Tlic)  iiri'MciI  iijHiii  llic  spol  iq,!)!!  ('liir>liu;is  <\\iy.  "  Six  lniiuli-  .j 
skull.',"  Mi}s  one  |iri'M  111,  "  \vt  re  ^iiiln  red  up  iui>l  Iiiuicil  ;  win,, 
Wi:  \\(  lit  Id  lii_)  iIdwu  iii  t)ur  lrnt.>  a!  iii,iJ,lil,  \v»'  lnul  to  serai).'  J|. 
bout'S  ((incllit'i  and  can)  IJuni  oul,  l(»  inakf  oiu'  litds.''  H,,, 
was  liuili  I'ltil  lvf('<>vt'r_),  uliidi  was  pi()[)('i'l}  ^;ai-riMUH'(|,  in,,; 
plai'i'd  under  ilie  •■liari^o'  ol  Captain  Alexander  (iihson.  l)ii!iii_r 
ihc  early  inonllis  of  17!)  I,  Wayne  was  steadily  en^a^ed  in  |mv. 
parinir  escry  \\\u\<f  lor  a  sure  hlow  wlieu  tlie  linn-  came,  anil  U 
tneans  df  Captain  (lilison  and  liis  \ari(ius  s|)ies,  kep'  liinisiji 
irdnrnu'd  of  tlie  plans  and  tnoveinr'ii's  of  i|ic  sava'.fe<>'.|  All  liiv 
inlorination  slioweil  tin'  I'aitli  in  Hritish  ussistajice  ujiii'li  ^till  inl- 
nui'ed  flu-  doomed  race  of  red-men  : — tlius,  two  I'ottawiilaiiiii's 
lak'en  liy  (*a[)tain  Ciihson,  June  ."Ah,  in  reply  to  various  ipu  stinih, 
answered  as  follows: 

Q. — \Vlic'n  (lid  your  nation  roijyive  tlic  invitation  from  the  IJriiish  (o 
join  liieni,  and  jijo  to  war  willi  the  Amoricran.s  ? 

A. — On  lli(!  (ir.sl  of  tlio  last  moon  ;  tlio  mes.sa<,'e  was  .sent  hy  three 
cliitif-s  a  Delaware,  a  Sliawanec,  and  a  Miami. 

Q. — \V  iiat  was  tli'j  message  broii},dit  by  tlio&c  Indian  chief';,  and 
what  number  of  IJrilish  troops  were  at  Roclie  do  IJout,  [_fuol  ol'  ra|)iui 
of  the  jMiaimoc,]  on  the  1st  of  May. 

A. — That  tiie  iJiilisli  scut  them  to  invito  the  I'attawatlainies  to  go  \u 
war  aL^iiiist  the  linilod  States:  that  they,  the  Uritish,  were  then  at 
lloehe  do  IJout,  on  their  way  to  war  a;j;ainst  the  Americans  ;  thai  the 
nnni!)er  of  IJritish  troops  then  there  were  about  four  hundred,  \vi:Ii  two 
pieces  of  artillery,  exclusive  of  the  Detroit  militia,  and  had  niiuio  a  loi- 
lillcation  round  Colonel  McKec's  house  and  stores  at  tliat  place,  in 
which  tiiey  had  deposittid  all  tlieir  stores  of  ammuidtion,  arms,  clotliiiii:, 
and  provision,  widi  which  they  promised  to  supply  all  the  hostile  bi- 
dians  in  al)undance,  ptovided  they  would  join,  nnd  go  with  theui  to  war. 

Q. — What  tribes  of  Indians,  and  what  were  their  numbers,  at  Kochc 
de  IJout,  on  the  1st  of  May  ? 

A. — The  ("hippcwas,  Wyandots,  Shawancsc,  Tawas,  Dclawarrs,  and 
Miaudes.  There  were  then  collected  about  one  thousand  warriors,  and 
were  daily  coming  in  and  collecting  from  all  those  nations. 

Q. — What  number  of  warrior.s  do  you  suj>poso  arc  actually  collected 


*  Ainrrirnn  I'ionrc^r,  i.  2[)\.  LotU^r  of  Gcnr^r,.  Will.— Dil'jn's  Indiuna  i.  300— Am- 
oricaii  Sl:it('  I'lijiorsi,  i.l5S,  <rivos  Wayne's  stiitciiiciit. 

+  Sco  a  vrry  intprrstinp;  story  in  McDon.iId's  Skptclios  (pp.  IHF),  6,  and  7)  ol'tlic  ip- 
turc  ofCliristoplicr  JMillcr,  (a  whit'.'  man  made  into  an  Indian,)  tiy  liis  brotlicr,  uiic  i' 
Wayne's  spies. 


i7f)i)!i:, 


i:no-05. 


Kt'iihnre  of  liritis/i  Infi'/itlnns. 


401 


'  Six  liuiiilr  'i 
l)iiri(:(l  ;  wlic, 
to  MTapi'  .1,, 
:r(ls.'"  I  In. 
,rrl*^(»iir(l,   iiiiil 

)S<)|).        |)i|llll.' 

'4J»'4't'il  ill  |nv. 

Cilllll',   illlil  ll\ 

ki'j)i  hiiiiMli 
,.n.vj  AIM- 
vliidi  -'ill  ;rii- 
I'()lt;i\v;i1;iiiiii'<, 
ions  ([U(  stioih. 


1  the  Ikiiish  lo 

IS  sent  I>y  ihrcr 

li:in  chicl's  ami 
,  [loot  ol'  ra[)iub 

itt:iinic.-s  to  f,'o  t') 
were  llieii  at 
cans  ;  tli;it  the 
(IixhI,  wiili  two 
ml  niailo  :i  lot- 
that  iilace,  in 
arms,  clothin:;, 
the  hostile  hi- 
ih  thoin  to  \v;ir. 
luhi.r?,  at  UiK'lic 

Dehiwarps,  ;iiul 
id  warriors,  and 


IIS. 

etiially  collects 


iidiiiiia  i.  300-Ai"- 

and  7)  of  till"    ip- 
his   brutlicr,  onct.' 


11  that  phipp  (it  thiH  timn,  ami  what  numhor  of  Hritisli  troops  ami  militia 
|,ave  promised  to  join  the  Indians  lo  li^ht  ihis  army  .' 

A. — l^v  the  latest  and  hcsi  inl'ormation,  and  (Vom  our  own  knowlcdjre 
1  ihc  numher  of  uarriots  hrhini^'inj^  lo  ihosn  nalionw,  there  eannot  1)6 

-than  two  thousand  warriors  now  asHuinhled  ;  and  were  the  I'aiia- 
uiiltaniiefl  to  join,  iii^rei-ahly  to  invitation,  ihe  whole  wonld  amount  to 
,:mar(lH  ol'  three  tiioiisand  hoMlJlo  Indians.  Hut  we  do  not  think  that 
aoro  than  .')t)  of  the  I'attiiwattamies  will  f:[o  to  war. 

The  Hritixh  troops  and  militia  that  will  join  the  Indians  to  go  lo  war 
jiiiisl  the  Americans,  will  amoniit  to  lil'tecu  hniulred,  agieeahly  to  the 
•  nniise  of  (loveriior  Siincoe. 

t^.— At  what  lime  and  at  what  place  do  the  Hrilisli  and  Indians  mean 
',]  advance  against  this  arniy  ? 

A.— Ahout  the  last  of  this  moon,  or  the  beginning  of  the  next,  they 
niend  to  attack  the  legion  of  this  place.  fJovernor  Simcoe,  the  great 
mn  who  lives  at  or  near  Niagara,  sent  lor  the  Pattawattamies,  and  pro- 
:iised  tliem  arms,  ammnnition,  provision,  and  clothing,  and  every  thing 
;!iev  wanted,  on  condition  that  they  would  join  him,  and  go  to  war 
..niiist  the  Americans  ;  and  that  he  would  command  the  whole. 

Ill'  sent  us  the  same  message  last  winter ;  and  again,  on  the  first  of 

.clasl  moon,  from  Roche  de  IJout ;  he  also  said,  he  was  much  obliged 
•)us  for  our  past  services  ;  and  that  he  would  now  help  us  to  fight,  and 
render  us  all  the  servli  (;h  in  his  power,  against  the  Americans. 

All  the  speeches   that  we   have  received  from   him,  were  as   red  as 

>iod;  all  the  wampum  and  feathers  were  painicd  red  ;  the  war  pipes 
|;aJ  hatchets  were  red,  and  even  the  tobacco  was  painted  red. 

We  received  four  dillcrent  invitations  from  Governor  Simcoe,  inviting 

.e  PaUawattamies  to  join  in  the  war ;  the  last  was  on  the  first  of  last 
|:.;joii,  when  he  promised  to  join  us  with  1,'iOO  of  his  warriors,  as  before 

iiiioncd.     But  we  wish  for  peace;  except  a  few  of  our  foolish  young 


...•?ii. 


'xamincd,  and  carefully  reduced  lo  writing,  at  Greenville,  this  7lh  of 
|Jciie,  179-1.* 

A  couple  of  Shawanese  warriors,  raptured  .Jtiiie  i2-2(l,  were  less 

.'ii^iiipe  as  to  their  white  allies,  but  still  say  that  which  proves 

I'.'.''  dependence  of  Indian  action  upon  En<;lish  j)r()mis('S.     As  their 

•vidcnce  gives  some  data  relative  to  the   Indian  forces,  as  well  as 

I'!  I'  temper  of  the  western  tribes,  we  extract  nearl}  the  whole  of  it. 

They  say  that  they  left  Grand  Glaizc  five  moons   since,  i.  e.   about 
"lime  that  the  Indians  sent  in  [i.  e.  to  Wayne  ;  the  provisions  could 
|:oil)c  accepted]  a  flag,  with  propositions  of  peace. 

'  -^m'Tican  State  Papers,  v.  4S!). 

26 


402 


Forcea  of  the  Tmlians. 


1790-9'.. 


That  they  belonged  to  a  party  of  twenty,  who  have  been  huntinjra'I 
this  sprinjr  on  the  waters  of  the  Wabash,  nearly  opposite  the  mouth  oi 
Kentucky  River  and  were  on  their  return  when  taken.  That,  on  their 
way  in,  they  met  with  a  party,  consisting  of  four  Indians,  i,  e.  three 
Delawares  and  one  Pattawattamy,  who  were  then  on  their  way  to  the 
Big-bone-lick,  to  steal  horses  ;  that  this  party  informed  them  that  all  ilie 
Indians  oti  White  River  were  sent  for  to  come  immediately  to  Granl 
Glaize,  where  the  warriors  of  several  nations  were  now  assembled; 
that  the  chiefs  are  yet  in  council,  and  would  not  let  their  warriors  I'o 
out;  t!  it  they  could  not  depend  upon  the  British  foi  efTectunl  .support; 
tliat  they  were  always  sotting  the  Indians  on  like  dogs  after  iiame, 
pressing  thorn  to  go  to  war,  and  kill  the  Americans,  but  didnotheli 
them  ;  that  unless  the  British  would  turn  out  and  help  them,  they  were 
determi'ied  to  make  peace;  that  thoy  would  not  be  any  longer  amuse] 
by  promises  only. 

That  the  Shawanese  have  380  warriors   at,  and  in  the  vicinitvofj 
Grand  Glaize  ;  and  generally  can,  and  do,  bring  into  action  about  30f>, 
Their  great  men,  or  sachems,  are  the  Black  Wolf,  and  Kakia-pi-lathv, 
or  Tame-Hawk  ;  their  principal  warriors  are  Blue  Jacket,  and  Capiam 
Jonny  ;  that  the  Delaware^  have  in  and  aboui,  Grand  Glaize  480  war- 
riors;  that  they  actually   had  four  hundred   in   the  aciion  against  Si, 
Clair  ;  that  Ihe  Miamies  are  at  present  but  about  one  hundred  \varriur<,j 
who  li-e  liCar  Grand  Glaize,  several  of  them  having  removed  towauls; 
Post  Vincennes,  and  by  the  Mississippi  ;  that  the  Wyandots  never  i(v.. 
into  action  more  thaii  about  one  hundred   and  fifty  warriors;  they  live] 
along  the  lake,  towards  Sandusky  ;  thoy  don't  know  the  number  of  the 
Pattawattamies,  nor  the  number  of  the  other  Indians  o.   nations  thatj 
would  actually  join  in  a  war,  should  they  determine  to  continue  it;  thitj 
the  Chippewas  would  be  the  most  numerous,  and  were  generally  on  the] 
way  to  the  council;  but  that  war  or  peace  depended  on  the  conduct  of! 
the  British  ;  if  th^y  would  help  them,  it  would  probably  be  war.  but  ifj 
they  would  not    it  would  be  peace  ;  that  the  Indians  would  no  longerj 
be  set  on  like  dogs,  by  themselves,  unless  the  British  would  help  ilkiaj 
to  fight;  thut  the  British  were  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids,  and  had  foriilicJ 
at  Roche  de  Bout;  that  there  were  a  great  number  of  British  sohli'rjj 
at  that  place ;  that  they  told  the  Indians  they  were  now  come  to  he 
them  to  light;  and  if  the  Indians  would  generally  turn  out  and  ji' 
them,  they  would    advance  and  fight  the  American   army  ;    that  ll':( 
Jacket  had  been  sent  by  the  British  to  the  Chippewas,  and  nortlifrij 
Indians,  a  considerable  time  since,  to  invite  them,  and  bring  them  nj 
Roche  de  Bout,  there  to  join  the  British  and  other  iiostile  Indians, 
order  to  go  to  war. 


•  American  State  Tapers,  v.  489. 


;90-05. 


Fort  Recovery  atlncked. 


403 


Aiul  tlie  conduct  of  the  savages  proved  these  talcs  not  to  be 
;ahles:  ^n  the  30tli  of  June,  Fort  Recovery,  the  advanced  Amer- 
ican post,  was  assaulted  by  the  Little  Turtle,  at  the  head  of  1,000 
i;,  1,500  warriors;*  and  although  repelled,  the  assailants  rallied 
ind  returned  to  the  charge,  and  kept  up  the  attack  through  the 
whole  of  that  day,  and  a  part  of  the  following.  Nor  was  this 
i.>«;ailing  force  entirely  composed  of  natives;  General  Wayne,  in 
!,i^  dfspatch,  says  his  spies  report  "  a  great^numbcr  of  white  men 
with  the  Indians  ;"  and  again  they  insist — 


■v!io 


There  were  a  consitIcr:il)le  number  of  armed  white  men  in  the  rear, 
they  frequently  heard  talking  in  our  language,  and  eucour;iging  the 
:ivages  to  persevere  in  the  assault;  that  their  faces  were  generallv 
Hacked,  except  three  British  officers,  who  were  dressed  in  scarlet,  and 
:pjieared  to  I)e  men  of  great  distinction,  from  being  surrounded  by  a 
hrge  body  of  white  men  and  Indians,  who  were  very  attentive  to  tliem. 
These  kept  a  distance  in  the  rear  of  those  that  were  engaged. 

Another  strong  corroborating  fact — says  General  \Vayne — tliat  there 
wcie  British,  or  British  militia,  in  the  assault,  is,  that  a  number  of  ounce 
'alls  and  buck  shot  were  lodged  in  Uie  block  houses  and  stockades  of 
•he  fort.  Some  were  delivered  at  so  great  a  distance  as  not  to  penetrate, 
ind  were  picked  up  at  the  foot  of  tlie  stockades. 

It  would  also  appear  that  the  Britisli  and  savages  expected  to  fmd  the 
sriillury  that  were  lost  on  the  4th  of  November,  1701,  and  hid  by  die 
Indians  in  the  beds  of  old  fallen  timber,  or  logs,  which  they  turned  over 
and  laid  the  cannon  in,  and  then  turned  the  logs  back  into  their  former 
berih.  It  was  in  this  artful  manner  that  we  generally  found  them  de- 
jiosited.  The  hostile  Indians  turned  over  a  creat  number  of  logs,  dur- 
::i2  the  assault,  in  search  of  those  cannon,  and  other  plunder,  which 
'.iiey  had  probably  hid  in  this  manner,  after  the  ..ction  cf  the  fourth  of 
November,  1791. 

I  ihcrefccc  have  reason  to  believe  that  the  Briti.^h  and  In  lians  depend- 
idmucti  upon  this  artillery  to  assist  in  the  reduction  of  thi.t  post;  for- 
iinately  they  served  in  its  defence.! 

On  the  26th  of  July,  Scott,  with  some   IGOO  mounted  men  from 

'vntucky,  joined  Wayne   at   Greenville,!  and   on   the   •2Sth    the 

P'gion  moved  forward. |j     On  the  8lh  of  August,    the   army  was 


"American  State  Papers,  v.  4SS. 

+  Major  McMahon  chanced  to  be  before  the  fort  with  some  troops,  when  this  attack 
iH'k  place,  and  was  one  of  the  odicers  killed,  but  tlie  object  of  the  Indiana  was  to  take 
-t  fort.    (American  State  Papers,  v.  48S,  Wayne's  Despatches.) 

t  Marahallj  ii.  13G,  |1  Americau  Pioneer,  i.  31C),  Daily  Journal  of  Wayne's  army. 


404 


Wuyne^s  last  offer  of  peace. 


1790-95 


near  the  junction  of  the  Auglaize  and  Maunieo,  at  Grand  (Jlaiz,. 
and  proceeded  at   once   1o   Ijuihl  Fort  Defiance  where  the  livcr- 
meet.*     The   Indians  had    hastily  abandoned   their  towns  upon 
hearing  of  the  approach  of  the  army  from   a  runaway  member  oi 
the   Quarter  master's  corps,  who   was  afterwards  taken  at  Piti>. 
burgli.f     It  had  been  Wayne's  plan  to  reach  the  head-<juarteis  oi 
the  savages,  Grand  Glaize,  undiscovered ;  and  in  order  to  do  tlii>. 
he  had  caused  two  roads  to  be  cut,  one   towards   ihe  foot  of  tin 
rapids,  (R(jche  de  IJout,)  the  other  to  the  junction  of  the  St.  Mar\ 
and  St.  Joseph,  while  he  pressed  forward  between  the  two:  an": 
this  strategem,  he  thinks  would  have  been  successful  but  for  the 
deserter  referred  to.|     While  engaged  upon  Fort  Defiance,  the 
American  commander  received  full  and  accurate  accounts  of  the 
Indians  and  the  aid  they  would   receive   from  the   vohmtccrs  r,i 
Detroit  and  elsewhere ;   he  learned  the  nature  of  the  ground,  and 
the  circumstances  favoral)le  and  unfavorable ;  and  upon  the  whole, 
considering  the  spirit  of  his  troops,  officers  and  men,  regulars  ami 
volunteers,  he  determinec  'o  march  forward  and  settle  matters  af 
once.     But  yet,  true  to  ;he  last  to  the   spirit  of  compromise  ant! 
peace  so   forcibly  tauglit  Ijy  Washington,  on  the    13th  of  August. 
he  sent  Christopher  INIiller,  who  had  been  naturalized  among  tlu 
Shawanese,  and  had  been  (see  note  p.  400)  taken  prisoner  on  the 
11th  by  Wayne's  spies,  as  a  special  messenger,  offering  terms  of 
friendship  in  these  words  : 

To  the  Delawares,  Shawanes^^,  Miamios,  and   Wyandots,   and  to  eaci. 

and  every  of  tliein,  and  to  all  oilier  naliona  of  Indians,  norlhwe;'. 

of  the  Ohio,  wiiom  it  may  concern  : 
I,  Anthony  Wayne,  Major  General  and  Commander-in-chiet' of  the , 
federal  army  now  at  Grand  Glaize,  and  conmiissionary  plenipotentiary 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  for  settling  the  terms  upon  which  a 
permanent  and  lasting  penes  shall  be  made  with  each  and  every  of  the 
hostile  tribes,  oi  nations  of  Indians  northwest  of  the  Ohio,  and  of  the  | 
said  United  States,  actuated  by  ilie  purest  principles  of  humanity,  ami  I 
urged  by  pity  for  the  errors  into  which  bad  and  designing  men  have  leJj 
you,  from  the  head  of  my  army,  now  in  possession  of  your  abandoncJ 
village'  and  seldements,  do  hereby  once  more  extend  the  friendly  haniJJ 

•  See  American  Pioneer,  ii.  387,  for  plan  .and  account  of  Fort  Defiance. 

+  American  State  Papers,  v.  490  and  noto. — At  Greenville,  the  Delawares  asked  i- 
have  this  man  released.  (American  State  Pajjcrs,  v.  681,)  luid  this,  as  \vc  learn  from  W  • 
kinson,  was  done.    (Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  .ippendix,  No.  xliv.) 

\  Wayne's  letter  of  August  14th.  (American  State  Papers,  v.  430.) 


Broth 


Tn  Willi 
hnil  on  tht 
l-^mcricans 

lihl  dec 
iJiarchino- 

"v-one 


'ked  f( 


or 


Aiiicricai: 


1790-95  i  1790-95. 


Wayne  marches  down  the  Alanmi  \ 


405 


n  the  two:  anil 


if  peace  towards  you,  and  invite  each  and  every  of  liie  hostile  tribe  of 
!i,(liaiis  to  appoint  deputies  to  meet  me  and  my  army,  without  delay, 
eiwcen  this  place  and  Hoclie  de  IJout,  in  order  to  settle  the  preliminaries 
of  a  lasting  peace,  whicli  may  evenlnally  and  soon  restore  to  you  the 
fitlawares,  Miamies,  Shawanese,  and  all  other  tribes  and  naticns  lately 
ifltkci  at  this  plane,  and  on  the  margins  of  tlic  Miami  and  au  Glaize 
Rivers,  your  late  grounds  and  possessions,  and  to  preserve  you  and  your 
:;;trcfsed  and  hapless  women  and  chiUlrcn  from  danger  and  famine,  dur- 
:j(Tthe  present  fall  and  ensuing  winter. 

Tiie  arm  of  the  United  States  is  strong  and  powerful,  but  they  love 
::ierpy  and  kindness  more  than  war  and  desolation. 

And,  to  remove  any  doubts  or  apprehensions  of  danger  to  the  persons 
if  the  deputies  whom  you  may  appoint  to  meet  this  army,  I  hereby 
y.ii'^e  my  sacred  honor  for  their  safety  and  return,  and  send  O'hristo- 
ier  Miller,  an  adopted  Shawanee,  and  a  Shawanee  warrior,  whom  I 
;uok prisoner  two  days  ago,  as  a  ilag,  who  will  advance  in  their  front  to 
meet  me. 

Mr.  Miller  was  taken  prisoner  by  a  party  of  my  warriors,  six  moons 
knee,  and  can  testify  to  you  the  kindness  which  I  have  shown  to  your 
[fople,  my  prisoners,  that  is,  five  warriors  and  two  women,  who  are 
now  all  safe  and  well  at  Greenville. 

But,  should  this  invitation  be  disrcg;irded,  and  my  flag,  Mr.  Miller, 
I :e detained,  or  injured,  I  will  immediately  order  all  thosa  prisoners  to 
:e  put  to  death,  without  distinction,  and  some  of  them  are  known  to 
[long  to  the  first  families  of  your  nations. 

Brothers : — Be  no  longer  deceived  or  led  astray  by  the  false  promises 
:;;J  language  of  the  bad  white  men  at  the  foot  of  the  rapids  ;  they  have 
tiilicr  the  power  nor  inclination  to  protect  you.  No  longer  shut  your 
fye;  to  your  true  interest  and  happiness,  nor  your  ears  to  to  this  over- 
uFl'  of  peace.  But,  in  pity  to  your  innocent  women  and  ciirldren, 
:oiue  and  prevent  the  furtiier  efl'usion  of  your  blood  ;  let  them  experi- 
Ifwe  the  kindness  and  friendship  of  the  United  States  of  America,  and 
.le  invaluable  blessings  of  peace  and  tranquility.* 

(irand  Glaize,  August  I3ih,  1794.  ANTHONY  WAYNE. 

Inwilling  to  waste  time,  the  troops  moved  Ibi-ward  on  the  15th, 

liiiil  on  the  16th  met  Miller  returnini^,  with  .he  message,  that  if  the 

Americans  would  wait  ten  days  at  Grand  Glaize,  they  (the  Indians) 

I'viiiKl  decide  for  peace  or  war;t  which  Wayne  replied  to  only  hy 

.'iWching   straight   on.     On   the    iSth,  llu;  legion  had   advanced 

rty-one  miles  from  Graird  Glaize,  and  heing  near  by  the  lf)ng 
I  i'kcd  for  foe,  began  to  throw  up  some  light  works,  called  Fort 


American  State  Papers,  v.  100. 


t  American  Pioneer,  i.  317. 


40G 


Wayne^s  Bnttle. 


1790-95. 


Doposilo,  whorein  to  place  the  heavy  bagpjacje  during  the  oxpcctK' 
battle.  On  that  day,  five  of  Wayne's  spies,  among  whom  \v;i. 
May,  the  man  who  had  been  sent  after  Trueman  and  had  ji;(. 
tended  to  desert  to  the  Indians,*  rode  into  the  very  camp  of  tli. 
enemy:  in  attempting  to  retreat  again,  May's  iiorse  fell  and  lie  wa^ 
taken.  The  next  day,  the  day  before  the  battle,  he  was  tied  t.i  ,i 
tree  and  shot  at  as  a  target,  f  During  the  19th,  the  arm)  siil: 
labored  on  their  works:  on  the  20th,  at  7  or  S  o'clock,  all  ha- - 
gage  having  been  lelt  behind,  the  wliite  forces  moved  down  ih. 
north  bank  of  the  Muumee  ; — 


the  Legion  on  the  right,  its  flank  covered  by  the  Maumee  :  one  brigade 
of  mounted  volunteers  on  the  left,  under  T]rigadier  General  Todd,  ai;ij 
the  oUier  in  die  rear  under  Brigadier  General  Barbee.  A  selecl  battnliji; 
of  mounted  volunteers  moved  in  front  of  the  Legion,  commanded  by 
Major  Price,  who  was  directed  to  keep  sufFiciendy  advanced,  zo  as  lu 
give  timely  notice  for  die  troops  to  form  in  case  of  action,  ii  being  yi: 
undetermined  whether  the  Lidians  would  decide  for  peace  or  war. 

After  advancing  about  five  miles.  Major  Price's  corps  received  n/ 
severe  a  fire  from  the  enemy,  who  were  secreted  in  the  woods  and  \w::\ 
grass,  as  to  compel  them  to  retreat.  The  Legion  was  immediatiiy 
formed  in  two  lines,  principally  in  a  close  thick  wood,  which  extciulcJ 
for  miles  on  our  left,  and  for  a  very  considerable  distance  in  front ;  iht 
ground  being  covered  with  old  fallen   timber,  probably  occasioned  by  i 


tornado,  which  rendered  it  impracticable  for  die  cavalry  to  act  \vi:!i 
efTect,  and  afforded  die  enemy  die  most  favorable  covert  for  their  luoile 
of  warfare.  The  sava'^'-s  were  formed  in^three  lines,  widiin  supporiiii.' 
distance  of  each  other,  and  extending  for  near  two  miles  at  right  andi^ 
with  the  river.  I  soon  discovered,  from  die  weight  of  the  fire  anu 
extent  of  their  lines,  that  die  enemy  were  in  full  force  in  front,  in  pos- 
session of  their  favorite  ground,  and  endeavoring  to  turn  our  left  (lank. 
I  therefore  gave  orders  for  the  second  hne  to  advance  and  support  tic 
first;  and  directed  Major  General  Scott  to  gain  and  turn  the  right  llank 
of  the  savages,  with  the  whole  of  the  mounted  volunteers,  by  a  circui- 
tous route;  at  die  same  time  I  ordered  the  front  line  (o  advanci  ai.J 
charge  with  trailed  arms,  and  rouse  the  Indians  from  their  coverts  at  tie 
point  of  die  bayonet,  and  when  up  to  deliver  a  close  and  well  dirccicJi 
fire  on  dieir  backs,  followed  by  a  brisk  charge,  so  as  not  to  give  iliemj 
time  to  load  again. 

I  also  ordered  Captain  i.Iis  Campbell,  wdio  commanded  the  Icgioiiar; 
cavalry,  to  turn   the  left  flank  of  the  enemy  next  the  river,  and  wbi^  • 

*  See  (inte  p.  381,  note. 

t  American  Pioneer,  i.  52.  318. — American  State  Papers,  v.  213. 


1790-95. 


lVayne''s  Battle. 


407 


;;;Tordcu  a  favorable  field  for  tliat  corps  to  act  in.  All  these  orders  were 
L,'jeyed  with  spirit  and  promptitude;  but  such  was  the  iinpetuosily  of 
;he  charge  by  the  fir=t  line  of  inraiilry,  that  the  Indians  and  Canadian 
p.iilitia  and  volunteers,  were  drove  from  all  llicir  coveits  in  so  short  a 
lime,  that  although  every  possible  exertion  was  used  by  the  ofTiccrs  of 
:'ie  second  line  of  the  Legion,  and  by  CJenerals  Scott,  Todd,  and 
Barbec,  of  the  mounted  volunteers,  to  gain  their  proper  positions,  but 
part  of  each  could  get  up  in  season  to  participate  in  the  action  ;  the 
enemy  being  drove,  in  the  course  of  one  hour,  more  than  two  miles, 
.hrough  the  thick  woods  already  mentioned,  by  less  than  one  half  their 
numbers.  From  every  account  the  enemy  amounted  to  two  thousand 
rombatants.  The  troops  actually  engaged  against  them  were  short  of 
me  hundred.  This  horde  of  savages,  with  their  allies.  aba!idoncd 
iliciiiselves  to  flight,  and  dispersed  with  terror  and  dismay,  leaving  our 
victorious  army  in  full  and  quiet  possession  of  the  field  of  battle,  which 
terminated  under  the  influence  of  the  guns  of  the  British  garrison,  as 
you  will  observe  by  the  enclosed  correspondence  between  Major  Camp- 
bell, the  commandant,  and  myself,  upon  the  occasion.* 

The  bravery  and  conduct  of  every  ofiicer  belonging  to  the  army,  from 
;he  Generals  down  to  the  Ensigns,  merit  my  highest  approbation. 
There  were,  however,  some  whose  rank  and  situation  placed  their  con- 
liiict  in  a  very  conspicuous  point  of  view,  and  which  I  observed  with 


ivalry  to  act  \vi;!i 


•  [number  I  .] 

Mifirni  [Maumee]  Rivor,  August  21,  1794. 
Sir:  An  army  of  the  Uniteil  States  of  America,  said  to  he  under  your  command,  having 
liken  post  on  the  banks  of  the  Miami  [Maumcc;]  for  upwards  of  the  last  twenty-four 
l/iiirs,  almost  within  the  reach  of  the  guns  of  this  fort,  being  a  post  belonging  to  His 
Mijrsty  the  King  of  Great  Britain,  occui)ie(l  by  His  Majesty's  troops,  and  wliich  I  liave 
i"ie  honor  to  command,  it  becomes  my  duty  to  inform  myself,  as  speedily  as  possible,  in 
«iiat  light  I  am  to  ..cw  your  making  such  near  approaches  to  this  garrison.  1  have  no 
iisitation,  on  my  part,  to  say,  that  I  know  of  no  war  existing  between  (Ireat  liritain  and 
America. 

I  have  the  honor,  to  be,  sir,  with  great  respect,  your  most  obedient  and  very  humble 
servant,  WILLIAM  CAMPliELL,  Major  2  Ith  Re-iment, 

Commanding  a  British  post  on  the  banks  of  the  Miami. 
To  Major  General  Wayne,  &c. 

[  N  u  !»i  n  E  n  II.] 
Camp  on  the  Hank  of  the  Miami,  TManmee,]  Auerustil,  1794. 
Sir:  I  have  received  your  letter  of  this  date,  recpiiring  from  me  the  motives  w^iicli 
live  moved  the  army  under  my  coinm  .nd  to  the  position  they  at  present  occupy,  far 
Within  the  acknowledged  jurisdiction  ol'  the  I'liiled  States  of  America.  Without  ijues- 
•i.'iniiig  the  authority  or  the  propriety,  sir,  of  your  interrogatory,  T  think  I  may,  without 
I'reach  of  decorum,  observe  to  you,  that  were  you  entitled  to  an  answer,  the  most  full 
'm\  satisfactory  one  was  announced  to  you  from  the  muzzles  of  my  small  arms,  yesterday 
nwriiing,  in  the  action  against  the  horde  of  savages  in  the  vicinity  ol'your  post,  which 
ttriiiiuated  gloriously  to  the  American  arms  j  but,  had,  it  continued  until  tlic  Indians,  &c. 
iverc  driven  under  the  inlluence  of  the  post  and  guns  you  mention,  the}  would  not  have 
"!ucli  imj)eded  the  progress  of  the  victorious  army  under  my  command,  as  no  such  post 


408 


Wayne'' s  Battle. 


1700-9,:. 


plcasino,  :iiul  \\\c  most  lively  gratitude.  Among  whom,  I  must  bcgkuv*. 
to  moDlion  Urigadicr  (iciicral  Wilkinson,  and  ('olonel  llamtramck,  ihi,' 
command, uits  of  the  riglit  and  li  fl  wings  of  tlu;  Legiun,  wlio.se  hravc 
example  inspired  the  froops.  'J'o  those  I  must  add  the  nantes  of  niv 
faithful  and  gallant   aids-de-eamj),  Captains  De  IJutt  and  T.  Lewis,  ;:nil 


■ » 


•!   '  i, 


\v,is  cst.iblishnl  ;it  the   commencement  of  the  jjrcsciit  war  between  the  Iridian.s  ami  tlii 

liiitcl  Staten. 

I  have   the  honor  to   l)e  sir,  witli  great  res|ie(t,  your  most  obedient  and  very  humlilc 

servant,  AN'l'llONY  VVAVNK,  Major  (IcneriM, 

And  C'oniniander-in-elii(!f  ol'tlie  l''ed(!ral  Amu. 

To  Major  William  Cambell,  &c. 

[number     III.] 

Fort  Miami,  Anjjust  22d,  \T.)\ 
Sir  :  AIthoii<;li  your  letter  of  yesterday's  dal(!  Cully  authorises  nie  to  any  act  of  iinsnl  'v 
;if;;unst  llie  army  of  tin?  United  States  in  this  nei;,'hliorlioo<l,  under  your  (•oiinn.niid,  .n, 
i-till  anxious  to  prevent  that  dreadful  decision  which,  [lerhajis,  i.s  not  intendi  il  to  !,p 
appealed  to  by  either  of  onr  countries,  I  have  lbrboru(!,  for  these  two  <lays  past,  to  rr-ctil 
those  insidts  you  have  oll'ered  to  the  Ilritish  fla^  Hyin'^  at  this  fort,  by  approacliiri;j  il 
within  pistol  shot  of  my  works,  not  only  singly,  but  in  numbers,  with  arms  in  their  li.inds. 
Neither  is  it  my  wish  to  wjig(!  war  with  individuals;  but,  should  you,  alter  this,  continin! 
to  approach  my  i)ost  in  the  threatening  manner  you  are  at  this  moment  doing,  my  inilis- 
]iensaide  duty  to  my  king  and  country,  and  the  honor  of  my  profession,  will  obli'Tc  me  to 
liave  recourse  Ui  those  measures,  which  thousands  of  either  nation  may  hereafter  have 
cause  to  regret,  and  which,  I  solemnly  appeal  to  God,  I  have  used  my  utmost  endciivurs 
to  arrest. 

F  have  the   honor  to  be,  sir,  with  much  replied,  your  most  obedient  and  very  haiiiM' 
servant,  WILLIAM   CAMl'HHLL,  M.ijor  '21tli  Regiment. 

Commanding  at  F(>rt  .Miami. 
Major  (Jencral  Wayne,  &c. 

]  NUM  nER    IV.] 

Camp,  banks  ofthe  Miami,  22d  August,  !7P1. 
Sir:  In  your  letter  ofthe  21st  instant,  yon  declare,  "  I  have  no  hesitation,  on  my  p.irt. 
to  say,  tliat  I  know  of  no  war  existing  betwcLii  Great  liritaiii  and  America."  I,(iniiiv 
part,  declare  the  saiiu!,  and  that  the  only  cause  I  have  to  ent(>rtain  a  contrary  idea  w 
present,  is  the  hostile  act  you  are  now  in  commission  of,  i.  e.  by  recently  taking  pust  I'.ir 
within  the  well  known  and  acknowledged  limits  of  the  I'liiled  States,  and  crectiii;:  ii  I'ur- 
tification  in  the  heart  of  the  settlements  ofthe  Indian  tribes  now  at  war  with  the  liiiliii 
States.  Tlii  sir,  apjiears  to  be  an  act  of  the  highest  aggression,  aiul  destructive  to  tin: 
peace  ami  interest  ofthe  L'nion.  Hence  it  becon".'s  my  duty  to  desire,  ami  I  do  liiri  :iy 
desire  and  demand,  in  the  name  ofthe  President  of  die  United  States,  that  you  iiniMi'V 
ately  desist  from  any  further  act  of  hostility  or  aggression,  by  forbearing  to  fortifv,  ami  liy 
withdrawing  the  trooj)s,  artillery,  and  stores,  under  your  orders  and  direction,  forllnwth, 
and  removing  to  the  nearest  post  occupied  by  his  Uritannic  Majesty's  troops  at  the  pcic. 
of  17S.^,  and  which  you  will  be  )iermittcd  to  do  unmolested  by  the  troops  undtr  la 
command. 
I  am,  with  very  great  respect,  sir,  your  most  obedient  and  viry  humble  servant, 

ANTIiOiW   WAVNK, 
Major  William  Campbell  &c. 

[number    V  .  ] 

Fort  Miami,  22d  August,  1791. 
Sir:   I   have  this  lumnent  to  aeknowlcdge  the   r(>eeipt  of  your  li'tfcr  of  this    date:    : 
answer  to  which  I  have  only  to  say,  that,  being  placed  here  in  the  command  of  a  Drili^i 
post,  and  acting  in  a  military  capacity  only,  I  cannot  enter  into  any  discussion  either  o" 


1790-05. 

must  bejT  liave 
laintraiiick,  ihij 
II,  whose  hravc 
0  names  of  my 
T.  Lewis,  ;  11(1 

lie  Indians  nml  ilii 

t  .'ind  very  liuinlilc 
Miijor  (It'iM  rill, 
10  I'V'dcral  AriMv. 


uiRiist  22d,  nni 

aiiv  ;ict  <A'  Imstil  'v 
)iir  coiminiKl,  .c, 
not  intcndc  d  tu  if 
days  [last,  to  rc-ciit 
,  liy  a]i|iro;icliir.:X '' 
arms  in  tlicir  liiiml-. 
,  after  this,  coiumii'' 
Mit  doing,  my  imli^- 
)n,  will  oIiIIljc  nil'  Vi 

may  hcroaftcr  ha.\r 
ly  utmost  cndcivurs 

nt  and  vory  iiiiiiiM' 
2Hii  IU-;.'iniciit. 
ng  at  F<'rt  .Mi;iiiii. 


22d  August,  nni. 

itation,  on  my  piirt. 
niorica."     I,  on  im 

:i  contrary  idea  a". 
'Utly  taking  post  I'.ir 

and  oroctin;:  a  I'ur- 
war  witii  tlio  Uiiilcii 
id  destructive  to  the 
and  1  do  lirrciiy 
s,  that  you  iiniMO'li- 
ng  to  fi.rtiCy,  mid  liy 
direction,  t'ortlnMth, 

truojis  at  thu  pcact 
le  troops  under  i.i. 

imhlo  servant, 
IIONV   WAYNK, 


22d  August,  n'Jl. 
,.,-  of  this    date:   ■: 
omniand  of  a  I!nll^!l 
discussion  either  or. 


J 790-95. 


W(ii/}ic''s  Battle. 


409 


LiiHilcnant  Ilarrisoi),  who,  with  tlic  AdjiilaiU  Coiicral,  Major  Mills, 
rciiilcrcil  the  most  essential  service  by  communicating  my  onicrs  in 
(very  tlircction,  and  by  their  conduct  and  bravery  exciting  the  troo[)s  to 
press  for  victory.  *         *         %         * 

Kudosed  is  a  particnlar  return  of  tlio  killed  and  wounded.*  The 
|(i;;3  of  the  enemy  was  more  than  that  of  the  Federal  army.  '!'''•'  woods 
were  strewed  for  a  considerable  distance  witli  the  dead  bodies  o(  Indians, 
and  llicir  white  auxiliaries,  the  latter  armed  with  Hritish  muskets  and 
bayonets. t 

;;ic  riglit  or  impropriety  of  my  occupying  my  iinsent  position.  Tliosc  arc  matters  that  I 
conceive  will  he  hest  lell  to  the  amhassadors  of  our  different  nations. 

!l:iviiig  said  tiiis  iniieli,  permit  me  to  inform  yon  that  I  certainly  will  not  aliniidon  this 
I'lst,  atlhe  sunmions  of  any  jiower  vhatever,  until  I  receive  orders  for  that  purpose  from 
iliusc  I  have  the  honor  to  servo  under,  or  the  fortune  of  war  whould  ol)lige  rue.  I  iiiiiHt 
■t;ii  adlu.'re,  sir,  to  the  purport  of  my  letter  this  morning,  to  ilesire  that  your  army,  or 
i.'ihvidiials  l)e!(jnging  to  it,  will  not  ajijiroaeli  within  reach  of  my  cannon,  without 
'tpccting  the  conse(iU('ncca  attending  it. 

Allliough  I  liave  said,  in  the  former  part  of  my  letter,  that  my  situation  licrc!  is  tfitally 
iiiililary,  yet,  l(;t  me  adil,  sir,  that  I  am  much  deceived,  if  His  Majesty,  the  King  of  (ireat 
B.'.liiin,  had  not  a  [lost  on  this  river,  at  and  prior  to  th(!  jioriod  you  mention. 

I  have  tlic   honor  to  he,  sir,  w  itii  the   grc^atest  respect,  your  most  ohedient  and  very 

mniljlc  servant,  WILLIAM   CAMl'liHLL,  Major  2  Ith  Kegii-ient, 

Cummaiuling  ut  Fort  Miami. 
To  MiijorCcncral  Wayne,  &c. 

'  The  Legion  had  twenty-six  killed,  five  of  tluin  officers,  eighty-seven  wounded,  thii- 
Miiof  them  ofhcers  ;  the  Kentucky  voiunteers  had  seven  killed  all  privates,  and  thirteen 
«i)ii!ided,  tlir(H' of  whom  wer(,' otiicers  ;  —  of  the  wounded  eleven  died:  making  in  all, 
'cad  and  woundeil,  one  hundred  and  thirty-three. — American  State  Papers,  v.  192. 

t  An  eve  witness  TAmeriean  l^ioneer,  i.  31f3"  thinks  there  were  near  five  hundred 
laiiadians  in  the  hattlc.     A  Shawanese  prisoner  tak(!n  August  11,  testifies  thus — 

Question. — What   numher  of   warriors  are  at   McKee's,  aiid    what    nations   do  tliey 

.'ClDIIg  to  ? 

Answer. — There  are  six  liundrc^d  who  ahandoned  this  place  on  the  ajiproacii  of  the 
irray. 

Shawanese,  ahout 200,  hut  not  more. 

Delawarcs, 3UU 

Miamies,       -- \W 

Warriors  of  other  tribes,  .....     luo 

Total,  7(10 

Q. — What  numher  arc  expected  to  assemble,  in  addition  to  those  now  at  the  toot  of 
'!ie  Rapids  ? 

A.— Ill  all,  about  400  men,  viz. 

Wyandots, 300 

Tawaa, 240 

Total,  540 

y. — What  number  of  white  men  are  to  join,  and  when  ? 

A. — Mr.  or  Cajit.iin  Hlliot  set  out  llir  Detroit  six  d.iy  s  since,  and  was  to  he  back  y(;ster- 
"1),  with  all  the  militia,  and  an  additional  imiuber  of  regular  troojis,  which,  with  those 
^'.ready  there,  -vonld  amount  to  1000  men.     This  is  the  general  coiiversalion  among  the 


410 


Destruction  of  Villages^  ^c.  on  the  Maumee.      1790-1)0. 


!; . 


V        I 


,.  I 


We  reniiiinod  three  days  and  iiighli?  on  llio  banks  of  the  Maiinioc,  in 
front  of  the  field  of  battle,  during  whieh  time  all  the  hou.ses  and  corn- 
lields  were  consumed  and  destroyed  for  a  considerable  distance  hoil; 
above  and  below  Fort  Miami,  as  well  as  within  pistol  shot  of  the  garri- 
son, wlio  were  compelled  to  remain  tacit  spectators  to  this  general 
devastation  and  conflagration,  among  which  were  the  houses,  stores, 
and  properly  of  Colonel  McKee,  the  British  Indian  Agent,  and  princi- 
pal stimulator  of  the  war  now  existing  between  tlic  United  States  and 
the  savages. 

The  army  returned  to  this  place  [Fort  Defmncc]  on  the  27tli,  by 
easy  marches,  laying  waste  the  villages  and  cornfields  for  about  fifty 
miles  on  each  side  of  the  Maumee.  There  remains  yet  a  great  numlicr 
of  villages,  and  a  great  quantity  of  corn,*  to  be  consumed  or  destroyed, 
upon  Auglaize  and  t'\e  Maumee  above  this  place,  which  will  be  effected 
in  the  course  of  a  few  days.t 

The  loss  of  the  Americans  in  this  action  was  33  killed  and  100 
wouiided,  including  21  ofliccrs,  of  whom,  however,  but  five  wire 
killed. 

The  army  remained  at  Fort  Defiance,  busily  engat^ed  in 
strengthening  the  works  until  September  14th,  when  it  maiclu'd 
for  the  Miami  Villages  at  the  junction  of  the  St.  Joseph  and  St. 
Mary,  and  began  o])posite  to  them,  in  the   bend  of  the  St.  Mary, 

Indians,  and  Captain  Elliot  promised  to  bring  that  number.  Colonel  McKec's  son  «fnl 
with  Kiliot,  as  also  the  man  who  deserted  from  the  army  on  its  march. 

One  of  the  Canadians  tiiUcn  in  the  battle  gave  the  foil  jwing  estimates, — 

That  the  Dehiwares  have  about  500  men,  including  those  who  live  on  both  rivers,  tho 
White  river,  and  Tiean  creek. 

That  the  Miamics  are  about  200  warriors,  part  of  them  live  on  the  St.  Joseph's,  oiu'lit 
leagues  from  this  i)lace  ;  that  the  men  were  all  in  the  action,  but  the  won\en  are  votiit 
that  place,  or  Piijuet's  village;  that  a  road  leads  from  this  place  directly  to  it;  tliat  tin 
number  of  warriors  belonging  to  ^'  "1  place,  when  altogether,  amounts  to  about  10. 

That  the  Shawanese  have  about  300  warriors  ;  that  the  Tawas,  on  this  river,  arc  2"i0 : 
that  the  Wyandots  are  about  300. 

That  those  Indians  were  geuerally  in  tiie  action  of  the  20th  instant,  excejit  some  liuiit- 
ing  parties.  That  a  reinforcement  of  regular  troops,  and  200  militia,  arrived  at  liirt 
Miami  a  few  days  belon.-  the  army  appeared  ,  that  the  regular  troops  in  the  fort  anKniiitti! 
to  250,  exclusive  of  the  militia. 

That  about  70  of  the  militia,  including  Captain  Caldwell's  corps,  were  in  the  action. 
That  Colonel  McKee,  Captain  Elliot,  and  Simon  Girty,  were  in  the  tield,  but  at  a  respect- 
ful distance,  and  near  the  river. 

That  the  Indians  have  wished  for  [leace  for  some  time,  but  that  Colonel  McKee  always 
dissuaded  them  from  it,  and  stimulated  them  to  continue  the  war. — Am.  S.  Papers,  v.  404. 

*  In  a  letter  of  August  Itth,  Wayne  says,  "  The  margins  of  these  l)eautiful  rivers,  tli( 
Miamies  of  the  Lake  and  Au  (llaize,  appear  like  one  continued  village  for  a  nimilier  n: 
miles  both  above  and  below  this  ])lace,  [Grand  Glaize;]  nor  have  I  ever  before  iiclii'lil 
such  immense  fields  of  corn  in  any  part  of  America  from  Canada  to  Florida.'' — American 
State  Papers,  v.  490. 

t  American  State  Papers,  v.  491. — Seethe  English  account  of  the  battle  in  Wcld'j 
Travels,  ii.  211. 


ee.      1790-95. 

ihc  Maiiiiicc,  in 
Jiises  ami  ctirn- 
tlistance  boil: 
liol  of  ihfi  (jarri- 
to  tills  general 
liausos,  stores, 
out,  and  princi- 
lited   States  and 

)n  the  27lli,  liy 
for  about   fifty 

a  great  nunihcr 
cd  or  destroyed, 

will  be  elTected 

killed  and  100 
,  but  five  v:vrv 

y  engat^ed  in 
en  it  marched 
foscph  and  St. 
the  St.  Mary, 

McKec's  .son  wen'. 


on  l>olli  river.',  th'' 

St.  Josrpli'.'!,  PiL'ht 
R  woriipn  iiro  vet  ;it 
.>ctly  to  it ;  tliat  llu 
ts  to  about  to. 
this  river,  arc  250  • 

c.\cej)t  sonm  IiiiiU- 
tia,  arrived  at  I'nrt 
1  the  fort  aiiKnintt '! 

were  in  the  action, 
d,  but  at  a  rr.spi'ct- 

)ncl  McKne  alwny? 
I.  S.  Papcr.s,  V.  4^4. 
leautit'iil  rivers,  tlu- 
ge  for  a  iiiiiiiljfr  n: 
svor  hoforo  lu'lu'lil 
orida.'' — Anipncaii 

B  battle  in  Weld's 


1790-95.  Conduct  of  the  British  after  the  Battle. 


411 


the  foftres.s,  which  wlien  completed  on  the  22d  of  Octolxr,  was 
named  hy  Colonel  Ilanitiamck  \v1k)  was  placed  in  command, — 
Fort  Wayne.  Diirinir  this  lime  the  troops  sufTered  much  from 
siikness,  and  also  liom  want  of  flour,  salt,  and  whiskey;  the 
latter  article  .sold  on  the  24th  of  September,  for  eij^ht  dollars  a 
Italian,  and  .salt  was  held  at  six  dollars  a  pint."  On  the  28th  of 
October  the  Legion  began  its  return  march  to  (lreen\ille,  the 
volunteers,  who  had  become  dissatisfied  ami  troublesome,  having 
been  despatched  to  that  post  for  dismissal  on  the  12th  of  that 
month.  During  this  time,  (on  the  11th  or  l.'3th)  a  brother  of  the 
Canadian  taken  in  the  action  of  August  20th,  came  to  (ieneral 
Wayne  with  three  Americans  whom  he  had  bought  from  the 
Indians,  to  exchange  for  his  captive  relation :  the  exchange  was 
ai^recd  to,  and  the  messenger  induced  to  make  the  following 
statement : 

Governor  Simcoc,  Colonel  M'Koo,  and  Captain  Bnmt,  arrived  at 
Fort  Miami,  at  the  foot  of  the  Rapids,  on  the  30th  ultimo,  [September,! 
Brant  had  with  him  one  hundred  Indians,  Mohawks  and  Messasagoes. 

Governor  Simcoe  sent  for  the  chiefs  of  the  different  hostile  Indians, 
and  invited  them  to  meet  him  at  the  mouth  of  Detroit  River,  eighteen 
miles  below  Detroit,  to  hold  a  treaty  ;  Simcoc,  Colonel  McKee,  and 
Captain  Brant,  together  with  Blue  Jacket,  Backongelies,  the  Little  Tur- 
tle, Captain  Jonny,  and  other  chiefs  of  the  Delawares,  Miamies,  Shaw- 
anese,  Tavvas,  and  Pattavvatamies,  set  out  accordingly,  for  the  place 
assigned  for  the  treaty,  about  the  first  instant :  the  Indians  are  well  and 
regularly  supplied  with  provisions  from  the  British  magcizines,  at  a 
place  called  Swan  Creek,  near  Lake  Erie. 

Previously  to  the  arrival  of  Governor  Simcoe,  Blue  Jacket,  the  Shavv- 
ancse  chief,  two  of  the  principal  chief  of  the  Tawas,  and  the  principal 
chiefs  of  the  Pattawatamies,  had  agreed  to  accompany  him,  the  said 
,  with  a  flag  to  this  place. 

Blue  Jacket  informed  him,  after  the  arrival  of  Simcoe,  he  would  not 
now  go  with  him,  until  after  the  intended  treaty;  but  that  his  wishes, 
at  present,  were  for  peace  ;  that  he  did  not  know  what  propositions 
Governor  Simcoe  had  to  make  them,  but   that  he  and  all  the  chiefs 

would  go  and  hear  ;  and,  in  the  interim,  desired  him,  the  said , 

to  inquire  of  General  Wayne  in  what  manner  the  chiefs  should  come 
to  him,  and  whether  they  would  be  safe,  in  case  they  should  determine 

on  thn  measure,  after  the  treaty  with  Simcoe,  and  after  the  said , 

should  return  to  Detroit:  had  it  not  been  for  the  arrival  of  Governor 
Simcoe,  Colonel  McKee,  and  Captain  Brant,  with  his  Indians,  he  is 
confident  the  chiefs,  already  mentioned,  would  have  accompanied  him 
to  this  place,  at  this  time,  as  before  related.! 

•  American  Pioneerj  i,  354.  t  American  State  Papers,  v.  52G. 


112  Comlurt  of  the   Jirilish  afhr  the  Jhlll,'.  nOO-O'). 

Tliis  rninmiinication  was  further  coiiririncd  by  slatcinciits  frnm 
111'.'  Wy.mdnN  sdino  f^f  sliom  wnc  in  tlic  American  interest.* 
Imlecil  it  a|>])eare(l  afterward  thai  on  ihi-  lOlli  (»f  October  tlic  In- 
diatis  met  the  Flritish  at  the  ]V\\!;  Rock,  and  were  advised  tliat  their 
griefs  wDiih!  he  hiid  h(  fore  the  King;  and  in  connection  with  tiii^, 
as  General  Wuync;  hjarned  from  the  friendly  \Vyan(h)ts, — 

Governor  Simcoo  insisted,  that  the  Indians  shouUl  not  Hslcn  to  ;iny 
terms  of  pern-o  from  the  America  is,  hut  to  propose  a  truce;,  or  suspen- 
sion of  hot^lililics,  until  the  spring,  when  a  grand  council  and  assem- 
blage of  all  the  warriors  and  tribes  of  Indians  should  Uike  place,  for  ilu; 
purpose  of  compelling  the  Americans  to  cross  to  the  east  side  of  il'c 
Oliio  ;  and  in  the  interim,  advised  every  nation  to  sign  a  deed  or  ron- 
vej  ancc  of  all  Uieir  lands,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Ohio,  to  die  King,  in 
trust  for  the  Indians,  so  as  to  givn  the  British  a  pretext  or  color  for  assist- 
ing diem,  in  case  the  Americans  refused  to  al)andon  all  their  posts  and 
possessions  on  the  west  hide  of  that  river ;  and  which  the  Indians 
should  warn  them  to  do,  immediate  ly  after  diey,  the  Indians,  were  as- 
sembled in  force  in  the  spring,  and  to  c;dl  upon  the  British  to  guaranty 
the;  lands  thus  ceded  in  trust,  and  to  make  a  general  attack  upon  the 
frontiers  at  the  same  ume :  diat  the  British  wouhl  lie  prepared  to  attack 
the  Ani^ricans,  also,  in  every  quarter,  and  would  compel  them  to  cross 
tlic  Ohio,  and  to  give  up  the  lands  to  the  Indians. 

Captain  Brat.,  also  told  ibem,  to  keep  a  good  h-^^art,  and  he  stronn;; 
to  do  as  ihcir  lather  advised  ;  that  he  wodld  return  home,  for  the  pre- 
sent, with  his  warriors,  and  come  again  early  in  the  spring,  with  an  addi- 
tional number,  so  as  to  have  the  whole  summer  before  them,  to  lii,dit, 
kill,  and  pursue  the  Americans,  who  could  not  possibly  stand  against 
the  force  and  numbers  thr:t  would  be  opposed  to  tliem  ;  that  he  had 
been  always  successful,  and  would  ensure  them  victory.  But  that  he 
would  not  attack  the  Amciicans  at  this  time,  as  it  woidd  only  |;ut  llicm 
upon  their  guard,  and  bring  them  upon  the  Indians  in  this  quarter,  dur- 
ing the  winter;  therefore  he  advised  them  to  amuse  the  Americans 
with  a  prospect  of  peace,  until  they  should  collect  in  force  to  fall  upon 
them  early  in  the  spring,  and  when  least  expected. 

That,  agreeably  to  this  plan  or  advice,  the  real  hostile  tribes  will  be 
sending  flags  frcquendy  during  the  winter,  with  propositions  of  peace, 
but  this  is  all  fraud  and  art,  to  put  the  Americans  off  their  guard. 

The  Bniish  made  large  presents  to  the  Indians  at  the  late  council,  and 
continue  to  furnish  them  with  provision  from  Colonel  McKee's  new 
stores,  near  the  mouth  of  the  Miamies  of  Lake  Erie,  where  all  the 
Indians  are  hutted  or  in  tents,  whose  towns  and  property  were  destroyed 

'  American  State  Tapers,  v.  51S,  527. 


1790-On. 


1790-95. 


The  Indians  neck  Pent:t\ 


413 


lalf'incnts  fmm 
iciin  interest.' 
)cl()l)(>r  tlic  III- 
•iscd  that  tlicir 
■tion  with  this-. 
ots, — 

it  listen  to  ;iny 
iic(!,  or  suppcn- 
icil  and  asscm- 
c  place,  for  ihn 
ast  side  of  the 
a  deed  or  ron- 
to  iIh;  Kiiii,s  ill 
color  for  assist- 
their  posts  and 
L-h  liic  In(!i;ins 
Jians,  were  as- 
ish  to  fruaranly 
Hack  npon  the 
■pared  to  attack 
them  to  cross 

md  be  stroiifT; 
e,  for  the  pro- 
,  witli  an  addi- 
them,  to  liirht, 
y  stand  against 
1 ;  that  lie  had 
But  that  he 
only  I'.ut  tliciu 
s  quarter,  dur- 
the  Americans 
26  to  fall  upon 

tribes  will  be 
ions  of  peace, 
r  s'uard. 
Ic  council,  and 
McKee's  new 
where  all  the 
I'cre  destroyed 


list  summer,  and  who  will  sign  away  llioir  lands,  and  ilo  exactly  what 
the  Hritish  recpiest  lluin  ;  thJH  was  th  ^  jfeneral  prevailir.i^  opinion  at  the 
balking  up  of  liie  council ;  since  whicii  p('rii)d,  the  nies'sage  and  pro- 
|ii)iiiti(ni.s  of  the  fifth  November,  achiresstd  to  the  diircrenl  iribes  of 
Indians  proposing  the  treaty  of  the  «.Uh  January,  17&!>,  held  atllin  monUi 
iif  Musliingum,  as  a  preliminary  npon  whicii  a  permanent  peace  '<!i(uihl 
be  established,  has  been  communicated  to  them;  upon  which,  a  coii- 
sidcrable  nunilx^r  of  the  chiefs  of  several  of  the  tribes  assembled  again, 
mid  were  determined  to  como  forward  to  treat,  say  about  tiie  first  ul'  this 
1110011.  But  Colonel  McKec  was  infoimed  of  it,  and  advised  them 
3!,'ainsl  the  measure,  and  to  be  faithful  to  their  father,  as  they  had  pro- 
mised. He  then  made  them  additional  presents,  far  beyond  any  thing 
that  they  had  ever  her(!lofore  received,  which  inclined  a  majority  to 
adhere  to  Ciovernor  Simcoe's  propositions,  and  they  returned  liome 
accordingly. 

That,  notwithstanding  this,  the  chiefs  and  nations  arc  much  divided, 
some  for  peace,  and  some  for  war  ;  the  Wyandots  of  Sandusky  are  for 
peace;  those  near  Detroit  for  war;  the  Delawares  are  equally  divided, 
50  are  the  ?vliamics,  but  are  dependent  upon  the  British  for  provisions  ; 
the  Shavvanese  and  Tawas  arc  for  war;  the  I'attawattamics  and  Chippe- 
was  are  gone  home,  sore  from  the  late  action. 

That  such  of  the  chiefs  and  warriors  as  are  inclined  for  peace,  will 
call  a  council,  and  endeavor  to  bring  it  about,  upon  the  terms  proposed, 
as  they  wish  to  hold  their  luiids  under  the  Americans,  and  not  under  the 
iJiilish,  whose  title  they  do  not  like* 

News  also  camo  from  the  West  that  tho  Indians  wore  orossinir 
!li('  Mississippi;  in  Now  York  on  the  lltli  of  Novomhor,  Picker- 
ing made  a  now  treaty  with  the  Iroquois;  while  in  the  north 
ll'wer  and  fewer  of  the  savages  lurked  about  Forts  Dofianre  and 
Wayne. f  Nor  was  it  long  before  the  wish  of  the  natives  to  make 
peace  became  still  more  apparent ;  on  the  2Sth  and  29th  of 
December,  the  Chiefs  of  the  Chippeways,  Ottawas,  Sacs,  Pottawat- 
nmics,  and  Miamies,  came  w'itli  peace  messages  to  Colonel  ITam- 
tramck,!  at  Fort  Wayne,  and  on  the  24lh  of  January,  1795,  at 
(jieenville  entered,  together  with  the  Delawares,  Wyandots,  and 
Shawanese,  into  preliminary  articles  with  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  ||     The   truth  was  the  red    men  had    been   entirely  disap- 

*  American  State  Papers,  v.  543, 

t  American  State  Papers,  v.  o50. 

i  See  his  letters  to  Wayne — American  Pioneer,  ii.  389  to  392. 

i  American  State  Papers,  v.. 'ifjO.  In  the  articles  the  Wyandots,  Shawanese,  Delawares, 
>nd  Ottawas,  are  not  mentioned,  l)ut  from  General  Wayne  at  the  council  of  Greenville 
we  learn  they  were  parties  thereto. — (American  State  Papers,  v.  5G6,  567.) 


414 


The  Indians  prrpanng  for  a  lUJinik  Treaty.    1790- fj," 


j)()inti'(l  in  \\\v  cotKluct  ol  llitir  while  allies  after  the  action  of  tin 
'2()th  of  Aii<,'iist;  as  Hrant  said,  "a  fort  had  heen  hiiih  in  thiii 
eouiitry  under  j>retence  of  ^'ivin<^  refiij^e  in  (-ase  of  iieccssity, 
but  when  that  time  came  tiie  <;ales  were  shut  aijainst  thcin  a^ 
enemies."*  l)urinL>;  the  winter,  Wayne  liavini^  utterly  laid  waste 
their  fertile  fields,  the  poor  savages  wo-e  whfdly  dependent  on  the 
Kii^li^li  who  did  not  half  supply  them;  their  cattle  and  dogs  died, 
and  they  were  themselves  nearly  starved. f  Under  tliese  ciroum- 
stances,  losing  faith  in  the  English,  and  at  last  impressed  with  a 
respect  for  American  power  after  the  carnage  exp ''ijnoed  at  thi 
liands  of  the  "  Dlack  Snake," — \  tlie  various  tribes,  'oy  degrees, 
made  up  lluir  minds  to  ask  for  peace;  during  the;  winter  and 
sprii;g  they  exchanged  prist)ners,||  and  made  ready  to  meet  Gen- 
eral Wayne  at  (irt'enville  in  June  for  tlie  purpose  of  forminj;  a 
delinile  tri'aty,  as  it  had  l)een  agreed  should  be  done  by  llic  ))r- 
liminaries  of  Janua  y  24lh.  One  scene  among  the  many  of  that 
time  seems  deservirg  of  a  transfer  to  our  pages;  it  is  from  the 
narrative  of  Jojin  Hrickell,  who  had  been  a  captive  for  tour  years 
among  the  Delawares,  and  adopted  into  the  family  of  Whingwv 
Pooshies  or  Big  Cat,  a  noted  warrior  of  that  tribe. 

On  the  breaking  up  of  spring,  Bickeil  says,  we  all  went  up  to  Fori 
Deliance,  and  on  arriving  on  the  sliore  opposite  \vc  saluted  the  fort  with 
a  round  of  rilles,  and  tlicy  shot  a  cannon  thirteen  linies.  We  then  en- 
camped on  the  spot.  On  the  same  day  Whingwy  j^ooshies  told  mc  I 
must  go  over  to  the  fort.  The  children  hung  round  mc  crying,  and  a-<lv- 
ed  me  if  I  was  going  to  leave  them  ?  I  told  them  I  did  not  know. 
When  we  got  over  to  the  fort  and  were  seated  with  the  oflicers,  Whing- 
wy Pooshies  told  me  to  stand  up,  which  I  did  ;  he  then  rose  and  ad- 
dressed me  in  about  these  words,  "  My  son,  there  are  men  the  same 
color  with  yourself.  There  m-j.y  be  some  of  your  kin  there,  or  your 
kin  may  he  a  great  way  oil'  from  you.  You  have  lived  a  long  time  with 
us.  1  call  on  you  to  say  if  I  have  not  been  a  father  to  you  ?  If  I  have 
not  used  you  as  a  father  would  use  a  son  ?  "  I  said,  •'  You  have  used 
me  as  well  as  a  fatln;'*  could  use  a  son."     He  said,  "  I  am  vlad  you  say 


*  Stone's  Br:mt,  ii.  S.'iO.  Scvoriil  Muhuwkii  were  jiroliably  engagci  in  the  hiiltle  ui 
August  20tli,  and  Hriuu  would  liavo  been  witli  tlicin  l)Ut  for  sic'<';^ss. — [Stone  ii.  390, 
note.]  The  Moliawk  Chief  had  been  in  favor  of  jicacc,  buf  was  soured  probably  by  the 
Prosqu'ilo  business.    Sec  Ante,  p.  396. 

t  Brickoll'8  Narrative.  American  Pioneer,  i.  53. 

\  Stone's  Hrant,  ii.  389.  American  State  Papers,  v.  550. — Heckewelder's  Narrative, 
405. 

U  American  Pioneer,  i.  54. — Speech  of  Buckeye      as— (Am.  State  Papers,  v.  582.) 


mity.    1700-95. 

he  action  of  tho 
'11  l)iiilt  in  tin  ii 
;;  ot"  Ticrt'ssity, 
acrainst  them  as 
tcrly  laid  waste 
i'|)on(l('nt  on  the 
niul  (lofTs  (lied, 
r  these  eirniin- 
npressrd  with  a 
pciijnced  at  the 
ics,  hy  degrees, 
llie  winter  am! 
y  to  meet  (Jeii- 
se  of  foriniiif,'  a 
one  by  tlie  pa- 
le  many  of  thai 
! ;  it  is  from  the 
'e  for  four  years 
ly  of  Whin£;\vv 


went  up  to  Fori 

lied  the  fort  with 

3.     We  then  en- 

ishies  told  mc  I 

crying,  and  ask- 

did   not  know. 

ofllcers,  Whing- 

len  rose  nnd  ail- 

B  men  the  same 

there,  or  your 

a  long  time  with 

r'ou  ?     If  I  have 

'  You  have  used 

im  vlad  you  say 

jc'i  in  tlie  battle  ol 
ss.— [Stone  ii.  390, 
ired  probably  by  the 


jwcldcr's  Narrative, 


e  Papers,  v.  5S2.) 


1790-05. 


JVnr rathe  of  John  Brichll. 


415 


«o.  You  have  lived  long  with  me  ;  you  hive  htinted  for  me  ;  hut  onr 
treaty  sayH  you  must  be  free.  If  you  choose  to  go  with  the  people  of 
vour  own  color,  1  have  no  right  to  w'ly  a  word,  but  i(  you  ehoose  to 
slay  with  nu',  your  people  have  no  right  to  speuk.  Now  rellect  on  it 
aiul  take  your  ohoieo,  and  tell  us  as  soon  as  you  inaki;  up  your  mind." 
1  was  silent  a  few  minutes,  in  which  lime  it  seemed  as  if  1  thought  of 
ilinosl  every  thing.  I  thought  of  the  ehildren  I  had  Just  left  crying  ;  I 
;hoii{^hl  of  the  Imlians  I  was  attached  to,  and  I  thought  of  my  people 
«lii(di  I  reniend)cred  ;  and  this  latter  thought  predoniiaatcd,  and  I  ^aid, 
I  will  go  with  my  kin."  The  old  man  iIkmi  saiil,  "  I  hav(!  raised 
vou — I  have  learned  you  to  hunt.  You  are  a  good  hunter- -you  have 
been  better  to  mc  than  my  own  sons.  I  am  now  getting  old,  and  I 
i-aiinot  hunt.  I  thought  yon  would  be  a  support  to  my  age.  I  leaned 
(111  you  as  on  a  staff.  Now  it  is  broken — you  are  going  to  leave  mc 
and  I  have  no  right  to  say  a  word,  but  I  am  rninetl.  He  then  sank 
!);iok  in  tears  to  his  seat.  I  heartily  joined  him  in  his  tears — parted 
with  him,  and  have  never  seen  nor  heard  of  him  since. *^^ 

During  the  month  of  June  the  representatives  of  the  north- 
western tribes  began  to  gather  at  Crcenvine,  and  on  the  lOth  of 
lliat  month  Wayne  met  in  council  the  Delawares,  Ottawas,  Potta- 
watamies,  and  I'^el  river  Indians;  and  the  conferences,  whii'h 
lasted  till  August  lOth,  commenced.  On  the  21st  of  June  Buck- 
onfj;eh(das  arrived;  on  the  23d,  the  Little  Turtle  and  other 
Miamies;  on  the  13lh  of  July  Tarke  and  other  Wyandot  Ciiiefs 
rtached  the  appointed  spot;  and  upon  the  iSth,  Blue  Jacket  with 
thirteen  Shawanese,  and  Masass  witli  twenty  Chippevvays.  Most 
of  these,  as  it  appeared  by  their  statements  had  been  tampei  ' 
with  by  McKee,  Brant,  and  other  English  agents,!  even  after  tliey 
had  agreed  to  the  preliminaries  of  January  24th,  and  while  Mr. 
Jay's  treaty  was  still  under  discussion.:}:  They  had,  however, 
all  determined  to  make  a  permanent  peace  with  the  Thirteen  Fires, 
and  although  some  diflicidty  as  to  the  ownership  of  1]i(>  lands  to 
be  ceded,  at  one  time  seemed  likely  to  arise,  the  good  sense  of 
Wayne  and  of  the  Chiefs  prevented  it,  and  upon  the  30th  of  July 
the  treaty  was  agreed  to  which  was  to  bury  the  hatchet  for  ever. 
Between   that  day  and  the   3tl  of  August  it  was  engrossed,  and 

*  Sec  American  Pioneer,  i.  54. 

t  See  speeches  of  Rliie  Jacket  and  Masass.  [American  State  Papers,  v.  568]  and  of 
Agooshaway,  an  Ottawa.     [American  State  Papers,  v.  566.] 

}  Jay  reached  England  June  15,  1794 ;  his  treaty  was  concluded  November  lOth  ;  it  was 
received  by  the  President  March  7,  1795;  was  submitted  to  the  Senate  June  Sth ;  was 
agreed  to  by  them  on  the  24th  of  that  month ;  and  ratified  by  the  President  August  14th. 


41 G  Treaty  of  Greenville.  1790-95. 

havint^  been  siqncil  l)y  the  various  nations  upon  the  day  ];is: 
named,  on  the  7th  was  finally  acttnl  ii})on,  and  the  presents  from 
the  (jiiitfd  Stales  distributed  forthwith.  While  the  Council  wus 
in  session  some  niischiet"  had  been  done  in  Virginia  by  a  band  of 
Shawanese,  but  on  the  9th  of  Septeml)er  these  also  eame  to  (ireeu- 
ville,  ^^ave  up  their  ])risoners,  and  asked  for  forgiveness. 

The  basis  of  the  treaty  of  Greenville  was  the  previous  one 
made  at  Fort  Ilarmar,  and  its  k-ading  provisions  were  as  t'ollo\vs: 

Art.   1.     Hostilities  were  to  cease. 

Art.  2.     All  prisoners  w'^^-e  to  Ije  restored. 


Art.  3.  The  general  l)oundary  lines  between  the  lands  of  the  Uniied 
States  and  the  lauds  of  the  said  Indian  trihcs,  shall  begin  at  die  mouth 
ofCayahoga  river,  and  run  thence  up  die  same  to  the  portage  between 
that  and  the  Tusf.arawas  branch  of  the  Muskingum  ;  thence  down  that 
branch  to  die  crossing  place  above  fort  Lawrence  ;  thence  westerly,  to  w 
fork  of  tiiut  branch  of  the  Great  Miami  river,  running  into  the  Ohio,  at 
or  near  which  foik  stood  Laromie's  store,  and  where  commences  the 
portage  between  the  Miami  of  the  Ohio  and  St.  Mary's  river,  wliich  is 
a  I)rancli  of  the  Miami  which  runs  into  Lake  Eric  ;  thence  a  wcsledy 
course,  to  Fort  Recovery,  which  stands  on  a  branch  of  the  Wabash; 
thence  sotuhwcsterly,  in  a  direct  Hue  to  tb.e  Ohio,  so  as  to  intersect  that 
river  opposite  the  mouth  of  Kentucke  or  Cuttawa  river.  And  in  con- 
sideration of  die  peace  now  established  ;  of  the  goods  formerly  received 
from  the  Uniied  States  :  of  those  now  to  be  delivered  ;  and  of  the  yearly 
delivery  of  goods  now  stipulated  to  be  made  hereafter;  and  to  iiideinnilV 
the  United  States  for  the  injuries  and  expenses  they  have  sustained 
during  the  war ;  the  said  Indian  tribes  do  hereby  cede  and  relinquish, 
forever,  all  their  claims  to  the  lands  lying  eastwardly  and  southwardly 
of  die  general  boundary  line  now  described  ;  and  these  lands,  or  any 
part  of  them,  shall  never  liereafter  be  made  a  cause  or  pretence,  on  the 
part  of  the  said  tribes,  or  any  of  them,  of  war  or  injury  to  the  United 
States,  or  any  of  the  people  thereof. 

And  tor  the  '^•'me  considerations,  and  as  an  evidence  of  the  returning 
friendship  of  the  said  Indian  tribes,  of  their  confidence  in  the  United 
States,  and  desire  to  provide  for  dieir  accommodation,  and  for  that  con- 
vcnicut  intercourse  which  will  be  beneficial  to  both  parties,  the  said  In- 
dian tribes  do  also  cede  to  die  United  States  the  following  pieces  of  land, 
to  wit:  1.  One  piece  of  land  six  miles  square,  at  or  near  Laromie's 
store,  before  mentioned.  2.  1  piece,  two  miles  square,  at  the  head  of 
the  navigable  water  or  landing,  on  the  St.  Mary's  river,  near  Girty'-i 
town.  .3.  One  piece,  six  miles  square,  at  the  head  of  the  navigable 
water  of  the  Auglaize  river.     4.  One  piece,   six  miles  square,  at  the 


1 790-9  j. 

the  (lay  last 
presents  from 
•  (.'omieil  was 
I  by  a  band  o| 
■ame  to  (jfucii- 
less. 

previous  one 
L're  as  i'ollows; 


1790-95. 


Treaty  of  Greenvilk 


41' 


s  of  the  United 

I  at  the  mouth 

ortagc  between 

3nce  down  that 

e  westerly,  to  a 

nto  the  Ohio,  at 

commences  the 

3  river,  which  is 

3nce  a  westerly 

f  the   Wabash: 

to  intersect  that 

And  in  cun- 

rmerly  received 

nd  of  the  yearly 

id  to  indemnify 

have   sustained 

and   relinquish, 

nd  southwardly 

lands,  or  any 

etence,  on  the 

to  the  United 

the  returning 
ill  the  United 
d  for  that  con- 
's, the  said  In- 
piece?  of  land, 
lear  Laromie's 
at  the  head  of 
•,  near  Girty'-^ 
the  navigable 
square,  at  the 


ronlluence  of  the  Auglaize  and  INIiami  rivers,  where  Fort  Defiance  now 
stands.  5.  One  piece,  six  miles  square,  at  or  near  the  eonlluence  of 
the  rivers  St.  Mary's  and  St.  Joseph's,  where  Fort  Wayne  now  stands, 
or  near  it.  0.  One  piece,  two  miles  square,  on  the  Wabash  river,  at 
the  end  of  the  portage  from  the  Miami  of  the  lake,  and  about  eight  miles 
westward  from  Fort  Wayne.  7.  One  piece,  six  miles  square,  at  the 
Ouatanon,  or  Old  ^V'ea  towns,  on  the  Wabash  river.  8.  One  piece, 
twelve  miles  square,  at  the  liritish  fort  on  the  Miami  of  the  Lake,  at 
the  foot  of  the  rapids.  9.  One  piece,  six  miles  square,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  said  river,  where  it  empties  into  the  lake.  10.  One  piece,  six  miles 
square,  upon  Sandusky  lake,  where  a  fort  formerly  stood.  11.  One 
piece,  two  miles  square,  at  the  lower  rapids  of  Sandusky  river.  12, 
The  post  of  Detroit  and  all  the  land  to  the  north,  the  west,  and  the 
south  of  it,  of  which  the  Indian  title  has  been  extinguished  by  gifts  or 
irrants  to  the  French  or  English  governments  :  and  so  much  more  land 
to  be  annexed  to  the  District  of  Detroit,  as  shall  be  compri  bended  be- 
tween the  river  Rosine  on  the  south  and  I^ake  St.  Clair  on  the  north, 
and  a  line,  the  general  course  whereof  shall  be  six  miles  distant  from 
the  west  end  of  Lake  Erie  and  Detroit  river.  13.  The  post  of  Miehil- 
limackinac,  and  all  the  land  on  the  Island  on  which  that  post  stands,  and 
the  main  land  adjacent,  of  wliieh  the  Indian  title  has  been  extinguished 
by  gifts  or  grants  to  the  French  or  English  governments;  and  a  piece  of 
land  on  the  Main  to  the  north  of  the  Island,  to  measure  six  miles,  on 
Lake  Huron,  or  the  Strait  between  Lakes  Huron  and  Michigan,  and  to 
extend  three  miles  back  from  the  water  on  the  lake  or  strait ;  and  also, 
the  Island  de  Bois  Blanc,  being  an  extra  and  voluntary  gift  of  the  Chip- 
pewa nation.  14.  One  piece  of  land,  six  miles  square,  at  the  mouth 
ofChikago  river,  emptying  into  the  southwest  end  of  Lake  Michigan, 
where  a  tort  formerly  stood.  15.  One  piece,  twelve  niifts  square,  at  or 
near  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  river,  emptying  into  the  Mississippi.  10. 
One  piece,  six  miles  square,  at  the  Old  Piorias  fort  and  village,  near  the 
5oiiih  end  of  the  Illinois  lake,  on  said  Illinois  river.  And  whenever  the 
United  States  shall  think  proper  to  survey  and  mark  the  boundaries  of 
ilie  lands  hereby  ceded  to  them,  they  shall  give  timely  notice  thereof  to 
the  said  tribes  of  Indians,  that  they  may  appoint  some  of  their  wise 
chiefs  to  attend  and  see  that  the  lines  are  run  according  to  the  terms  of 
ihis  treaty. 

And  the  said  Indian  tribes  will  allow  to  the  People  of  the  Uniteil 
>"iatesa  free  passage,  by  land  and  l)y  water,  as  one  and  the  other  shall 
he  found  convenient,  through  their  country,  along  the  chain  of  posts 
herein  before  mentioned  ;  thsft  is  to  say  :  from  the  commencement  of  the 
portage  aforesaid,  at  or  near  Tiaromie's  store,  thence,  along  said  portage, 
to  the  St.  Mary's,  and  down  the  same  to  Fort  Wayne,  and  then  down 
i!ie  Miami  to  Lake  Erie;  again,  from  the  commencement  of  the  portage 
27 


418 


Treaty  of  Greenville. 


1790-95, 


at  or  near  Loraniic's  store,  along  the  portage,  from  thence  to  the  river 
AuGlaizc,  and  down  tlic  sumo  to  its  junction  with  tlie  Miami  at  Fort 
Defiance;  again,  from  the  commencement  of  the  portage  aforesaid,  to 
Sandusky  river,  and  down  the  same  to  Sandusky  bay  and  L;>kp  Erie, 
and  from  Sandusky  to  the  post  which  shall  be  taken  at  or  near  the  foot 
of  the  rapids  of  the  Miami  of  the  lake  ;  and  from  thence  to  Detroit. 
Again,  from  the  mouth  of  Chikago,  to  the  commencement  of  the  portafrc 
between  that  river  and  tin  Illinois,  and  do"'n  the  Illinois  river  to  the 
Mississippi ;  also,  from  Fort  Wayne,  along  the  portage  aforesaid,  which 
leads  to  the  Wabash,  and  tlien  down  the  Wabash  to  the  Ohio.  And  ihc 
said  Indian  tribes  will  also  allow  to  the  people  of  the  United  States!,  the 
free  use  of  the  harbors  and  moutlis  of  rivers  along  the  lakes  adjoiiiinfr 
the  Indian  lands,  for  sheltering  vessels  and  boats,  and  liberty  to  land 
their  cargoes  when  necessary  for  their  safety. 

Art.  4.  In  consideration  of  the  peace  now  established,  and  of  the  ces- 
sions and  relinquishments  of  lands  made  in  the  preceding  article  by  the 
said  tribes  of  Indians,  and  to  manifest  the  liberality  of  the  United  State?,  a? 
the  great  mean-  of  rendering  this  peace  strong  and  perpetual,  tiie  United 
Slates  relinquish  their  claims  to  all  other  Indian  lands  northward  of  the 
river  Ohio,  eastward  of  the  Mississippi,  and  westward  and  southward  of 
the  Great  Lakes  and  the  waters  uniting  them,  according  to  the  boundary 
line  agreed  on  by  the  United  States  and  the  King  of  Great  Britain,  in 
the  treaty  of  peace  made  between  them  in  the  year  1783.  But  from 
this  relinquishment  by  the  United  States,  the  following  tracts  of  land 
are  explicitly  excepted.  1st.  The  tract  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thous- 
and acres  near  the  rapids  of  the  river  Ohio,  which  has  been  assigned  lo 
General  Clark,  for  the  use  of  himself  and  his  warriors.  2d.  The  post 
at  St.  Vinccnnes,  on  the  river  Wabash,  and  the  lands  adjacent,  of  whic'-. 
the  Indian  till#has  been  extinguished.  3d.  The  lands  at  all  other 
places  in  possession  of  the  French  people  and  other  white  settlers 
among  them,  of  which  the  Indian  title  has  been  extinguished,  as  men- 
tioned in  the  3d  article  ;  and  '1th.  The  post  of  Fort  Massac  towards  the 
mouth  of  the  Ohio.  To  which  several  parcels  of  land,  so  excepted. 
the  said  tribes  relinquish  all  the  title  and  claim  which  they  or  any  of 
them  may  have. 

And  for  the  same  considerations  and  with  the  same  views  as  above 
mentioned,  the  United  States  now  deliver  to  the  said  Indian  tribes,  p. 
quantity  of  goods  to  the  value  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  tlie  receipt 
whereof  they  do  hereby  acknowledge  ;  and  henceforward,  every  year, 
forever,  the  United  States  will  deliver,  at  some  convenient  place  north- 
ward of  the  river  Ohio,  like  useful  goods,  suited  to  the  circumstances  of 
the  Indians,  of  the  value  of  nine  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  ;  reckon- 
ing that  value  at  the  first  cost  of  the  goods  in  the  city  or  place  in  the 
United  Slates,  where  they  shall  be  procured.     The  tribes  to  which  thost 


1790-95, 

lice  to  the  river 

Miami  at  Fort 

ige  aforesaid,  to 

and  Lpkc  Erie, 

or  near  the  font 

ence  to  Detroit. 

nt  of  tlie  portaic 

lois  river  to  the 

aforesaid,  which 

Ohio.     And  ihc 

nitcd  State!*,  the 

lakes  adjoining 

liberty   to  land 

I,  and  of  the  ces- 
r;^  article  by  the 
United  State?,  a? 
etual,  the  United 
lorthward  of  the 
md  southward  of 

to  the  boundary 
3reat  Britain,  in 
1783.  But  from 
\g  tracts  of  land 
1  and  fifty  thou«- 
been  assigned  to 
2d.  The  post 
jacent,  of  which 
ids  at  all  other 
r  white  settler? 
uished,  as  men- 
issac  towards  the 
id,  so   excepted. 

they  or  any  of 

views  as  above 
Indian  tribes,  a 
ars,  tlie  receipt 
ard,  every  year, 
icnt  place  north- 
circumstances  ol 
dollars ;  reckon- 
or  place  in  the 
s  to  which  ihosi 


iT90-95. 


Treaty  of  Greenville. 


419 


Toods  are  to  be  annually  delivered,  and  the  proportions  in  which  they 

re  to  be  delivered,  are  the  following: 

l^t.  To  the  Wyandots,  the  amount  of  one  thourand  dollars.  2d.  To 
■Jie  Deiawares,  the  amount  of  one  thousand  dollars.  .3d.  To  the  Shaw- 
T.pse,  the  amount  of  one  thousand  dollars,     tth.  To  the  Miamios,  the 

mount  of  one  thousand  dollar?.  5th.  To  the  Ottawas,  the  amount  of 
me  thousand  dollar.?.  6th.  To  the  Chippcwas,  the  amount  of  one 
housand  dollars.  7th.  To  the  Potawatimas,  the  amount  of  one  thousand 
'ollars.  8th.  And  to  the  Kickapoo,  Wca,  Eel  River,  Piankeshaw,  and 
Kaskaskia  tribes,  the  amount  of  five  hundred  dollars  each. 

Provided,  that  if  either  of  the  said  tribes  shall  hereafter,  at  an  annual 
lelivery  of  their  share  of  the  goods  aforesaid,  desire  that  a  part  of  their 
annuity  should  be  furnished  in  domestic  animals,  implements  of  hus- 
handry,  and  other  utensils  convenient  for  them,  and  in  compensation  to 
useful  artificers  who  may  reside  with  or  near  them,  and  be  employed 
for  their  benefit,  the  same  shall,  at  the  subsequent  annual  deliveries,  be 
furnished  accordingly. 

Art.  5.  To  prevent  any  misunderstanding  about  the  Indian  lands  re- 
linquished by  the  United  States  in  the  fourth  article,  it  is  now  explicitly 
leclared,  that  the  meaning  of  that  relinquishment  is  this  :  the  Indian 
:ribes  v/ho  have  a  right  to  these  lands,  are  quietly  to  enjoy  them,  liunt- 
::ig,  planting,  and  dwelling  thereon,  so  long  as  they  please,  without  any 
niolesUtion  from  the  United  States  ;  but  when  those  tribes,  or  any  of 
'liem,  shall  be  disposed  to  sell  their  lands,  or  any  part  of  them,  they  are 
obe  sold  only  to  the  United  States  ;  and  until  such  sale,  the  United  States 
will  protect  all  the  said  Indian  tribes  in  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  their 
imds,  against  all  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  against  all  other 
white  persons  who  intrude  upon  the  same.  And  the  said  Indian  tribes 
3jain  acknowledge  themselves  to  be  under  the  protection  of  the  said  United 
*^'iates,  and  no  other  power  whatever.* 

Art.  6th.  The  Indians  or  Un  ted  States  may  remove  and  pun- 
^h  intruders  on  Indian  lands. 

Art.  7th.     Indians  may  hunt  M'thin  ccdefl  lands. 

Art.  8th.     Trade  shall  be  opened  in  sub.stance,  as  by  provis- 

ns  in  treaty  of  Fort  Harmar.     (Sec  Ante,  p.  317.) 

Art.  9th.  All  injuries  shall  be  referred  to  law,  not  privately 
■ivcnged;  and  all  hostile  plans  known  to  either  shall  be  revealed 
io  the  other  party. 

Art.  lOih.     All  previous  treaties  annulled. 

Thi:-  great  and  abiding  peace-document  was  signed  by  the 
wirious  nations  named  in  the  4th  article;  —  and  dated  August  the 

'  !^tt  Luiid  Landa,  p.  154. 


420 


Kentucky  admitted  to  the  Union. 


1700-9;. 


3(1,    1795.     It  was   laid   bcibre  tho   Sonate   December  9th,  aiu: 
ratified   December  22d.     So   closed   the   old  Indian  wars  ol'  th: 

West/ 


I    '• 


1    ' 


During  the  six  years  through  which  the  Indian  wars  of  the  Wo: 
continued,  many  events  took  place  of  local  importance,  to  wliii I 
we  must  now  refer.  And  foremost  stands  the  admission  of  Ken- 
tucky into  the  Union.  In  1789  she  had  requested  certain  changtv 
in  the  law,  authorising  separation,  which  had  been  passed  lj\ 
Virginia,!  and  these  changes  were  made;  it  being  requested, how- 
ever, at  the  same  time,  that  a  ninth  Kentucky  convention  shoiili] 
meet,  in  July,  1790,  to  express  the  sentiments  of  the  people  ofth- 
western  District,  and  to  take  other  needful  steps.  Upon  the  2(ii!i 
of  July,  accordingly,  the  Convention  came  together;  the  terms  oi 
Virginia  were  agreed  to  ;  June  1,  1792,  was  fixed  as  the  date  ol 
independence  ;  and  measures  adopted  to  procure  the  agreement  m 
the  federal  legislature. f  It  was  alsc  resolved,  that  in  Decembei. 
1791,  persons  should  be  chosen  to  serve  seven  months,  who,  on 
the  first  Monday  in  April,  1792,  should  meet  at  Danville  to  form 
a  constitution  for  the  coming  state,  and  determine  what  laws  sliould 
be  in  force.  In  December,  1790, ||  the  Pre^'dent  of  the  IJiited 
States  presented  the  subject  of  the  admission  of  Kentu':ky  to  Con- 
gress, and  upon  the  4th  of  February,  1791,  that  action  was  taken 
which  terminated  the  long  frustrated  eflorts  of  the  land  of  JJooiu-, 
Clark,  and  Logan  to  obtain  self-government. §  In  the  followiiii; 
December,  the  elections  took  place  for  persons  to  frame  a  consti- 
tution, and  in  April,  1792,  the  instrument  which  was  to  lie  e'  \\\> 
basis  of  Kentucky  law,  was  prepared,  mainly,  it  would  seem,  1j\ 
George  Nicholas  of  INItircer  county. *[  As  this  charier,  however, 
was   changed  in  some   impo..ant  features,  a  few  years  after,  wi 


.    1 


*  Sec  the  treaty  ami  minutes  of  tlio  council,  American  State  Papers,  v.  "jG^  to  5\' 
The  treaty  alone,  Land  Law?  151  to  150.  In  Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  vol.  ii.  ;>  • 
BCries  of  papers  hy  John  Johnston  of  Picjua,  formerly  an  India)  Agent  in  Ohio,  &c..  i'l 
whicli  the  characters  of  Little  Turtle  and  many  other  prominent  Chiefs  of  tluMvarsn; 
1700-95  are  drawn  ;  they  ought  to  oe  read  hy  all  curio'is  in  the  Indian  character,  ur  i:; 
the  detaiU  cf  w(>stern  hisnry.  In  the  same  work,  vol.  ii.  ]).  27,J,  is  related  an  adventure 
of  two  American  scouts  which  is  among  the  most  striking  of  the  many  talcs  of  the  kiiu! 
how  far  it  is  embellished  we  cannot  say. 

In  Volney's  Vicvv,   pp.  405,    130,  &c.,  are  r.omc  characteristic  statements  rciativi' ; 
Little  Turtle. 

t  Anil.,  p.  320.         }  Marshall's  Kentucky,  i.  3G0.        |1  Sj)arks'  Washington,  xii   I-''  J- 

§  Butler's  Kentucky,  1%.  1  .Murshall's  Kentucky,  i.  414. 


1790-95 

mber  Oth,  an.; 
an  wars  of  th 


^ars  of  the  Wfsi 
tance,  to  wliicj, 
mission  of  Kcu- 

ccrtain  clian^c- 
)een   passed  !)\ 

requested,  liow- 
nvention  should 
he  people  of  tin; 

Upon  the  2(ith 
r ;  the  terms  ot 
I  as  the  dale  ol 
lie  agreement  oi 
at  in  Decembfi. 
nonths,  who,  on 
Danville  to  form 
vhat  laws  shoulil 
t   of  the  UiiiU'd 

ntuf;ky  to  Con- 
ction  was  takiii 

land  of  Booiif, 
n  the  followiiii; 

frame  a  con.sti- 
ras  to  lie  i^'  th. 
would  seem,  U 

larter,  howovir, 

years  after,  Ui 

Papers,  V.  .'iG2  to  i^l 
[iscrllnny,  vol.  ii.  '-  • 
pont  in  Ohio,  &i:..  :)i 
Chiefs  of  the  wnrs'i; 
diaii  character,  or  in 
related  an  adveiitiirc 
my  tales  of  the  kiiu! 

statemcnt.s  relative' ; 

asluiigloii,  xu.  U'.  J- 
14 


!  790-95. 


Movements  of  Genet. 


421 


>l)fill  not-  at  litis  time  enter  irito  any  discussion  of  its  merits  and 

A  second  subject  to  he  noticed  is  the  attempt  of  the  ap^ents  of 
he  French  minister  in  the  United  States,  to  enlist  the  citizens  of 
K'tntucky  in  an  attack  upon  the  dominions  of  Spain  in  the  south- 
wst.  We  cannot,  and  need  not,  do  more  tlian  refer  to  the  state 
iffcding  prevalent  in  America,  in  relatinn  to  France,  from  1792 
•,1795,  On  the  21st  of  January,  1793,  t)ie  Fn  nch  had  tnken 
ii(  life  of  their  monarch,  and  upon  tlf  ISth  of  May,  M.  Cenet, 
,wis  presented  to  Washington  as  the  representative  of  the  new 
.ipublic  of  France.*  This  man  brought  with  him  open  instruc- 
uons,  in  which  the  United  States  were  spoken  of  as  naturally  neu- 
tral in  the  contest  between  France  and  united  Holland,  Spain  and 
England  ;  and  secret  instructions,  the  purpose  of  which  was  to 
induce  the  Government,  and  if  that  could  not  be  done,  the  People, 
of  the  American  republic,  to  make  common  cause  with  the  foun- 
ders of  the  dynasty  of  the  guillotine. f  In  pursuance  of  this  plan, 
flrnet  began  a  system  of  operations,  the  tendency  of  which  was, 
to  involve  the  People  of  the  United  States  in  a  war  with  the 
'■ncmies  of  Franro,  without  any  regard  to  the  views  of  the  federal 
government  ;J  and  knowing  very  well  the  old  bitterness  of  the 
i'rontier-n'.en  in  relation  to  the  navigation  of  tlie  Mississippi,  lie 
formed  the  plan  of  embodying  a  band  of  troops  beyond  the  Alleg- 
l.aiiies  for  the  conquest  of  Louisiana.  Early  in  November,  1793, 
1  ur  persons  weic  sent  westward  to  raise  troops  and  issue  coinmis- 
Mons  in  ihe  name  of  the  French  republic. ||  They  moved  openly 
and  boldly,  secure  in  the  strong  democratic  feelings  of  the  inha- 
bitants of  the  region  drained  by  the  great  river  which  Spain 
controlled  ;  and  so  far  succeeded  as  to  persuade  even  the  political 
founder  of  Kentucky,  George  Rogers  Clark,  to  become  a  Major 
General  in  the  armies  of  France,  anrl  Commander-in-chief  of  the 
revolutionary  forces  on  the  Mississippi. §  Nor  did  the  French 
•missaries  much  mistake  the  temper  of  the  people  of  the  West,f 

'  Pitkin's  United  States,  ii.  359. 

i  Pitkin's  U.  Stales,  ii.  3C0. — Marshall's  Washington,  v.  110. — See  a  iianiphlet  liydenet, 
I'ivinj  his  instrnctinns  and  thf:  correspondence  l)etwccn  the  federal  iiovcrnme'.t  'ind  liiiii- 
'flf,  piddished  in  Philadelphia,  1793. 

\  Sec  the  correspondence  between  JefTerson  and  Genet.  American  State  paperF,  141 
to  188. 

J'-ee  documents,  American  State  Pa|)ers,  i.  irjl  to  160. 

§  Clark's  proposals  are  in  IViarshall,  ii.  103. 

^  See  American  State  Papers,  i.  4,")4  to  4(50,  and  Marshall's  Kentucky,  li.  99  to  101 ,  as  to 
'irrcspondencc  of  Governor  Shelby  and  his  course  in  relati  to  Genet. — Also  Butler'e 
^■(.ntucky,  224  to  234,  and  524  to  .'531, 


(     ! 


V    !i 


•J 


!  •'. 


'i^/2  Addrvsses  of  the.  Democratic  Society.  1790-1)5 

as  win  be  cvidonl  from  the  following  extrnfls,  tlio  fust  >f  wliifh  is 
from  an  address  "  to  the  inhabitants  of  ihe  United  Status  west  (i| 
the  AlK'ghany  and  Appalat-iuau  mountains,"  dated  Dectinbii 
l.'Jdi,  1793;  the  other  from  a  remonstrance  to  the  President  uik' 
Congress  of  the  United  States  of  America,  which  is  -without  duti', 
but  was  prepared  about  the  same  time  as  the  first  paper. 

December  13,  1793. 

Fellow-citizens  ;— The  Democvatic  Society  of  Kentucky  having  hau 
under  consideration  die  measures  necessary  to  obtain  the  exercise  oi 
your  rigiiis  to  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  have  determined  ic 
address  you  upon  that  important  topic.  In  so  doing  they  Uiink  {\\r, 
they  only  use  the  undoubted  right  cf  citizens  to  consult  for  dieir  coiii' 
mon  welfare.  This  measure  is  not  dictated  by  party  or  faction;  it  i-, 
iJio  consequence  of  unavoidable  necesaity.  It  has  become  so  from  the 
neglect  shown  by  the  General  Covernment,  to  obtain  for  those  of  tin 
citizens  of  die  United  States  who  are  initrosted  therein  the  navigation 
of  that  river.  #  #  v  #  #  *  , 

Experience,  fellow-citizens,  has  shown  us  that  the  General  Govern- 
ment is  uiiwilliiiif  that  we  should  obtain  the  navigation  of  the  rivci 
Mississippi.  A  local  policy  appears  to  have  an  undue  weight  in  the 
councils  of  the  Union.  It  seems  to  be  the  object  of  that  policy  to 
prevent  Uio  population  of  this  country,  which  would  draw  from  the 
eastern  states  their  industrious  citizens.  This  conclusion  inevitably  fol- 
lows from  a  consideration  of  tue  measures  taken  to  prevent  the  purchase 
and  settlement  of  Uie  lands  bordering  on  the  Mississippi.  Among  those 
measures,  Uie  unconstitutional  interfercnca  which  rescinded  sales,  uy 
one  of  the  States,  to  private  individuals,  makes  a  striking  object.  An! 
perhaps  the  fear  of  a  successful  rivalship,  in  every  article  of  their 
exports,  may  have  its  weight.  But,  if  they  are  not  unwdling  to  do  u; 
justice,  they  are  at  least  regardless  of  our  rights  and  welfare.  We  liavi 
found  prayers  and  supplications  of  no  avail,  and  should  we  continue  to 
load  the  table  of  Cor.^iess  with  memorials,  from  a  part  only  of  the 
western  country,  it  is  too  probable  diat  they  would  meet  with  a  fate 
similar  to  those  wiiich  have  been  formerly  presented.  Let  us,  then,  all 
unite  our  endeavors  in  the  common  cause.  Let  all  join  in  a  firm  ami 
manly  remonstrance  to  the  President  and  Congress  of  die  United  Slates 
staung  our  just  and  undoubted  right  to  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi. 
remonstrating  against  the  conduct  of  government  with  regard  to  that 
right,  which  must  have  been  occasioned  by  local  policy  or  neglect,  aiul 
demanding  of  them  speedy  and  effectual  exertions  for  its  attainment. 
We  cannot  doubt  that  you  will  cordially  and  unanimously  join  in  tlii> 
measure.  It  can  hardly  be  necessary  to  remind  you  that  considerable 
quantities  of  beef,  pork.  Hour,  hemp,  tobacco,  «fec.,  the  produce  of  th'e 


i, 


1790-05     I    1790-95.  .Iddrcssoi  of  the  Bcmocrntic  Socidij. 


423 


'irst  >f  which  i. 
States  West  ot 

lied  DocLinhi'i 
President  ami 

s  without  diil(.', 

aper. 

iber  13,  1793. 

icky  having  hau 
the  exercise  ol 
'e  dolertnined  tc 
they  think  tliD, 
t  for  their  com- 
or  faction;  it  i-, 
ome  so  from  the 
for  those  of  th( 
n  the  navigation 

eneral  Govern- 
ion  of  the  rivci 
e  weight  in  the 
f  that  pohry  to 

draw  from  the 
)ii  inevit;\bly  fol- 
ent  the  purcliasc 
.  Among  tliose 
winded  sales,  oy 
ng  object.    An "; 

article  of  their 
willing  to  do  ii; 
Ifare.     We  have 

we  continue  to 
)art  only  of  the 
neet  with  a  fait 
Let  us,  then,  all 
in  in  a  firm  am! 
e  United  Staie-s 
the  Mississippi. 
.  regard  to  that 

or  neglect,  am! 

its  attainment, 
sly  join  in  tliis 
lat  considerable 

produce  of  th'f 


country,  remain  on  hand  for  want  of  purchasers,  or  arc  sold  at  inade- 
quate prices.  Much  greater  quantities  might  be  raised  if  the  inhabi- 
tants were  encouraged  by  the  certain  sale  which  the  free  navigation  of 
the  Mississippi  would  afford.  An  additional  increase  of  those  articles, 
and  a  greater  variety  of  produce  and  manufactures,  would  be  supplied, 
by  means  of  the  encouragement,  which  the  attainment  of  that  great 
object  would  give  to  emigration.  Hut  it  is  not  only  your  ov/n  rights 
whi'jh  you  are  to  regard  :  remember  that  your  posterity  have  a  claim  to 
your  exertions  to  obtain  and  secure  that  right.  Let  not  your  memory 
be  siv^matised  with  a  neglect  of  duty.  Let  not  history  record  iliat  the 
inliabiianls  of  this  beautiful  country  lost  a  most  invaluable  right,  and 
half  the  benefits  bestowed  upon  it  by  a  bountiful  Providence,  through 
your  neglect  and  supineness.  The  present  crisis  is  favorable.  Spain 
is  engaged  in  a  war  which  requires  all  her  forces.  If  the  present 
golden  opportunity  be  suffered  to  pass  without  advantage,  and  she  shall 
have  concluded  a  peace  with  France,  we  must  then  contend  against  her 
undivided  strength. 

But  what  may  be  the  event  of  the  proposed  application  is  still  uncer- 
tain. We  ought,  therefore  to  be  still  upon  our  guard,  and  watchful  to 
seize  the  first  favorable  opportunity  to  gain  our  object.  In  order  to  this, 
our  union  should  be  as  perfect  and  lasting  as  possible.  We  propose  that 
societies  should  be  formed,  in  convenient  districts,  in  every  part  of  the 
western  country,  who  shall  preserve  a  correspondence  upon  this  and 
every  other  subject  of  a  general  concern.  By  means  of  these  societies 
we  shall  be  enabled  speedily  to  know  what  may  be  the  result  of  our 
endeavors,  to  consult  upon  such  further  measures  as  may  be  necessary 
to  preserve  union,  and,  finally,  by  these  means,  to  secure  success. 

Remember  that  it  is  a  common  cause  which  ought  to  unite  us,  that 
cause  is  indubitably  just,  that  ourselves  and  posterity  are  interested, 
that  the  crisis  is  favorable,  and  that  it  is  oidy  by  union  that  the  object  can 
be  achieved.  The  obstacles  are  great,  and  so  ought  to  be  our  efforts. 
Adverse  fortune  may  attend  us,  but  it  shall  never  dispirit  us.  We  may 
for  a  while  exhaust  our  wealth  and  strength,  but  until  the  all  important 
object  is  procured,  we  pledge  ourselves  to  you,  and  let  us  all  pledge 
ourselves  to  each  other,  that  our  perseverance  and  our  friendship  will 
be  inexhaustible.  JOHN  HRECKENRIDGE,  Chairman. 

Test : — Thomas  Todd, 
Thomas  Bodlei 


iY,5 


Clerks. 


To  the  President  and  CongrefiS  of  the  United  Slates  of  America.     The 
remonstrance  of  the  subscribers,  citizens  of  the  Commonwealth  of 
Kentucky,  showeth  :^ 
That  your  remonstrants,  and  the   other  inhabitants  of   the  United 

States,  west  of  the  Allegany  and  Apalachian  mountains,  are  entitled,  by 


424 


.  hldresscs  of  the.  Democratic  Society. 


17DO-0ij, 


'   1 


-J 


i  • 


1-'   '^' 
I   ' 


nature  and  slii)ulalioii,  lo  the  free  and  undisturbed  navigation  of  tiie 
river  Mississippi  ;  and  that,  from  the  year  1783  to  this  day,  they  have 
been  prevented  unilbrnily,  hy  the  Spaiiisli  king,  from  exercising  that 
right.  Your  remonstrants  have  observed,  with  concern,  that  the  (Jciicr;il 
GovcrnnjL'nt,  wliosc  duty  it  was  to  have  preserved  that  riglit,  have  used 
no  f'lriftiial  nipasures  for  its  atlainmcnt ;  that  even  their  lardy  and  iiaf- 
fcctiial  negotiations  have  I)('cn  veiled  with  the  most  mysterious  sccrocy ; 
tliat  that  sccrocy  is  a  violation  of  the  political  rights  of  the  citizen,  as  it 
declares  that  the  people  arc  unfit  lo  be  entrusted  with  important  farts 
rclaiive  to  their  rights,  and  that  their  servants  may  retain  from  them  the 
Icnowledge  of  those  facts.  Eight  years  are  surely  sufficient  for  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  most  doubtful  and  disputable  claim.  The  right  to  the 
•  .ligation  of  the  Mississippi  admits  neither  of  doubt  nor  dispute. 
Vour  remonstrants,  therefore,  conceive  that  the  negotiations  on  that  sub- 
;•■  have  been  unnecessarily  lengthy,  and  tliey  expect  that  it  be  do- 
inani''  •categorically  of  the  Spanish  king  whether  he  will  acknowledge 
the  right  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  to  the  free  and  uniiitcr- 
rup'ed  navigation  of  the  Uiver  Mississippi,  and  cause  all  obstructions, 
interruption,  and  hindrance  to  the  exercise  of  that  right,  in  future,  to  be 
withdrawn  and  avoided;  that  immediate  answer  thereto  be  required,  and 
that  such  answer  be  the  final  period  of  all  negotiations  upon  this  subject. 
Your  remonstrants  further  represent,  that  the  encroachment  of  the 
Spaniards  upon  the  territory  of  the  United  States,  is  a  striking  aiul 
melancholy  proof  of  the  situation  to  which  our  country  will  be  reduced, 
if  a  tame  policy  should  still  continue  to  direct  our  councils. 

Your  rcinonstrants  join  their  voice  to  that  of  their  fellow-citizens  in 
the  .Atlantic  Slates,  calling  or  satisfaction  for  the  injuries  and  insults 
oflcred  lo  America;  and  they  expect  such  satisfaction  shall  extend  to 
every  injury  and  insult  done  or  offered  to  any  part  of  America,  by  dreat 
Britain  and  Spain  ;  and  as  the  detention  of  the  posts,  and  the  interrup- 
tion to  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  are  injuries  and  insults  of  the 
greatest  atrocity,  and  of  the  longest  duration,  they  require  the  most  par- 
ticular attention  to  those  subjects.* 

But  the  govcrniTiont  had  taken  measures  to  prevent  the  proposed 
movements  from  heing  earried  into  effect.  The  Governor  of  Ken- 
tucky, Isaac  Shelby  ;  Governor  St.  Clair ;  and  General  Wayne, 
were  all  written  to  :  and,  by  the  preparation  of  troops,  the  renewal 
of  Fort  I\lassac,f  the  dissemination  of  just  views  among  the 
people,  and  the  request  made  of  the  French  government  that 
Genet  should  be  recalled,  the  ])lans  of  that  mischief-maker  and  his 


*  American  State  Papers,  xx.  929,  930. 

+  Sec  American  Pioneer,  ii.  220. — Sec  on  the  whole  subject,  Marshall  ii.  9G  to  122. 


;90-95. 


GcntiCs  plans  dijhited. 


425 


;riiiis  were  cfTectiuilly  (Icfcatt.'d  :  the  ruliTS  of  France  disowned 
,is  acts — he  was  ordered  hack  to  Kuiope — and  in  May  17!)'l  liis 
it'Stern  emissary  was  forced  (o  write  to  (he  Democratic  Society  of 


Lexington  in  tliesc  words  : — 


To  the  Deinocralic  Society  of  TiCxiiigton. 

Citizens  : — Events,  miforcsccn,  the  cfTccld  of  causes  which  it  is  un- 
necessary here  to  devclope,  have  stopped  the  march  of  two  thousand 
rave  Kentuckians,  who,  strong  in  their  courage,  in  the  justice  of  their 

..Ills,  llieir  cause,  the  general  assent  of  their  fcUow-citizcns,  and  ton- 
uiiceil  of  the  broilierly  dispositions  of  the  Louisianians,  waited  only  for 
heir  onlers  to  go.  hy  the  strength  of  dieir  arms,  take  from  the  Spaniards 
,,e  des[)ot.c  usurpers  of  the  empire  of  the  Mississippi,  ensure  to  ihcir 
ouiUry  the  navigation  of  it,  break  the  chains  of  llic  Americans,  and 
;:,cir  brethren  the  Frencli,  hoist  up  the  flag  of  liberty  in  the  name  of  the 
Frcncli  republic,  and  lay  the  foundation  of  die  prosp  'v  and  happiness 
j1  iwo  nations  situated  so,  and  destined  by  nature  to  t*  bi-  »ne,  the  most 
;uppy  in  Uie  universe.  *****  *         * 

Accept,  citizens,  the  farewell,  not  the  last,  of  "  brc  bcr  who  is  dcter- 
;;iii,cd  to  sacrifice  every  thing  in  his  power  for  tlie  li'  "  ^y  of  his  country, 
-:iJ  the  prosperity  of  the  generous  inhabitants  a''  Kentucky. 

Sulut  ea  b  putrie,  XV.      '"'lE  LICIIAISE.* 


ii.  9G  to  122. 


A  third  topic  rcdalive  to  Kentucky,    which   we   have   now  to 

itice  as   connected  with  the   period  wc  are  treating  of,   is   the 

Spanish]  intrigue  with  Wilkinson,  Sebastian,  Tunis,  and  Nicholas. 

■  American  State  Papers,  xx.  931. — This  letter  was  fol]o\veill)y  a  meeting  in  Lexington, 

'i.'h  denounced  Washingtou  and  all  who  supported  him,  especially  .Jay.     It  also  pro- 

:  -Oil  a  c  .vention   for  the  indefinite  purpose  of  deliberating  on  the  steps  exjiedient  to 

iiro  the  just  rights  of  the  people  :  the  proposition  produced   no  result. — Sec;    Hutler's 

■V mucky,  234. — I'p  to  April,  1794,  there  were  preparations  still  going  on  ;  John  S.  (lano 

•  iiiciniiati,  on  the  Sth  or  9th  of  that  month,  jiasscd  through  [.exington  ;   he  foiind   the 

'.'.'•tplan  generally  liked,  cannon  casting,   ainiMunition  su!  .scribed,  and  heard  of  hoat.s 

"'lilding  at  the  Falls.     It  had  heen  previously  dropped  for  a  time  from  want  of  funds. 

-J'fp  American  State  Papers,  i.  4.59,  460. 

Notwithstanding  Genet's  deleat,  M.  Adet,  the  minister  of  France  in  179G,  appears  to 

j'o  sent  emissaries  into   the  West  in  the  s]iring  of  that  year,  to   renew  the  process  of 

■i<iling  disaffection  to  the  Union.     They  were  deneral  Tollot  and  M.   Warin.     Informa- 

■''1  of  the  plan  having  been  communicated  to  the  executive,  an  agent  was  sent  after  the 

'rcrichnien  to  watch  them,  and  counteract  their  purposes.     This  person  saw  Collet  at 

•  Usliur^'li,  and  learned   his  plans;   he  was  to  visit    Kentucky,  I-'ort   Washington,   the 

^'"itliwest,  V'incennes,  Kaskaskia  and  St.  Louis;  he  carried  strong  letters  to  Wilkinson, 

''"I  relied  especially  on  Sebastian.     The  government  appears  to  have  brought  the  whole 

;''Uu  nougiit  in  silence. — (See  the  memoranda  of  Oliver  Wolcolt,  Secretary  of  Treasury; 

■I'  letter  of  the  agent  em[>loyed;  &c.  &c.  in  George  Gibbs'  "  Memoirs  of  the  Administra- 

ons  of  Washington  and  John  Adams.    New  York,  1846."    Vol.  i.  350  to  jo6.) 


426 


Charges  against  IVil/dnaon. 


170()-!),V 


■V; 


I       i 
•      ^ 

'       ii 

i 


In  17S7,  fictinal  Wilkliisoii  had  made  his  first  trip  l(j  \,.\\ 
Orlt'iiiis  ;  in  Fchruary,  17S8,  ho  ixtuiiu-d  to  Ivftitucky,  and  th, 
following  )('ar  a^ain  visited  the  south,  with  which  ho  continued  ti 
hold  contiuiu'd  intercourse  until  1791,  when  he  l)ejj;an  to  take  par: 
in  the  Indian  wars  of  the  northwest.  Duriii)^  this  period,  \iU 
oix'rations  were,  to  appearance,  merely  conunercial,  and  the  utiii(i>t 
reach  of  his  jdans,  the  formation  of  a  kind  of  mercantile  tr(at\ 
with  the  Spanish  provinces,  by  which  the  navigation  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi mi<;ht  be  secured  as  a  privilege,  if  not  a  right.  \\'v 
cannot  enter  into  an  examination  of  the  mass  of  evidence  l)rmii;li' 
forward  in  later  times,  (from  1S07  to  1^11,)  to  sustain  the  chanji 
])roug]it  against  Wilkinson  of  having  received  a  pension  from  tin 
Spanish  government,  in  return  for  which  he  was  to  play  the  traitor 
to  his  country  and  effect  a  disunion  of  the  States.  Tn  1S08,  he  wiis 
brought  before  a  court  of  encjuiry,  and  entirely  acquitted  of  iIm 
charge;  and  again,  in  1811,  he  was  tried  before  a  court  nwiiial, 
and  every  particle  of  evidence  tliat  could  be  found  by  his  iiio>; 
inveterate  enemies,  without  regard  to  legal  formalities,  whicli  iIk 
accused  dispensed  with,  was  gathered  to  overwhelm  him  ;  hut  hf 
was  declared  innocent  by  the  court  of  every  charge  profcmtl 
against  him.  Nor  does  our  own  examination  of  the  evidence  Kail 
us  to  doubt  the  correctness  of  the  decision  in  his  favor ;  the  chitt 
witnesses  who  criminated  him  were  of  the  worst  character,  and 
most  vindictive  tempers,*  and  not  a  circumstance  was  fairly, 
clearly  proved  that  could  not  be  explained  by  the  avowed  mercan- 
tile relations  which  he  succeeded  in  establishing  with'the  Spaniel: 
governors  at  New  Orleans.  Those  governors  may,  very  probahly. 
have  hoped  to  sec  his  business  connections  turn  into  political  oni  -. 
but  there  is  no  cause  to  think  they  ever  did  so.f 


*  Drposilions  ofGnorge  Mather  and  Win.  WickofT,  jr.  in  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  W; 
104. — Dc'iiositiou  orA.Kllicott,  Anu'riciin  Sliilu  l':ipcr»-,  x\i.  89.  (l~lli  iiiltTrujjalioii.) 

t  The  evidence  in  relation  to  Wilkinson  is  in  American  State  Papers,  xx.  701  to  713, 
9?t>  to  flof) ;  .xxi.  79  to  127;  in  report  of  tiio  (.onimittee  of  the  House  of  RcprescntativtN 
Wasliin<.'tnn,  ISll  ;  in  "  P.-oofs  of  the  rorrni)tion  ofGoncral  James  Wilkinson,  hy  Panir' 
Clark."  .See  also  appendix  to  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii. — also  his  argument  to  the  Court 
Martial,  Memoirs,  ii.  41  to  268. 

A  letter  in  Dilloirs  Indiana,  i.  412,  from  Wilkinson  to  Captain  Buntin,  is  worthy  ■' 
notice,  as  a  proof  in  favor  of  Wilkinson's  intentions  in  1797. 

For  charges  against  him,  see  Mensoirs,  ii.  3r>  to  40. 

For  sentence  of  Court  of  Inquiry,    do.     pp.  12.  13. 

For        do  Court  Martial,  do.     pp.  ."jfir)  to  r)7t). 

The  charges  before  the  Court  Martial  and  its  sentence,  arc  also  in  Nilcs'  Rc;,'islor. 
469  to  474. 


1700-90 

t  Irlp  to  N'ru 
tucky,  ami  th, 
he  continued  ti, 
l^iin  to  taki'  part 
this  period,  hU 
,  and  the  utiii(i>t 
icrcantih'  fn';it\ 
ion  of  thf  MIn- 
a  right.  AVt 
vicU'iice  hroii^rjif 
stain  tht!  cliarL.'i 
)ension  from  tin 
)  phiy  the  traitor 
In  1808,h(Mvas 
[icquitti'd  of  the 

a  court  uwrtia!, 
luul  by  his  most 
ilities,  \vhi(.li  tin 
ihn  him  ;  but  \\v 
:hargc  prolVrrt'tl 
le  evidence  lead 
favor ;  the  cliitl 
t  character,  and 
lice  was  fnirlv, 
ivowed  mcrcan- 
vith'the  Spani>^l: 
■,  very  probalilv, 

o  political  on(<. 


on's  Memoirs,  ii.  l".'. 
li  iiitcrrugatiuii.) 

apcrs,  XX.  70 1  to  713, 
of  lli'prcscntativi  -. 

Wilkinson,  liy  I^^i""' 
rf^iiment  to  the  Court 

Buntin,  is  worthy  ■  ■ 


:99-95. 


iSeha.<itin7i\'i  Intrifftips. 


12: 


in  Nilcs'  Rcmster, 


.\niong  tlio  plans  of  the  Spanish  ofTicials  in  Louisiana  was  on« 
)f  ('iu'oura<5ing  emigration  thither  from  the  United  States,  and  this 
had  been  fully  disclosed  to  Wilkinson,*  wlio  furnished  a  list  of 
probable  enugrants,  and  interi-1«'d  himself  generally  in  the  matter. 
Among  the  persons  recommended  by  him  to  Ciovernor  Miro,  was 
Bitijainin  Sebastian,  a  lawyer  of  Kentucky,  and  in  Septend)er, 
1789,  the  Ciovernor  wrote  to  Sebastian  relative  to  the  proposed 
ineasure.f  In  that  letter,  the  wish  of  Spain  to  establish  friendly 
•I'lations  with  the  Ohio  settlers  was  named,  and  an  ojfer  of  certain 
rnminercial  privileges  held  out.  The  communication  thus  opened 
'.vith  Sebastian  was  probably  continued ;  and  when  the  I^aron  de 
Carnndelet  succeeded  fJeneral  Miro,  he  wrote  to  him  in  July, 
1795,  the  following  letter: 

New  Orleans,  July  10,  1795. 

Sir: — The  confidence  reposed  in  you  by  my  predecessor,  Hriyadier 
General  Miro,  and  your  former  correspondence  widi  him,  have  induced 
me  to  make  a  connnunication  to  you  highly  interesting  to  the  country  in 
wliicli  you  live  and  to  Louisiana. 

His  Majesty,  being  willing  to  open  the  navigation  of  the  Mississippi 
10  the  people  of  the  western  country,  and  being  also  desirous  to  eslablisb 
.erlain  regulations,  reciprocally  beneficial  to  the  commerce  of  both 
countries,  has  ordered  me  to  proceed  on  the  business,  and  to  eirecl,  in  a 
way  the  most  satisfactory  to  the  people  of  the  western  country,  his 
benevolent  design. 

I  have,  therefore,  made  this  communication  to  you,  in  expectation 
that  you  will  procure  agents  to  be  chosen  and  fully  empowered  by  the 
people  of  your  country  to  negotiate  with  Colonel  Oayoso  on  the  subject, 
i\  Sew  Madrid,  whom  I  shall  send  there  in  October  next,  properly 
auiliorized  for  that  purpose,  with  directions  to  continue  in  that  ])lace,  oi 
r.s  vicinity,  until  the  arrival  of  your  agents. 

I  am,  by  information,  well  acquainted  with  the  character  of  some  of 
liie  most  respectable  inhabitants  of  Kentucky,  particulary  of  Innis, 
Nicholas,  and  Murray,  to  whom  I  wish  you  to  communicate  the  pur- 
port of  this  address  ;  and,  should  you  and  those  gentlemen  think  the 
object  of  it  as  important  as  I  do,  you  will  doubtless  accede,  without 
liesilation,  to  the  proposition  I  have  made  of  sending  a  delegation  of 
your  countrymen,  sufiiciendy  audiorized  to  treat  on  a  subject  which  so 
tlecply  involves  the  interest  of  both  our  countries. 
I  remain,  with  every  esteem  and  regard,  sir. 

Your  most  obedient,  humble  servant, 

THE  BARON  OF  CAKONDELET.; 

'. Memoirs,  ii.  112.  +  See  liis  letter,  American  State  Papers,  xx.  70C. 

;  iVnierican  State  Papers,  xx.  92b'. 


428 


Powrr\'i  T.vffrr  fo  SVhasfinn. 


1700-0,-) 


^i1 
I' 


ri 


I   -i 


Tunis,  Nif'liolns  and  Murray  were  consiilfcd,  and  tin*  result  \s;, 
a  visit  by  Scliaslian,  first  to  Nrw  Madrid,  wlirrt'  hv  ronfcrrcd  with 
riayoso,  and  then  to  New  Orleans,  wlirrc  In*  met  the  Haron  liiiri- 
Self,  l^efoic,  however,  terms  were  a'jfreed  on,  news  ranie  that  tlic 
F»'(h'r;d  (lovertiinent  liad  conehKh'd  a  treaty  with  Spain,  eriveritiij 
the  wlioh'  sidijeet,  and  the  iiiesscre^fer,  in  1700,  returned  to  Ken. 
tiieky.*  Durinf:^  the  smnnier  of  the  next  )ear,  17f)7,  Thoiiuiv 
Power  came  to  K'enlneky  from  TiOiiisiana,  and  sent  Sehastian  tin 
folhiwing  conimnnieation,  whieli  hi-  in  turn  eommunieated  to  Intii^ 
and  Nicholas,  wlio  sent  through  Sebastian  a  rc])ly  which  wc  also 


give. 


His  cxrcllenry,  the  Daron  of  Carondclot,  conimandcr-in-chiof  niii! 
governor  of  his  Catholic,  Miijcsly's  provinces  of  West  Florida,  niul 
liOuisiana,  liaving  communications  of  importance,  cmhracing  tlic  intr- 
rests  of  said  provinces,  and  at  the  same  time  deeply  aflecting  those  of 
Kentucky,  and  the  western  country  in  general,  to  make  to  its  iiili;ilii- 
tants  through  the  medium  of  the  intlucntial  characters  in  this  country, 
and  judging  it,  in  the  present  uncertain  ami  critical  attitude  of  poliiiis 
liiglily  imprudent  and  dangerous  to  lay  them  on  paper,  has  expros.-Iv 
commissioned  and  authorized  me  to  submit  the  following  proposals  to 
the  consideration  of  Messrs.  S.,  N.,  I.,  and  M.,t  and  also  of  such  otiicr 
genthuTien,  as  may  be  pointed  out  by  them,  and  to  receive  from  tliciii 
their  sentiments  and  determination  on  the  subject. 

1.  The  above  mentioned  gentlemen  are  immediately  to  exert  all  their 
influence  in  impressing  on  the  minds  of  the  inhaliitants  of  the  westorn 
country,  a  conviction  of  the  necessity  of  their  withdrawing  and  scpara- 
ting  themselves  from  the  Federal  Union,  and  forming  an  independiiit 
government,  wholly  unconnected  with  that  of  the  Atlantic  States.  To 
prepare  and  dispose  the  people  for  such  an  event,  it  will  be  necessay 
that  the  most  popular  and  eloquent  writers  in  this  State  should,  in  well- 
timed  publications,  expose,  in  the  most  striking  point  of  view,  the  incon- 
veniences and  disadvantages,  that  a  longer  connexion  with,  and  deiicu- 
dence  on  the  Atlantic  States,  must  inevitably  draw  upon  them,  and  the 
great  and  innumerable  diflicullies  in  which  they  will  probably  be  en- 
tangled if  they  do  not  speedily  recede  from  the  Union  :  the  benefits  they 
will  certainly  reap  from  a  secession,  ought  to  be  pointed  out  in  the  most 
forcible  and  powerful  manner;  and  the  danger  of  permitting  the  fedeni 
troops  to  take  possession  of  the  posts  on  the  Mississippi  ;  and  thus 
forming  a  cordon  of  fortified  places  around  them,  must  be  parliciilurly 
expiiiiated  upon.     In  consideration  of  gentlemen's  devoting  their  liice 


*  Deposition  of  Innis.     (Americiin  State  I'apcrs,  xx.  925  to  927.) 
f  Sel)astii»n,  Nicholas,  Innis,  and  Murruv. 


1700-0'. 


(DO-Or).         Project  of  Spain  to  dismemhcr  the  Union. 


I-.MI 


tlic  result  was 
ronlVrrcd  with 
lit'  I5;ir(»ii  liiiii- 
s  rnmc  tliat  the 
•^pairi,  covcriiiij 
tiiiiK'd  to  Ken- 
1707,  Tlioinnv 
f  Scbastiiiii  tin 
iiicalcd  to  Iiiiii^ 
wliich  \vc  also 


\{1cf-in-chinf  aiii! 
est  Floridi,  Mini 
bracing  tlic  into- 
ufToctiiig  those  of 
kc  to  its  inli:il)i- 
i  in  this  rounlry, 
iliiilo  of  politics, 
er,  has  cxprcs.ily 
I'ing  proposals  to 
ilso  of  such  otlicr 
iceive  from  them 

to  excit  all  their 
s  of  tho  wcstrrn 
wing  and  separri- 
an  indopoiKlciii 
nlic  States.    To 
ivill  be  nccessa.y 
should,  in  well- 
view,  the  incon- 
with,  and  depeu- 
n  them,  and  the 
probably  be  en- 
tile bcnofils  they 
d  out  in  the  mosl 
ilting  the  fedcnl 
>sippi  ;  and  thus 
t  be  particularly 
noting  their  time 


iml  talents  to  this  object,  his  excellency  the  Huron  of  C-urontlclet,  Mill 
ijipropriate  the  Huin  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  their  use,  which 
.■.hall  he  paid  in  drafts  on  the  royal  treasury  at  New  Orleans  ;  or  if  more 
convenient,  shall  be  conveyed  at  the  expense  of  his  Catbcdic  Majesty, 
into  this  country,  and  held  at  their  disposal.  Moreover,  should  such 
ppfj^ons  as  shall  Ix;  instrumental  in  promoting  tho  views  of  his  Catholic 
Mnjcsty,  hold  any  public  employment,  and  in  conseiiuence  of  taking  an 
wtivc  part  in  endeavoring  to  cfl'ect  a  scecssion,  shall  lose  their  employ- 
ment— a  compensation  equal  at  le:ist  to  the  emoluments  of  their  otlice, 
>liall  be  made  to  them,  by  his  (catholic  Majesty,  let  their  etl'orts  be 
iTOwned  with  success,  or  tisrminate  in  disappoinment. 

2.  Immediately  alter  the  declaration  of  inilependence.  Fort  Massac 
should  be  taken  possession  of  by  tho  troops  of  the  new  government, 
which  shall  be  furnished  by  his  Catholic  Majesty  without  loss  of  time, 
ioj,'cther  with  twenty  liehlpieces,  with  their  carriages,  and  every  neces- 
sary appendage,  incliuling  powder,  ball,  &.c.,  together  with  a  number  of 
small  arms  and  ammunition,  suHicient  to  vi[\\\[)  the  troops  that  it  shall 
iic  judged  expedient  to  rjiise.  The  whole  to  he  transported  at  his  ex- 
pense, to  the  already  named  fort  Massac.  His  Catholic  Majesty  will 
I'lirtlu'r  supply  the  sum  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  raising 
and  maintaining  the  said  troops,  which  sum  shall  also  be  conveyed  to 
mi  delivered  at  Fort  Massnc. 

!}.  The  northorn  boundary  of  Ids  Catholic  Majesty's  provinces  of 
East  and  West  Florida  shall  be  designated  by  a  line  commencing  on  the 
Mississippi  at  tho  mouth  of  the  river  Yazoo,  extending  due  east  to  the 
River  Confederation,  or  Tombigbee  :  provided  that  all  his  Catholii;  Ma- 
jesty's forts,  posts,  and  settlements  on  the  Confederation  or  Tombigbee 
are  included  in  the  south  side  of  such  a  line,  but  should  any  of  his 
Majesty's  forts,  posts,  or  settlements  fall  to  the  north  of  said  line,  then 
the  northern  boundary  of  his  Majesty's  provinces  of  East  and  ^Vcst 
Florida,  shall  be  designated  by  a  line  beginning  at  the  same  point  on  the 
Mississippi,  and  drawn  in  such  a  direction  as  to  meet  the  River  Con- 
ll'diration,  or  Tombigbee,  six  nules  to  the  north  of  the  most  northern 
^ipanish  post,  fort,  or  settlement  on  the  said  river.  All  the  lands  north 
of  that  line  shall  be  considered  as  constituting  a  part  of  the  territory  of 
ihr-  MCw  government,  saving  that  small  tract  of  land  at  the  Chickasaw 
Blur,  s,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Mississippi  ceded  to  his  Majesty  by 
the  (Miickasavv  nation  in  a  formal  treaty  concluded  on  the  spot  in  the 
year  17'.'.'),  between  his  excellency  Senor  IJon  Manuel  Cayoso  de  Lc- 
mos,  governor  of  Natchez,  and  Auglcakabec  and  some  oUirr  Ciuikasaw 
chiefs;  which  tract  of  land  his  Majesty  reserves  for  himself.  Tlic 
eastern  boundary  of  the  Floridas  shall  be  hereafter  rejgniated. 

1.  His  Catholic  Majesty  will,  in  case  the  Indian  nations  south  of  the 
Ohio,  should  declare  war  or  commit  hostilities  against  the  new  govern- 


430 


Project  of  Spain  to  dismember  the  Union.         17f)0-f).' 


meiU,  not  only  juin  and  assist  it  in  repelling  its  enemies,  but  if  j-i;.' 
government  shall  at  any  future  time  esteem  it  useful  to  reduce  said  In- 
dian natiunsi,  txlend  its  dominion  over  them,  and  compel  them  tosnlinn! 
themselves  to  its  constitution  and  laws,  hia  .Majesty  will  heartily  conmr 
and  co-operate  with  the  new  government  in  the  most  efTectunl  manner  in 
attainiu!^  tliis  desirable  end. 

5.  Ilis  Catholic  Majesty  will  not  either  directly  or  indirectly  inlrr- 
fere  in  the  frarnin;^  of  the  constitution  or  laws  which  the  new  govoni- 
menl  shall  think  fit  to  adopt  ;  nor  will  ho  at  any  time,  by  any  means 
whatever,  attempt  to  lessen  the  independence  of  the  said  govcrnmont. 
or  endeavor  to  acquire  an  undue  influence  in  it,  hut  will,  in  the  innnnrr 
that  shall  hereafter  be  stipulated  by  treaty,  defend  and  support  ii  r, 
preserving  its  independence. 

The  preceding  proposals,  are  the  outlines  of  a  provisional  trcalv, 
which  his  excellency  the  Baron  of  Carondclet  is  desirous  of  entering 
into  with  the  inhabitants  (,f  the  western  country,  the  moment  they  shall 
be  in  a  situation  to  treat  for  themselves.  Should  they  not  meet  entirely 
with  your  approbation,  and  should  you  wish  to  make  any  alterations  in, 
or  additions  to  them,  I  shall  on  my  return,  if  you  think  proper  to  com- 
inunicale  them  to  me,  lay  them  before  his  excellency,  who  is  animated 
with  a  sincere  and  ardent  desire  to  foster  this  promising  and  rising  infant 
country,  and  ai  the  same  time,  promote  and  fortify  the  interests  of  liis 
beneJlcent  and  royal  master,  in  securing  by  a  generous  and  disinterfft- 
cd  conduct,  the  gratitude  of  a  just,  sensi!)le,  and  enlightened  peoj)lp. 

The  imj)ortanl  and  unexpected  events  that  have  taken  place  in  Europe 
since  the  ratification  of  the  treaty  concludcil  on  the  ii7th  of  Octolrr, 
171).'),  between  his  ('atholic  Majesty  and  the  l^iited  States  of  Anicriia, 
having  convulsed  the  general  system  of  politics  in  that  quarter  of  ilic 
globe,  and  wherever  its  influence  is  extended,  causing  a  collision  of 
interests  between  nations  formerly  living  in  the  most  j)crfect  union  ami 
harmony,  and  directing  the  political  views  of  some  States  towards  ob- 
jects the  most  remote  from  their  former  pursuits,  but  none  being  so  coni' 
plttely  unhinged  and  disjointed  as  the  cabinet  of  Spain,  it  may  be  cnii- 
fidenily  as.s'  rled,  without  incurring  the  reproach  of  presumption,  lli:it 
his  t'atholic  Majesty  will  not  carry  the  above-mentioned  treaty  into 
execution  ;  nevertheless  the  thorough  knowledge  I  have  of  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  Spanish  Govcrnmcul  justilles  me  in  sa\  ing  that,  so  far  from 
its  being  his  Majesty's  wish  to  exclude  the  iidiabitants  of  this  wcstrrn 
country  from  the  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi,  or  withhold  from 
them  any  of  the  benefits  stipulated  for  them  by  the  treaty,  it  is  positively 
Ilis  inteniion,  so  soon  as  they  shall  put  it  in  his  power  to  treat  with 
them,  by  declaring  themselves  independent  of  the  Federal  (Jovermmt. 
and  establishing  one  of  their  own,  to  grant  them  privileges  far"  more 
extensive!,  give  lhe:n  a  decided  preference  over  the  Atlantic  States  in  h'n 
commercial  connexions  with  them,  and  place  ihfin  in  a  situation  in- 


1.       n<)o-05, 

inics,  hut  if  suid 
reduce  said  In- 
■I  ihem  to  suljinit 
I  heartily  concur 
cctunl  niannpr  i", 

indirerlly  inlrr- 
ho.  new  gnvmi- 
3,  by  any  nipans 
laid  govcrnmrnt. 
II,  in  tlio  manner 
id   support  it  m 

ovisional    Ircatv, 
rous  of  cntpriii!; 
onient  (hey  slial! 
not  meet  entirely 
ny  alterations  in, 
{  proj)pr  to  com- 
who  is  animated 
and  rising  infant 
e  interests  of  his 
and  disinterppt- 
tened  peo])lp. 
1  place  in  Europe 
ntli  of  Oplol-rr. 
ales  of  America, 
at  quarter  of  llie 
:ig  a  collision  ol 
)Crfecl  union  ami 
atcs  towards  ()!>• 
ne  being  so  coni' 
1,  it  may  bo  con- 
resumption,  lliat 
oned  treaty  into 
c  of  the  dis[io«i- 
lliat,  so  far  from 
of  this  western 
r  wilhlioUl  from 
y,  it  is  positively 
er  to  treat  with 
eral  (Jovermmt. 
vileges  far'  more 
itic  States  in  liis 
a  ailuuiion  in* 


1790-95. 


Reply  of  Innis  and  A^icholas. 


431 


f.nitely  more  advantageous,  in  every  point  of  view,  than  tliat  in  whirh 
■Jiey  would  find  themselves  were  the  treaty  to  be  carried  into  elTert. 

THOMAS  POWER. 

REPLY. 

Sir : — We  have  seen  the  communication  made  by  you  to  Mr.  Sebas- 
;;an.  In  answer  thereto,  we  declare  unequivocally,  that  we  will  not 
;i;  concerned  either  directly  or  indirectly,  in  any  attempt  that  may  be 
iiiiJc  to  separate  the  western  country  from  the  United  Slates.  'I'hat 
whatever  part  we  may  at  any  time  be  induced  to  take  in  the  politics  of 
jjf  country,  that  her  welfare  will  be  our  only  inducement,  and  that  wc 
vill  never  receive  any  pecuniary,  or  any  other  reward,  for  any  personal 
•  xcriions  made  by  us,  to  promote  that  welfare. 

The  free  navigation  of  the  Mississippi  must  always  be  the  favorite 
bjLCt  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  western  country  ;  they  cannot  be  con- 
•.nted  without  it ;  and  will  not  be  deprived  of  it  longer  than  necessity 
jliall  compel  them  to  submit  to  its  being  withheld  from  them. 

We  flatter  ourselves  that  every  thing  will  be  set  right,  by  the  govern- 
ments of  the  two  nations;  but  if  this  should  not  be  the  case,  it  appears 
J  us  that  it  must  be  the  policy  of  Spain  to  encourage  by  every  possible 
means,  the  free  intercourse  with  the  iidiabitants  of  the  western  country, 
juhis  will  be  the  most  efllcient  means  to  conciliate  their  good  will,  and 
0  obtain  without  liazard,  and  at  reduced  prices,  those  supplies  which 
ift indispensably  necessary  to  the  Spanish  Government  and  its  subjects.* 

Wiiether  Sebastian  sitjjned  this  reply,  is  not  known;  but  upon 

roof  that  he  had  tor  years  attcrwards  received  two  thousand  dol- 

ir<  annually  as  a  pension  from  Sjiain  for  services   rendered,!  it 

•vas  imanitnously  adjudtrcd  by  the  House   of  Representatives   in 

k'initueky,  on  the  fith  of  Decemlier,  iSOfi,  that  he  had  been  Gfuilty, 

■vl.ilc  holding  the  place  of  .ludge  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  of  car- 

ung  on  a  -riminal  intercourse  witli  the   agents   of  the  Spanish 

iivertunent,   and    disgracing  his  country  for  pay.|     licfore   this 

icision,  however,  Sebastian  had  resigned  his  place,  and  theiice- 

iward  was  lost  to  the  councils  of  the  State.  || 

■  American  St:ite  I'apors,  xx.  9-JS,  92it. — In  August,  179C,  Spain  aliiiul  herself  with 
;:!ii'.  lu  !)('(■(  inl)cr,  I-'rancc  c[Marr(licii  with  tin'  fiiltcd  Statrs,  so  tli.it  .^ir.un  at  tlic 
.'■  nf  Power's  visit  in  1797,  was  still  holdinfj  the  posts  east  of  the  Mississippi,  which, 
)  tlif  treaty  of  1795,  were  to  be  given  up,  and  was  in  a  lialf  hostile  attitude  towards  the 
uitcd  States. 

'  Tistiniuu)  of  Thomas  BulliU,  Charles  Wilkins,  ^.c.     (American  State  Papers,  x.\.  921.) 
:^t'<' entire  documents,  American  State  Papers,  xx.  922  to  934. — Vote  of  the   House. 

f'>  ^'M.    Also,  the  account  in  Marshall,  ii.  377  to  384. 

^ee  Hall's  Sketches,  ii.  2S  lo  3.").    The  writer  appears  to  refer  t..     .;ly  to  the  transac- 
'Hisijt'171).'>-(J,  and  to  he  unaware  of  the  i)ro|Kisiti<)iis  made  in  1797.     The  hest  arj,Miinent 

'■  Sebastian's  favor  is  that  put  so  well  tiy  Wilkinson  in  hi.s  own  defence;  (Memoirn,  u.  1)5. 

''>■]  viz:— no  evidence  was  offered  to  show  lliat  he  ever  did  any  thing  to  favor  disunion  j 

!i«  never  earned  his  pay. 


432 


Foriions  in  thf  Vnitvd  States. 


17!)(Mtr 


We  liavc  so  far  said  nntlilno-  of  those  political  parties  wliirj 
divided  the  ('iiitcd  States  diirinti'  tlie  administration  of  WaNliin.'- 
ton  ;  for  thour^h  it  is  not  to  l)e  doubted  that  the  contests  o|  thuv 
j)arti(s  (^avc  (Jenet  cause  to  trust  in  his  [)lans  of  corujuest,  an  ; 
supported  the  hoj)cs  of  Sebastian  and  liis  Spanisli  employers,  w 
tlicir  operations  were,  not  directly  dependent  upon  the  factimiv 
which  rent  the  country.  We  have  now,  ho\ve\'er,  to  speak  (i|  ;i 
e\'eiit  that  derived  its  importance  from  its  real  or  supposed  cup. 
neclion  with  thf)so  factions,  and  which  it  seems  [)roper  to  intnHlin, 
by  a  brief  sketch  of  their  orii^in  and  character;  we  refer  tn  th. 
po])ular  movement  in  western  Pennsylvania,  *:;ro\vinfi;  out  of  tl,, 
excise  on  domestic  spirits;  commoidy  known  as  the  whiskey  in- 
surrection. When  the  united  colonies  of  (ireat  IJritain  had  wii; 
their  indei)endence,  and  the  lule  of  (leorj^e  the  'id  over  iIki;, 
ended,  the  (piestion,  of  course,  arose  as  to  \hv.  nature  of  the  ^ri,v. 
I  which  was  to  succeed.     Two  fears  nrevailed   amoiiLf  tin 


ernn 


P 


Ull,f 


people  of  the  freed  Provinces.  On  the  one  hand  a  tendencv  ti 
monarchy  and  ultimate  tyranny,  was  dreaded:  it  was  thought  tlm' 
a  foreifjfn  despot  had  been  warred  with  in  vain,  if  by  the  enctin-. 
of  a  stron<^  central  or  Federal  power  the  foundations  ot'  dnmiMii 
despotism  were  laid  instead  ;  the  sovereiajnty  of  tin;  several  Stati -. 
balancing;  one  another,  and  each  ea'^ily  controlled  by  the  vni.'c  ^ 
the  peoi)le  was,  with  this  party  of  thinkers,  to  be  the  security  "! 
the  freedom  that  had  been  achieved.  In  Europe,  republicaiiisi' 
had  been  over'hrown  by  the  centrali/inij  ])rocess  which  had  siili- 
stituled  the  t^ieat  monarchies  for  the  Feudal  systcMu,  and  the  [!a'- 
iat»  and  I'Memish  commonwealths;  and  in  America  llu'  dan!j;ir,  i' 
was  ihout^ht,  woidd  be  f)f  too  oi'ea*  a  coru'entration  of  jxtwcr  r 
tlie  hands  (^f  a  central  Federal  sovereiii^nty.*  While  the><r  \[v\\- 
prevailed  amonu^  one  })ortion  of  the  American  pef)ple,  anntlit  i  |"  ■ 
tioi»  dreaded  the  excess  of  j)onular  deraocratic  passion^,  triuli : 
constantly  to  anarchy.  To  this  party  a  stroni;-  central  power  scnn- 
ed  essential,  net  only  for  Hnancial  and  commercial  purposes,  l'" 
also  to  restrain  the  inevitable  disposition  of  jxipular  gcjverniiicn'^ 
to  the  abandonment  of  all  law,  all  rever<'nce,  and  all  social  inii'\ 
History  and  rellection,  in  short,  showed  nu  n  on  the  our  side,  th,' 


'  (lOvcriKir  Il.irri'.c) 


.f  Vi 


ml  I  'cti  (I 


f  lli(>    C 


ill-litlltioii,    as    iuloptrd 


111.,! 


'•  iiiiisl  huoiicr  iir  l;itrr  rstalilisli  a  Ivraimv  iinl  inlirinr  to  llic  Iriiiiiiviratr  nr  niiliiiniiri 


Roini 


Sci'  liis  IcttiT,  S|i;irKs'  \Va>liiii;^lnM,  i\. 


.'(17. 


it,  tliat  It  would  cause  tin;  (lovcrninrnt  to  "  loiiimrnci' 
wiMilcl  ('iiiallv  "  prdiliK  r  a  inon.ircJiv,  or 


IIDtl'. 

ill  a  iiiiK 


M 


isiiii    ai-ii  >  iiu 


Itrat 


r  aristm'rac) 
III 


■nrniiit  (i[i[ir(>^^iv"  rtristiicracv ."'     Src  liis  [i.i|'i 
Sjiiirkb'  A'asliiinjtoii.  ix,  547.    Sec  ulw  lillioiri*  DcbatcH,  li.  K.  Zlli.      Wnsliiiij.'toiiN  i'" 


1790-9' 


:90-95. 


Federal  and  ,/lnti- Federal  ]'iews. 


i:i:\ 


1  parties  \vlii(l 
n  of  "vVriNliiii.j. 
ontcsts  ol  tlidv, 
r  cnn(Hi('st,  iiii^; 

employers,  w 
on    tlie    (iiciiiiiiv 

1()  s|)e;ik  (if  ;i;, 
•    supposed    (III!. 

per  to  iiitr(i(|ii( , 
we  reler  \n  \\\< 
winp;  out  of  t!i. 
Ilie  ^vllisl<^v  in- 
Britain  lisul  wni, 

'    .'5(1     over    tlici;. 

ure  ol"  *lie  u'l'V- 

liled    ;iiii(iiit,r  il,. 

I  a  tcndeiii'v  i 

was  thought  tli;i' 

by  tlie  ereclini; 

nns  ol"  domcstK 

e  several  States 

hy  the  veic'c  nl 

the   seeuritv  I'l 

•,    repuhiiciitiM' 

which  had  sii'n- 

n,  and   the  Ital- 

the  (lailLlci,  1' 
on  of  pdwcr  I' 
ih'  lhe"^e  viiu- 
)le,  another  y  ■ 
assions,  teiidii;. 
ral  power  scciii- 
puijioscs,  li'." 
ar  ii'tiN cruiiH  ii'~ 
all  social  ui\V\ 
e  one    side,  tl:. ' 

IS    il(lc>litril,  ill '! 
r.ili'  or  ('(  nluiM  iri 

«<'>."'   s<'<'  iii.1  |i.ir'' 


human  rulers  are  readily  converted  into  despots  ;  on  the  other, 
•hat  human  subjects  were  impatient  ot"  even  wholesome  cfuitrol, 
ind  readily  converted  into  licentious,  sellish  anarchists.*  When  at 
i.niith  the  business  sulTeritif^fs  of  the  countrv,  and  the  worthlessness 
fthe  old  confederacy,  IimI  to  the  formation  of  the  j)resent  constitu- 
•inn,  the  two  bodies  of  whom  we  have  spf>ken,  were  forced  to 
'ninpromis(>,f  and  while  the  stronoj  Executive,  and  conii>lete  cen- 
•'alization  of  Hamilton,  Jay  and  Adams  had  to  be  aliandoned  by 
and  their  friends,  the  complete  independence  of  the  Slates, 

lify  of  ('oiiLTress,  which  Patrick    Henry, 


■licia 


tl 


le  correspondmif  nu 

\I;ivon,  and  Harrison  preferred,  had  also  to  be^iven  uj>,  or  greater 

vils  follow.     In  this  same  spirit  of  lompromise    upon  which  our 

institution  rested,  Washington  framed  liis  cabinet,   and  directed 

i,i<  lulministration,  and  it  seemed  possible  that  in  time  the  bitter- 

ai'SS  of  leeling  which  had  shown  itself  before  and  duiint;-  the  dis- 

ussion  of  the   great  Mond    of  Ihiion,  would  die   away.     But   the 

iiliicalties  of  the  first   administration  were  enormous,  such  as  no 

mi\  but  Washington  ^•^)\\\^[  have  met   with  success,  and  even   he 

mid  not  secure  the  unanimity    he    wished   for.]:      Among  those 

alliculties  none  were  greater  than  the  payment  of  the  public  debt, 

and  the  arrang"  ment  of  a  pro]ier  system  of  finance.     The  parly 

xliicli  dreaded  anarchy,  'vhich  favored  a  strong  central  rule,  an 

tliiient   l"'e(leral   (loveinment, — the    {''ederalists,   feeling  that    the 

ilioli'  country,  as  such,  had  contracted  debts,  feh  bound  'i  honor 

and  lion(;sty  to  do  every  tiling  to  procure  their  jjayment ;   it    also 

:ltthat  the  future  stability  and  power  of  the  I'ederal  CJovernment 

'  wson  tlio  point  refirrcd  to  in  I  lie  l(  \l,  i\v\\  lie  Iumih'  in  t!ic  s.unr  xoliiin'-,  [ip.  1 ! .  lii".  1S7. 
^'!.  'Jtl.  J.'iS  :  in  a  letter  ti)  iJoetDr  (joriinti,  in  the  Nnrtli  Ainericin  ReMew,  vol.  xxv.  p. 
:il.(()ctol)er,  IS27.) 

For  tlifl  views  of 

llaniillon,  see  North  Anioricaii  Urvinw,xJiv.  2()G.    jDiirnal  4it' t'onvention  at  I'liil- 

aiii'lplii.i,  Ma)  1  1,  17. .7,  p.  l.iu. 
,I,iv,  "  Sparks'  \V;isliin;;t()n,  i\.  r>\0.     Nnrtli  \iiieri(  in  I5i  vic\\,  wv.  203. 

Henrv,  "  Spiirks' \V:i-<liiM:rt<in,i\.  2(Ui,  note     Kllinlfs  H,  li.ites,  ii.  fil.  71.    I3P. 

147,  «ic. 
.M.iciison,      "   Spark.s'  WasliinjjlDii,  i\.  "ilil.     Nona  Ann  ric  an  lle\ii'\. ,  xxv.  2()J. 
Jefferson,      "   Sp.irks'  \V  iNliiinjton,  x   51S  to  ."»2fi.     Nortli  American  Review,  xxv. 

2<;7  to  2(;'J.     Jeli'ersoirs  Writing's,  ii.  WJ. 
Knox,  "  Nortli  American  Review,  wv.  2(!l. 

'  See  W.ivliiiijrtdii'H  iipinions  relative  to  the  Nvickeilness  ol'tLt!  popular  1p  iilcrH.  Sparks' 
^Va»liini{lun,  u.  1;jG.  HJ7.  210. 

I>!lers.in  rightly  calleil  the  coiiMtitution  "  an  accouiinoilalion  of  interests."'  Jclferson'i; 
'^"rliM,  M.  449. 

■  ^''<'  Sparkii'  Washington,  x.  515  tu  52(). 

•2b 


434 


Federal  and  Anli-Fcderal  Views. 


1790-90 


(Icpcndod  greatly  upon  the  cslablishmcnl  of  lis  credit  at  the  outs,' 
of  its  career.  Tlie  dreaders  of  centralization,  the  anti-Federalists, 
on  the  otlier  hand,  favoring  Slate  sovereignty,  and  wishing  but  ;. 
.slight  nations!  union,  neither  desired  the  creation  of  .1  nationa! 
credit,  nor  felt  the  obligat'-^n  of  a  national  debt  in  the  same  (k'<'r(< 
as  their  opponents,  and  feared  the  creation  of  a  moneyed  aristocracv 
])y  sjieculations  in  the  public  stocks.  When,  therefore,  Mr.  Ham- 
ilton, upon  ^vhom  it  devolved,  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  \(^ 
ofTer  a  plan  for  liquidating  the  debts  of  the  confederation,  attempt- 
cd  the  solution  of  the  financial  problem,  he  was  certain  to  dis- 
please one  party  or  the  other.  In  generalities  compromises  ha'i 
been  found  possible,  but  in  details  they  were  not  readily  admittcil, 
Hamilton,  moreover,  was  one  of  the  most  extreme  friends  of  cen- 
tralization,  and  any  measure  emanating  from  him  was  sure  to  bt 
resisted.  "When  lie  brought  forward  his  celebrated  series  ot' 
financial  measures,  accordingly,  the  whole  strength  ol  the  t\v^ 
(livisions  of  which  we  have  been  speaking,  appeared  for  ami 
against  his  plans.  And  it  is  to  be  'loted,  thai  the  question  \va> 
not  a  mere  question  of  Finance;  it  I'^vulved  the  vital  principlos 
for  and  against  which  the  Federal  an(.i  Anti-federal  parties  wen 
struggling.  The  former  actually  iiopK'  I  y  means  of  the  Fundini: 
and  Hank  systems,  to  found  ri  class  whose  interests  would  so  bind 
tliem  to  the  Governm'^rl  as  to  i^iv^  it  permanency,*  while  thiir 
opponents  actually  antunpated  tlie  *ii/,.ration  of  a  moneyed  aristo- 
cracy, which  would  overthr(/\\  the  power  and  liberties  of  the  pcn- 
ple ;  l!''>y  ft'lt  they  were  "  sold  to  stock-holders,"  and  like  ihi 
Roman  d  jbf'    -  <"ondemncd  to  slavery.} 

Tn  the  vV;-i  !'■  oiiponenis  of  the  Central  Government  were  nu- 
merous. !;,>  .oii.iatiori  had  been  resisted,  and  its  measures  won' 
almost  all  unpopular.  The  Indian  War  was  a  cause  of  conqjlaiii'. 
because  Ilarmar  and  St.  Clair  had  been  defeated  ;J  the  army  w;i< 
a  cause  of  complaint,  because  it  was  the  beginning  of  a  system  ii 
standing  armies.  The  funding  system  was  hated  because  of  it^ 
injustice,  inasmuch  as  it  aided  speculation,  and  because  it  would 
lead  to  the  growth  of  a  favored  class;  the  western  posts  were  held 

•  Sf!o  Icttor  of  Oliver  Wolcott,  datod  March  27, 1790,  in  Gibbs  i.  43. 

t  Address  of  Deiuocralic  Club  of  VVytlic  county,  Virginia,  dated  July  4, 1791 ;  it  is  intii'' 
BoHton  Iiui«.'pcndeiit  Clironiclc  of  Vugust,  lull,  1794.  Jcflcrsou's  letter  to  \Vasluii(jto;.. 
(Sparks'  WttshingtoM,  x.  519-521.) 

4  In  the  Dcmocralic  ni'wspapors  of  the  tinip,  the  Funding  system,  the  Excise,  tlic  ViMm-. 
ami  llu!  Indian  war  arc  all  ('(pially  condemned.  See,  for  example,  a  series  of  letters  oi. 
Hamilton's  financial  measures  in  the  Independcni  -ViTonicle  of  iJoston,  July,  August  ain- 
Scptcmber,  1794. 


1790-9,0    I   1790-95.       First  Sleps  in  Opposition  to  the  Excise. 


435 


(lit  at  (he  outsi! 

anti-Fodcralisls 
I  wishing  but  ;; 

n  of  a  national 
(he  saint'  (U'<riM 
leyec!  aristocracy 
efore,  Mr.  Ham- 
he  Treasury,  io 
e ration,  attempt- 

ccr(ain  to  div;- 
^ompromisos  had 
•cadily  admittcil. 

friends  of  cen- 

Avas  .sure  to  In 
bra(ed    series  of 
gth    cT   the   t\v. 
ipeared   for  ami 
he  question  ^va^ 

vi(al  principles 
?ral  parties  wvk 

of  the  FundinL' 
(s  wouhl  so  binil 
cy,*   while  their 

moneyed  aristo- 
■rties  of  the  pcn- 

"   and  Hkc  thr 

nment  were  n'l- 
measures  were 

ise  of  complalii'. 
the   army  wa^ 

g  of  a  system  ' : 
because  ot  1'^ 

ecause  it  woun. 
posts  were  held 

13. 

ily  4,1791;  itismU' 
letter  to  Washiiift'  :• 

ilip  Excise,  the  li^u... 
a  series  of  )rttiT«  ' ; 
l(m,  July,  August  ui.- 


by  Enghind,  the  Mississippi  closed  by  Spain,  and  the  frontier 
ravaged  by  (he  savages,  and  against  all  the  Federal  Governnieni, 
did  w>iat.'  Nothing.*  So  said  the  leaders  of  popular  fei-ling.  It 
was  not  strange,  therefore,  that  the  people  of  western  Penn:;ylvania, 
especially  those  of  fareign  birth  and  descent,  should  object  to  the 
jiayinent  of  the  most  unpojndar  kind  of  tax  for  the  sujjport  of  a 
wvernment  which  they  disliked  and  had  no  faith  in.  Unable 
reaililv  to  reach  a  market  with  (heir  produce,  thv-y  concentrated  it 
into  whiskey,!  and  upon  this,  while  all  other  agricultural  wealth 
was  imtouchfd,  the  hated  tax  gatherer  was  sent  to  lay  his  excise. 
Nnr  was  it  (he  producer  only  who  complained;  (he  consumers  also 
fidt  aggrieved  by  the  duty  laid  upon  domestic  s})irits,  for  they  were 
•he  common  drink  of  the  iuilion;|  the  star  of  temperance  hail  not 
then  arisen.  It  was  in  December,  1790,  that  General  Hamilton 
advised  the  excise  on  spirits  ;||  upon  the  3d  of  *hc  ensuing  March 
the  law  was  passed  ;§  and  instantly  (he  spirit  of  opposition  showed 
iiself.  At  first  this  opposition  was  confined  to  eilbrls  to  discourage 
persons  from  holding  offices  connected  with  the  excise ;  next  asso- 
nations  were  formed  of  those  who  were  ready  (o  "forliear"  com- 
pliance wi(h  the  law ;  II  but  as  men  talked  with  one  another,  and 
the  excise  became  more  and  more  identified  with  (he  tyranny  of 
Federalism,  s(ronger  demons(rations  were  inevitable,  and  upon  the 
•27th  of  July,  1791,  a  meeting  was  called  at  Brownsville,  (Red- 
*!tone,)  to  consider  the  growing  troubles  of  the  western  distrli  t  if 
Pennsylvania.**  This  meeting,  which  was  attended  by  iiiflucn*i;!i 
tint!  able  men,  agreed  to  a  gathering  of  representatives  fioui  the 
live  counties  included  in  the  fourth  survey  under  tiic  law  in  t,'.!*'s- 
tioiijff  to  be  held  at  Washington,  upon  the  -23(1  of  August.  Hie 
gathering  took  place,  and  we  extract  from  11  Miiltoirs  report,  oi 
August,  1794,  the  followihg  sentence  in  rehU'       to  it : 

'The  abandonmoiU  of  the  works  at  I'rcs(jiiilc  (sec  ante)  ■  m  itcil  liie  western  i'l'iinnyl- 
■  anians  especially, 

tAmerican  Pioneer,  ii.  215.  A  Irorse  could  carry  on!  ibiir  luishels  of  rye,  but  the 
"hiskny  made  from  twenty-four. 

J  Such  was  the  language  of  the  Pittsburg  meeting  of  A   ju-i,  1702. 

f  American  State  Papers,  vii.  64. 

§  American  State  Papers,  vii.  110. 

•  American  State  Papers,  xx.  107. 

••  American  State  Papers,  xx.  107. 

+t  These  counties  were  Washington,  AUegliany,  Westmoreland,  Fayette  and  Iledforil. 
Litter  of  (tcorgc  Clymcr,  supervisor  of  the  District  in  <  ,;  is,  i.  148.  Sec  American 
Slate  Papers,  vii.  110.) 


430 


Injiammutory  Resolutions. 


1790-% 


I, 


This  meeting  passed  some  iiUcrn;cdiatc  resolutions,  which  wore  af- 
terwards printed  in  the  Pittsburgh  (Jazcttt',  containing  a  strong  censure 
on  the  law,  declaring  that  any  i)erson  who  had  accepted  or  niiglit  acit  p; 
an  olTice  under  Congress,  in  order  to  carry  it  into  eirect,  should  be  i  i>i-.- 
sidered  as  iuindcal  to  llie  interests  of  the  country  ;  and  reconiniendiii:f 
to  the  citizens  of  Washington  county  to  treat  every  person  wiio  liaij 
accepted,  or  might  thereafter  accept,  any  such  ofllce,  with  contempt,  nw' 
absoUitely  to  refuse  all  Uiiid  of  communication  or  intercourse  with  ih- 
ofTii^ers,  and  to  withhold  from  them  all  aid,  support,  or  comfort. 

Not  content  with  this  vindictive  proscription  of  those  who  niiivl;; 
esteem  it  their  duty,  in  the  capacity  of  officers,  to  aid  in  the  exprulioti 
of  the  constitutional  laws  of  the  land,  the  meeting  proceeded  to  accumu- 
late topics  of  crimination  of  the  CJovernmont,  though  foreign  to  enci: 
other;  authorizing  by  tliis  zeal  for  censure  a  suspicion  that  they  wcro 
actuated  not  merely  by  the  dislike  of  a  particular  law,  but  by  a  dispose 
tion  to  render  the  Government  itself  unpopidar  and  odious. 

This  meeting,  in  further  prosecution  of  their  plan,  deputed  thrro  i.l 
their  mem!)ers  to  meet  delegates  from  the  counties  of  Westmorcl  ]!n', 
Fayette,  and  Alleghany,  on  the  (irst  Tuesday  of  September  followiiiLsf  r 
the  purpose  of  expressing  the  sense  of  the  people  of  those  counties  i:i 
address  to  the  Legislature  of  the  United  States  upon  the  subject  of  tlir 
excise  law  and  otht.  grievances.* 

Here,  ibr  tlu*  I'lrsl  lime,  the  connoction  of  tlio  antacjonism  to  thi 
Kxcisc,  with  .^ther  topics,  ^\a.s  broiij^ht  (brwanl,  and  a  poliliciil 
charartci'  <fiven  to  the  movement,  by  a  freneral  assault  upon  tin 
measures  of  the  Federal  (Kivernment.f  This  assaidt  assumtd  a  vt' 
more  distinetive  eharaetcr  at  a  subsequent  meelin<T  of  deletratcs 
held  at  Piltsnnrg,  upon  the  7th  of  September;  at  wbieh  the  sala- 
rii's  of  the  Federal  ollieers;  the  interest  paid  ujinn  the  natii)n;i! 
debt;  tlu'  want  of  distinetinu  between  the  original  IioIcUms  of  tli;i' 
debt  and  those  wlio  bad  bought  it  at  a  diseount;  and  tlir  erentimi 
of  a  United  Slates  Hank  were  all  denounced  in  eomiiion  with  \h 
lax  on  whiskey.]:  At  these  meetings  all  was  eonducted  with  \nv- 
priety  ;  and  liic  resolutions  adopted  gave  no  direct  counlcnancc  t. 
vlolenee  ;  but  \vben  did  the  leaders  of  a  community,  its  legislatois, 
judges  and  clergy, — ever  exi)ress,  in  any  manner,  however  (juitt. 
(heir  utter  disicgnrd  of  law,||  witliout  a  eorresponding  expression 
by  tlie  masses,  it  unedueated,  in  acts   of  violence?     It   was  iid' 

*  Aitirricaii  Sl:itr  l';i|ii  rs,  \x.  Iii7.  f  American  State  Papers,  xx.  1"" 

^  American  State  I'aperK,  xx    107. 

I  The  re»i)liiti()ii  to  j^ive  no  aid  of  any  kind  to  the  C'xcigc  odicers,  involved  tieachery  I.' 
that  law  whicli  re<|uirci  us  to  assist  in  dct'uuding  lil'c  and  property  against  illegal  tbrcf . 


I790-9;V 

,  which  were  al- 
a  strong  censure 
or  might  ac(;i[) 
,  slioiild  he  cor,- 
1  rocoinnioiuliii:.; 
person  wlio  li;iij 
ill  contpnipt,  ;iiii' 
rcoursc!  witli  ih- 
omfort. 

oso  who  mi"':! 
in  the  oxpcutioti 
cdcd  to  ncciimu- 
foroi£fn  to  each 
that  they  Mere 
3Ut  by  a  di.«pnsi- 

)11S. 

deputed  tlirrn  ri 
Westmorclnii'. 
ler  followiii?.  f  r 
hoso  couiuit's  1". 
18  subject  of  tl,! 

aojonism  to  ihr 

\n(\  a   politiciil 

sault  upon  tin 

L  assiimtd  aye' 

£f  of  (U'leiratc^ 

■hicli  the   sala- 

n  Iho  natii'iia! 

loldcrs  of  tha' 

(1   tlic  (Tcntion 

iinon  with  tl/ 

ctetl  v/ith  pill- 

counlcnaacf  t' 

its  Ifgishitois, 

lowcvcr  quit'. 

illg    CXprt'SSinn 

?      It   was  nil! 

c  Pa|)ors.  XX.  lH* 

ivolvod  tteaclii'n  I' 
inst  lUcgul  forcf. 


1790-95. 


Violence  Beg-ins. 


437 


.frnnt;o,  iIktc fore,  that  upon  the  (hiy  previous  to  tlic  inrtMiii^  last 
iiaini'd,  tlie  colK'Ctor  i'or  the  couiilit-s  of  Alleghany  ami  Wasiiiiifrion 
was  attacked: 

A  party  of  men,  armed  and  disguised,  wayhud  him  al  a  phicc  oa 
i'lgcua  Crci.'k,  in  W;ibliiiigton  county,  seized,  l;irred  and  feathered  hiui, 
at  olf  his  hair,  and  deprived  him  of  his  horse,  uhliging  hiui  to  travel  oa 
foot  a  consideruble  dlsiuncc  iti  that  niorlilying  and  painful  situation. 

The  case  was  brought  before  the  district  court  of  Pennsylvania,  out 
(if  wliicii  processes  issued  against  John  Robertson,  .lohn  TIainilton,  and 
riinmcs  McConih,  three  of  the  persons  concerned  in  the  outrage. 

T'lio  serving  of  these  processes  was  confuled  by  the  then  rnarslial, 
Clpmont  Hiddle,  to  liis  deputy,  Joseph  Fox,  who,  in  the  month  of  Oc- 
•.oL'cr,  wrni  into  Alleghany  county  for  the  purjjose  of  serving  them. 

The  appearances  and  circumstances  which  Mr.  Fox  observed  himself 
111  the  course  of  his  journey,  and  learned  afterwards  upon  his  arrival  al 
I'litsburgh,  had  the  effect  of  deterring  him  from  the  service  of  ihe  pro- 
cesses, and  unfo 'innately  led  to  adopt  the  injudicious  and  fruitless 
fxpedient  of  sending  them  to  the  parties  by  a  private  messenger,  undjr 
cover. 

The  deputy's  report  to  the  mar-hal  states  a  number  of  particulars, 
•uiieiug  a  consideralilo  fcrmentatiou  in  the  j)ari  of  the  country  to  whieh 
!;o  was  sent,  and  inducing  a  belief,  on  his  part,  that  he  coidd  not  with 
•jfi'iy  have  executed  the  processes.  The  :  iial,  transmitting  this  report 
M  the  district  attorney,  makes  the  following  n'tservalions  upon  it:  "I 
fii  sorry  to  add  that  he  (the  deputy)  found  the  people.  In  general,  in 
hr  western  part  of  the  State,  and  particularly  beyond  the  Alleghany 
Mnuntains,  in  such  n  ferment  on  account  of  the  act  of  ConL'ress  for 
iiviii;:  a  duty  on  distilled  spirits,  and  so  much  opposed  to  the  execution 
of  the  said  act,  and  from  a  variety  of  threats  to  himself  personally,  (al- 
tlioiisrh  he  took  the  utmost  precaution  to  conceal  his  errand,)  that  he  was 
not  only  convinced  of  the  impossibility  of  serving  the  process,  but  thai 
any  attempt  to  etfect  it  would  have  occasioned  the  most  violent  opposi- 
uoii  from  the  greater  part  of  the  inhabitants  ;  and  he  declares  that,  if  lie 
:.a(i  attempted  it,  he  believes  he  should  not  have  teluriied  alive. 

I  sj)ared  no  expense  nor  jniiiis  to  have  the  process  of  the  rourt  execu- 
cil,  and  have  not  the  least  doubt  that  my  deputy  would  have  accomplish- 
f(l  it,  if  it  could  have  been  done." 

The  reality  of  the  danger  to  the  ileputy  was  countenanced  by  the 
'•pinion  of  General  Neville,  the  inspector  of  the  revenue,  a  man  who 
i'^fore  had  given,  and  since  has  given,  numerous  proofs  of  a  steady  and 
•  rill  temper ;  and  what  followed  is  a  furilier  confirmation  of  it. 

The  person  who  had  been  sent  with  the  processes  was  seizt;d,  whip- 
'f'cl,  larred,  and  feathered  ;  and,  after  having  his  money  and  horse  taken 


438 


Farthrr  Excesses. 


1700-05. 


from  liim,  was  blindfoldrd  and  tied  in  llio  woods  ;  in  which  condiiion  hr 
remained  for  five  hours.* 


Thc'Sf  infrmpcrate  expressions  of  their  feelings  by  word  ami 
deed,  startled  the  govcrnmenl,  and  puzzled  its  executive  ofticcrN: 
it  was  determined,  however,  to  await  the  innuenci."  of  time,  thoiiglit. 
information,  and  leniency,  and  to  attempt  by  a  reconsideration  di 
the  law  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  to  do  away  any  real  cuum 
of  complaint  which  might  exist. |  Jiut  popular  fury  once  amusta 
is  not  soon  allayed  ;  the  worst  passions  of  the  same  people  \vlii 
sent  out  tlie  murderers  of  the  Moravian  Indians  in  1782,  had  biin 
excited,  and  excess  followed  excess. 

Some  time  in  October,  1791,  an  unhappy  man,  of  tV.e  name  of  ^Yil 
son,  a  stranger  in  the  county,  and  manifestly  disordered  in  his  iiilcl!cc;> 
imaginin<|;  himself  to  be  a  collector  of  the  revenue,  or  invested  with 
sonu!  trust  in  relation  to  it,  was  so  unlucky  as  to  make  iiupiirics  con- 
cerning distillers  who  had  entered  their  stills,  giving  out  that  lie  was  to 
travel  through  the  United  States,  to  ascertain  and  report  to  Congress  tin 
immbcr  of  stills,  &c.  This  man  was  pursued  by  a  parly  in  disgni.H' ; 
taken  out  of  his  bed  ;  carried  about  five  miles  back;  to  a  smith's  shop, 
stripped  of  his  clothes,  which  were  afterwards  burnt,  aiul,  having  Inei. 
liimself  inhumanly  burnt  in  several  places  with  a  lieated  iron,  wa- 
tarred  and  feathered,  and  about  duy-Iiglit  dismissud,  naked,  wuiiiiiki!, 
and  otherwise  in  a  very  suffering  condition.  These  particulars  arc  com- 
municated in  a  letter  from  the  inspector  of  the  revenue,  of  the  17th  oi 
November,  who  declares  that  he  had  then  himself  seen  the  unfortiinati 
maniac,  the  abuse  of  whom,  as  he  expressed  it,  exceeded  description. 
and  was  sufficient  to  make  human  nature  shudder.  The  affair  is  thi. 
more  extraordinary,  as  persons  of  weight  and  consideration  in  iha; 
county  are  understood  to  have  been  actors  in  it,  and  as  the  syinplointi  ul 
insanity  were,  during  tiie  whole  time  of  infiicting  the  punishment,  ap- 
parent ;  the  uidiappy  sufferer  displaying  the  heroic  fortitiule  of  a  luai. 
who  conceived  himself  to  be  a  martyr  to  the  discbarge  of  some  inipor 
taut  duty. 

Not  long  after,  a  person  of  the  name  of  Roseberry  underwent  tlic 
humiliating  punishment  of  tarring  ami  feathering  with  some  aggrava- 
tions, for  having  in  conversation  liazarded  the  very  natural  and  ju?t,  hi:; 
unpalatable  remark,  that  the  inliabitants  of  that  county  could  not  reason- 
ably expect  protection  from  a  Government  whose  laws  they  so  strenu- 
ously opposed. 

The  audacity  of  the  perpetrators  of  these  excesses  was  so  great,  tha. 
on  armed  banditti  ventured  to  seize  and  carry  off  two  persons  who  were 

•  American  State  Papers,  x\.  107.  t  Aiiicr  (;an  State   'apers,  xx.  108. 


1790-95.      Pittsburgh  M'ding  of  Augud  '2lsf,  179-2. 


43'J 


witnesses  against  tlio  riolcis  in  the  case  of  \\'il.son,  in  orilcr  to  prevent 
:!ifir  giving  testimony  of  tlio  riot  in  a  eoiirt  then  silting,  or  about  to  sit.' 

Nolvvilh.stan(lin<i;  tht.;  course  ot"  the  Nvestern  peoph/,  the  Federal 
Government,  duriiif^  llie  session  of  1791  and  '92  j)ro('e(  iled  in  the 
Jiscussion  of  the  obnoxious  statute;  and  uj)on  the  Hth  of  May, 
17'J2t  passed  an  anienchitory  aet,  niakin<^  such  chanfj^es  as  were 
raleiilated  to  allay  the  anf^ry  feelinf];s  that  had  been  exeited,  ex- 
^'pt  in  so  far  as  they  were  connected  with  political  animosities, 
md  which  in  most  districts  produced  the  intended  result.  But  in 
western  Pennsylvania  oi)position  continued  unabated,  and  it  was 
iiinounced  that  the  inspectors  who,  by  the  new  law  were  to  be  ap- 
pointed for  all  till'  counties,  should  not  be  allowed  to  ()])en  their 
jtllces:  nor  was  this  a  mere  threat;  no  buildings  could  be  obtained 
lurthe  use  of  the  irniled  States;  and  when,  at  length,  in  Washing- 
ton, one  Captain  l-'aulkner  dareil  to  agree  that  a  building  of  his 
>liould  be  occupied  by  the  inspector,  lit.'  was  waylaid  by  a  mob,  a 
knife  drawn  upon  him,  and  was  threatened  with  scalping,  loss  of 
property  by  tire,  ami  other  injuries,  if  he  did  not  revoke  his  agrte- 
ment;  so  that  upon  the  2()th  of  August,  under  the  influence  of  fear, 
he  did  actually  break  his  contract,  and  upon  the  next  day  adver- 
tised what  he  had  done  in  the  ]^ittsb>irg  paper.:}: 

On  the  day  of  this  advertisement,  in  the  same  town  in  which  it 
ippcared,  a  meeting  was  held,  headed  by  members  of  the  State 
Legislature, II  judges,  clergymen,  and  other  leading  characters. 

This  meeting  entered  into  lesolutions  not  less  exceptionable  than 
ihose  of  its  predecessors.  The  preamble  suggests  that  a  tax  on  spiritu- 
ous liquors  is  unjust  in  itself  and  oppressive  upon  the  poor ;  that  inter- 
nal taxes  upon  consumption  must,  in  the  end,  destroy  the  liberties  of 
every  country  in  whieli  lliey  are  introduced  ;  that  the  law  in  question,  from 
ccrlaiii  local  circumstances,  which  are  specilied,  would  bring  immediate 
distress  and  ruin  upon  liie  western  country  ;  and  concludes  with  the  senli- 
iiiuat,  that  they  think  ii  their  duly  to  persist  in  remonstrances  to  Congress, 
and  in  every  other  legal  measure  that  may  obstruct  the  operation  of  the  law. 

The  resolutions  then  proceed,  first,  to  appoint  a  committee  to  prepare 
and  cause  to  be  presented  to  Congress,  an  address,  stating  objections  to 

•  American  Stato  Paprrs,  xx.  lOS. 

+  Spp  Hamilton's  report  upon  the   objections  to   the  Excise;   made  Marcli  .'itli,   1793. 
American  State  Papers,  vii.  150. 
American  .State  Papers,  xx.  108. 

.Mhi-rt  (lillatiii  w;is  secri'tiiry  ot"  tliin  iiioftinc;.  Tlir>  cliairniiin  »)f  tlio  cniiiiiiittec  was 
I'a\i(i  Uradt'ord,  who  was  the  hiader  in  thf  more  violent  scenes  throu^tioiit.  For  hisviewx, 
•>(  a  letter  from  him  in  the  United  States  Gazette,  of  September  9,  1794  ;  also  in  Hrackeii- 
niige,  i.  38.    See  also,  tlymer's  letter  in  liibbs  i.  24S. 


4i() 


.Minxuns  wloplrd  by  Ciovernmcnt. 


n9(M):>, 


llic  liiw,  1111(1  praying  for  its  roiiral  :  Hrcoiully,  lo  apjioirit  commillccs  o; 
(:ori(;sj)onilfiii;o  for  Washiiijfloii,  I'ayelle,  ami  AlKigliany,  cliarijt'd  to 
currcspoiiil  loycilicr,  and  willi  hU(;Ii  (tommitlcos  as  shoulcl  l)C  appoiiuiil 
for  tlic  Haiiu!  jMirposc  in  tlio  county  of  Wc.siniorolanil,  or  u'iih  any  com- 
initte(.':-i  of  a  similar  naturo  ihat  nii^flil  ho  appoiiilcl  in  olhnr  parts  of  the 
United  Slates ;  and,  also,  if  found  nccrssar} ,  to  call  tngotlior  eiilirr 
general  iiieetin|>H  of  the  people  in  their  respective  counties,  or  roiiffi. 
ronce-J  of  the  several  coinmillees  ;  ami  lastly,  to  declare  that  they  will 
in  future  cou'^ider  those  who  hold  offices  for  the  collection  of  iho  dijtv 
as  unworthy  of  their  friendship;  that  they  will  have  no  intercoursp  nor 
dcalinirs  with  them,  will  withdraw  from  them  every  assistance,  withhold 
all  the  comforts  of  life  which  depend  upon  those  duties  that  as  men  ami 
fellow-citizens  wo  owe  to  each  other,  and  will  upon  all  occasions  treat 
them  with  contempt ;  earnestly  recommendin<^  it  to  the  people  at  iar^e 
to  follow  the  same  line  of  conduct  towards  them.* 


When  notice  of  this  iiiccliny;,  aiid  ol'  tlu'  lacaiis  used  to  ii 


■ni 


^i 


(liife  FauIkiHT,  was  nivcii  to  the  ti;oV(riimeiil,t  Washington  issiud 
a  j)roc!aination,  daltid  ScptcialKT  lOtli  ;  the  siH)t'rvisor  of  the  (li>- 
Iricl  was  sent  lo  the  seal  ol'  tiouhle  to  learn  tlie  line  state  of  facN, 
and  to  colleel  evidence  ;|  whili!  the  Attorney-j^eneral  was  instnii- 
led  lo  eiujiilre  into  the  legality  of  the  proei'edlngs  of  the  Pittsl)ur;^li 
meeting,  with  a  view  to  the  indictment  ot"  the  leaders. ||  Mr. 
llandoljdi,  however,  i'ell  so  miieli  doubt  as  to  tin-  ehaiaeter  ol  tin 
nu-eting  ol'  August.  '21,  lhat  no  luoseeulions  on  thai  .score  wcic 
inslilnleil ;  and  in  serving  process  upon  two  persons  said  to  have 
been  among  the  assailants  of  Faulkner,  eilher  an  i-rror  was  niailc, 
or  the  accusation  j)rove(l  to  he  false,  which  caused  that  mailer  alxi 
lo  be  dropped  by  the  governmenl.§  ft  was  then  proposed  to 
attempt  a  gradual  suppression  of  the  ri'sislanee  lo  the  law,  liy 
adojiting  these  measures:  Isl,  the  pioscciilion  of  all  disliiii'rs  who 
were  not  licensed,  when  it  could  he  done  with  ci'rtainty  of  succe.><<, 
and  without  exciting  violence  ;  2n(l,  tiie  seizure  of  all  illegal  spirits 
on  their  way  lo  market,  when  it  could  be  done  wlihoul  leading  to 
outbreaks  ;  3rd,  by  care  llial  only  spirits  which  had  paid  duty  were 
bought  for  the  use  of  the  army.  The  inlluence  of  these  measures 
was  in  part  lost  in  consetpieiice  of  the  introduction  of  tin;  whisivcy 

•  Amoriran  Sfato  Papers,  x.v.  1()P. 
+  Srf>  Sparks'  W,'ishm>_'t<in,  \.  tlfll.  .O^fi  to  .")33. 

\  See  Ins  letter  on  tlie  sul)|eet,  (iililiH,  i.  ]IS.     lie  tbiuul  WaHliington  tin;  worst  co\iiity. 
II  Sparks'  Wasliiii^'loii,  \.  3()y. 

§  .\iiicric.in  Stati'  I'.ipeis,  xx.  lOf) — Marsliall'.-J  \V'asliin^;ti)n,  v.  3().'). —  l^'imllev,  in  Iii'^  ti'^- 
rory  of  the  Iiisurrccliun,  p.  71,  says  the  atcusuliuii  was  I'alse,  and  llic  cvijence  perjurt'd' 


•90-0; 


^fiction  of  the  Democratic  Societies. 


141 


int  commiitccs  oi 
i;iny,  cliari,'t'il  to 
)iiUI  he  ;ii)[)()iiuii! 
if  with  any  cou,. 
)llior  p'lrls  ol'ihc 
11  togotliPr  cithrr 
imlics,  or  coiifc 
ro  llial  tliry  will 
ctinn  of  tlio  dutv 
o  iiit('rcoiir'<f  nnr 
istaiinc,  wiilitmM 
that  as  inrn  nnd 
ill  occasions  troai 
le  people  at  larjc 


used  to  iiitiiiii- 

shiii^toii  issued 

isor  of  tla-  dis- 

ic  sluk'  of  fact';, 

ral  was  instrue- 

f  tlie  PiU.shurgli 

Icadors.ll     Mr. 

[•haractiT  of  iLr 

hat   .score  wcix' 

IS  said  to  liiivi; 

ror  \v;is   mailf, 

hat  matter  also 

n    proposed  Id 

'o  tlie  law,  liy 

1  distillers  who 

Illy  of  success, 

1  illegal  spirits 

loiit  K'iidiiiL;  til 

)iud  duty  wen' 

these  measures 

if  the  whiskt'V 


n  llu;  worst  coiiniy. 

-I''iii(llc} ,  Ml  lii'^  Ins- 
evidence  perjured' 


!l,af  paid  no  tax  into  the  Nortliwcslern  Territory,  over  wiiidi  soine 
.it'the  laws  reliifiv»;  to  the  matter  did  not  extend;  hut  still  their 
(ircct  was  decided:  in  Novendier,  17U'2,  -.Volcott  wrote  tliat  the 
ippositiori  was  confined  tn  a  small  |)nrt  of  I^ennsylvanin,  and  would 
.mm  cease;*  and  tliroii'^di  the  whole  of  I7f)3,  —  alllioui,di  the  ('ol- 
Itctnr  for  Fayette  county  was   ohliffed  l)y  force   !'>   'j;ive   up   Ids 


llOO 


ks  and  papers,  aiu'  to  promise  a  resj^natidu  ;  while  flie  Tnvpec- 
■ir  of  .Mlei;liany  was  burnt  in  eirp^y  before  tbe  magistrates,  and  no 
notice  of  the  act  taken  by  them  ;  and  althtuigb  when  warrants  weie 
iv>iied  for  the  rioters  in  the  former  case,  tin;  SlierifT  of  the  ciuinty 
xfused  to  execute  them,  —  yet  obidienci'  to  the  excise  became 
more  and  more  general,  and  man}  of  the  leading  distillers,  yielding 
M  the  suggestions  of  pecuniary  intertst,  for  tlu'  lirst  tiim.'  entercil 
in'ir  stills,  and  abandoned  the  parly  ol'  Bradford  and  his  (^oadjii- 
iiirs.t  'I'his  abandonment,  the  political  antagonists  of  the  law  by 
ni  means  relished;  still  even  they  might  have  been  subdued  but 
!ir  the  introduction,  at  that  very  juncture,  of  Mr.  (renet's  tamous 
^stcm  of  Democratic  Societies,  which,  like  the  Jacobin  Club  of 
Pnris,  were  to  be  a  power  above  the  government,  Oenct  reachetl 
'tip  Tbnted  States,  April  Sfh  ;  on  the  l^th  of  May,  he  was  j)re- 
o-nUn]  to  tbe  Pr''sid(Mit  ;  and  by  the  notb  of  that  nu>nth  the 
Oi'inncratic    Society   of  Philadeliiliia   was  organized.^     By  means 

I'this,  its  afhliated  bodies^  iuid  otlier  societies  based  upon  it,  or 
-i;fi^ested  by  it,  the  1'^■l'ncll  minister,  liis  friends  ami  imitators, 
waged  their  war  u[)on  tlu'  adminisiration,  and  gave  new  energy  to 

very  man  who,  on  any  ground,  was  dissatisfied  with  the  laws  of 
!iis  country.  Among  those  dissatisfied,  the  enemies  of  the  excise 
wire  of  course  to  be  munbered  ;  and  there  can  be  little  or  no  doubt 
'hat  to  th(!  agency  of  sociedes  formed  in  the  disailected  districts, 
itlcr  the  plan  of  those  founded  by  CJenet,  the  renewed  and  evces- 
■ivc  hostility  of  the  western  peo|»le  to  the  tax  u])on  spirits  is  to  be 
a>:f'ril)e(l.||       The   proper   Democratic    Societies,    when   the    crisis 

■ame,  disapproved  of  the  violence  committed, §  and  so  did  flallatin 


Oil.hi 


83. 


t  .\inrrir/in  State  Papors,  xx.  40. 


;  M;irstmll"8  Wasliington,  v.  42<>,  note. 

[  Sic  Sp;irks'  Wnslimgton,  .\.  -129.   137,  &c.     Tlie  dispositmn  to  ascrilx;  llio  iiisiirrnc- 
011  directly  to   rieneCs   Societies,  was   natural  eiiuiigli  in  Wiishinglon  ami    his   I'riciiil.s  j 


rrf'erreil   t 


ci  on  iia^f 


111,  anil  in  tlie  iKite  Ixdow  ,  clis|iriivi's   tlio 
on   the    [lart   of  the   proper  Democratic    .Societii's,  to    jirodnco 


;t  "(■  tlniik  the  esiiiiMi 
•i-jiii'i'iii  of  anv  (lesion 
'lanhy  or  separation  of  the  Union. 

§  I'.  S.  Ciazette,  Angnst  20,  September  1 ,  September  6,'&c.,  1794. — Boston  Indcpendcn' 
'JiroiiRle,  August  IS,  1794,  October  tj,  1794. 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


/ 


o 


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1.0 


I.I 


"^  I—    III  2.2 
2.0 


I!:  ii£ 


1.8 


1.25      1.4 

!.6 

-^ 6"     — 

► 

V] 


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/^ 


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ei. 


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y 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


:% 


p 


■ 


442 


Farther  Outrafrnsi  in  1794. 


1790-95, 


and  many  otlicrs  ;  but,  liowevcr  iniK.'li  they  may  have  disliked  an 
appeal  {o  foroi',  even  from  the  outset,  their  measures,  tlieir  evlni- 
vagrancies,  and  political  fanaticism,  were  cahndated  to  n-sull  in 
violence  and  nothing  else.  Through  1793,  as  we  have  said,  Ok; 
law  seemed  gaining,  but  with  llic  next  January  the  demon  \va> 
loosed  a<iain. 


Willi;un  Richmond,  who  liad  given  iiiformntion  against  somo  of  the 
rioters,  in  the  uflair  of  Wilson,  had  liis  !)arii  liurnt,  with  all  llio  grain 
and  hay  which  it  coutaitiod  ;  and  the  same  Uiing  happened  to  liobirl 
Shawhan,  a  distiller,  who  had  boon  among  the  first  to  comply  with  the 
law,  and  who  had  always  spoken  favorably  of  it ;  but  in  neither  of  llicse 
instances,  (which  happened  in  the  county  of  Alleghany)  though  the  pre- 
sumptions were  violent,  was  any  positive  j)roof  obtained. 

The  inspector  of  die  revenue,  in  a  letter  of  the  27th  of  February, 
writes  that  he  had  received  information  that  persons,  living  near  tlic 
dividing  line  of  Alleghany  and  Washington,  had  thrown  out  threats  of 
tarring  and  feaUicring  one  William  Cochran,  a  complying  distiller,  and 
of  burning  his  distillery;  and  diat  it  I'ad  also  been  given  out  that  in 
three  weeks  there  would  not  be  a  house  standing  in  Alleghany  county  of 
any  person  who  had  complied  wiUi  the  laws  ;  in  consequence  of  which, 
he  had  been  induced  to  pay  a  visit  to  several  leading  individuals  iu  that 
quarter,  as  well  to  ascertain  the  trudi  of  the  information  as  to  endeavor 
to  avert  the  attempt  to  execute  such  threats. 

It  appeared  afterwards,  that,  on  his  return  home,  ho  had  been  pursued 
by  a  collection  of  disorderly  persons,  threatening,  as  they  went  iilong, 
vengeance  aifainst  him.  On  their  way,  these  men  called  rt  the  house 
of  James  Kiddoe,  who  had  recendy  complied  with  tlie  laws,  hreke  into 
his  still-house,  fired  several  balls  under  his  still,  and  scattered  fire  over 
and  about  the  house. 

lii  May  and  June  new  vi(dences  were  committed.  James  Kiddoe,  the 
person  above  mentioned,  and  William  Cochran,  another  complying  dis- 
tiller, met  with  repeated  injury  to  Uieir  property.  Kiddoe  had  parts  of 
his  grist-mill  at  different  times  carried  away  ;  and  Cochran  suffered  more 
material  injuries.  His  still  was  destroyed  ;  his  saw-mill  was  rendered 
useless,  by  the  taking  away  of  the  saw  ;  and  his  grist-mill  so  injured  as 
to  require  to  be  repaired,  at  considerable  expense. 

At  tiic  last  visit  a  note  in  writing  was  left,  requiring  him  to  publish 
what  he  had  suffered  in  die  Pittsburgh  Gazette,  on  pain  of  another  visit, 
in  which  he  is  threatened,  in  figurative  but  intelligible  terms,  with  iho 
destruction  of  his  property  by  fire.  Thus  adding  to  the  profiigaiy  of 
doing  wamon  injuries  to  a  fiiUow-cilizen  the  tyranny  of  compelling  hiia 
to  be  die  publisher  of  his  wrongs. 

Juno  being  the  month  for  receiving  annual  entries  of  stills,  endeavors 


17fH)-0,'. 

ic  (lislil.cd  ar. 
es,  llicir  cxlia- 
(1  to  H'siill  in 
hiive  said,  tin; 
le  deinuii  \vii> 


ist  somn  of  the 
itli  all  tlio  grain 
lencd  lo  liobirl 
;oinply  wilh  the 
neither  of  ilicsc 
though  the  prc- 
;]. 

ih  of  February, 
living  near  ihc 
n  out  threats  of 
ing  distiller,  and 
ven  out  that  in 
gliany  county  of 
uence  of  which, 
dividuals  iu  that 
II  as  to  endeavor 

ad  been  pursued 
hey  went  along, 
!d  rt  the  house 
aws,  broke  iiuo 
attcred  fire  over 

nes  Kiddne,  the 
complying  (lis- 
Joe  had  parts  of 
in  suffered  more 
ill  was  rendered 
ill  so  injured  as 

;  him  to  publish 
of  another  visit. 
terms,  with  ihc 
he  prodigal  y  of 
compelling  hi'- 

stills,  endeavors 


1790-05.  C)//enders  to  be  Tried  at  PhUadelphia. 


143 


were  used  to  open  offices  in  Westmoreland  and  Washington,  wliore  it 
it  had  been  hitherto  found  impracticable-  With  much  pains  and  difPi- 
ciilty,  places  were  procured  for  the  purpose.  That  in  Westmoreland 
was  repeatedly  attacked  in  the  night  by  armed  men,  who  frccjuently 
lired  upon  it;  but,  according  to  a  report  which  has  been  made  to  this 
Department,  it  was  defended  with  so  mucii  courage  and  perseverance  by 
John  Wells,  an  auxiliary  officer,  and  Philip  Kagan,  the  owner  of  the 
house,  as  to  have  been  maintained  during  the  remainder  of  the  moiilh. 

That  in  Washington,  after  repeated  attempts,  was  suppressed.  The 
!irst  attempt  was  confined  to  pulling  down  the  sign  of  the  office,  and 
threats  of  future  destiuction  ;  the  second  effected  the  object  in  tlio  fol- 
lowing mode  :  About  twelve  persons,  armed  and  painted  black,  in  the 
ni^ht  of  the  Oth  of  June,  broke  into  the  house  of  John  Lynn,  whore 
iho  office  was  kept,  and,  after  having  treacherously  seduced  him  to  come 
(lown  stairs,  and  put  himself  in  their  power,  by  a  promise  of  safely  to 
liimself  and  his  house,  they  seized  and  tied  him  ;  threatened  to  liang 
him ;  took  him  to  a  retired  spot  in  a  neighboring  wood,  and,  there,  after 
rutting  off  his  hair,  tarring  and  feathering  him,  swore  him  nev(.T  again 
to  allow  the  use  of  his  house  for  an  office,  never  to  disclose  their  names, 
and  never  again  to  have  any  sort  of  agency  in  aid  of  the  excise  :  having 
done  which,  they  bound  him  naked  to  a  tree,  and  left  him  in  tJiat  situa- 
tion till  morning,  when  lie  succeeded  in  extricating  himself.  Not  con- 
tent with  this,  the  malcontents,  some  days  after,  made  him  another  visit, 
pulled  down  part  of  his  house,  and  put  him  in  a  situation  to  be  obigeJ 
to  become  an  exile  from  his  own  home,  and  to  find  an  asylum  else- 
where.* 

Even  these  acts,  however,  were  followed  by  nothing,  on  the  part 
of  the  government  more  strinf^ent  than  the  institution,  in  the  June 
tollowing,  of  several  suits  against  the  rioters,  and  also  against  the 
y  non-complying  distillers  ;  to  serve  process  in  which  the  Marshal  of 
the  United  vStates  himself  visited  the  west.  This  led  1o  the 
catastrophe.  These  suits  were  in  the  United  States  Court,  which 
'iat  east  of  the  mountains,  where  the  accused  must  of  course  be 
tried.  But  the  seizure  of  offenders  to  be  tried  out  of  tlieir  own 
iieij^dihorliood,  was  opj)osed  to  the  A^ellngs  of  the  Americans,  and 
t-i  the  principles  of  that  English  law  upon  which  tluiy  had  relied 
through  the  discussions  which  preceded  the  Revolution.  The 
tederal  government,  it  was  said,  in  taking  men  to  Phila(lel])hia,] 

*  American  State  Papers,  x\.  110. 

tTlin  writs  woro  there  returnable,  in  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States.  (Findley, 
"1)  Tiiore  was  needless  excitement  caused  liy  this,  as  the  United  States  Courts  had 
li'iii  iuulioriscd  to  sit  near  Iho  troul^lcd  district,  and  the  Slate  Courts  to  try  revenue 
"Hs.    (Findley,  73.) 


444 


Mob  gfither  (ihout  JVcvilk'.''s  Jlouxr. 


1790-f),> 


1o  1)f'  tried  for  all('(ln;f'(l  inls(k.'morinors,  was  doint;  wliat  tlic  liriiivl, 
did  in  carrying  Americans  boyond  the  sea.  Tlicn  was  sIkjuh,  ;is 
vvc  ronciivo,  1h<;  power  of  those  societies  to  which  wo  liavc 
referred.  Tn  Foljruary,  1701,  a  society  had  ])eeii  formed  at  Min<ro 
creek,  consisting  of  tlie  militia  of  that  iieig]d)or]iood,  the  same  pij-- 
soiis  wlio  k;d  in  all  future  excesses.*  In  April  a  second  as-ocia- 
lion  of  the  same  c]iaract(;r,  and  a  regular  Democratic  Chili,  wiru 
foiJiied  in  the  ti'oublesome  district.  In  the  latter,  nothing  wiis 
dojie  in  lelatiou  to  the  excise,  so  far  as  is  kn(jwn,i  Ijut  in  Ihu  two 
first-named  bodies,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  the  worst  spiiii 
of  the  French  clubs  was  naturalized  ;  the  Excise  and  the  Govern- 
ment thoroughly  canvassed  ;  and  rebellion,  disunion  and  hlootl- 
shed,  sooner  or  later  made  familiar  to  the  minds  of  all.:): 

It  may  be  readily  understood  that  unchu"  such  circumstanocs, 
great  excit(!ment  was  likely  to  prevail  upon  slight  provocation. 
Notwithstanding,  the  INTarshal  was  suffered  to  serve  his  ^vri•^ 
unresisted,  until,  when  he  went  with  the  last  process  in  hi-^ 
iiands,  he  unwisely  took  with  him  the  Inspector  of  the  county, 
Ceneral  John  Neville,  a  man  once  very  jiopular,  but  who  Lad 
been,  ;is  men  considered,  bought  uj)  by  the  Government,  and  liad 
lienee  become  excei'dingly  hateful  to  the  populace. |1  After  serving 
this  pi'0(;ess,  the  INIarshal  and  Inspector  we'ic  followed  l)y  a  i  rowi!, 
and  a  gun  was  fired,  though  without  doing  any  injury. ^  The 
Marshal  returned  to  Pittsburgh  and  the  Inspector  to  his  <iwn 
house,  but  it  being  noised  abroad  that  both  were  at  Gciicial 
Neville's,  a  number  of  militia-men  who  were  gathered  luidcr 
tlie  United  Slates  law,  agreed  the  next  morning  to  pay  the  Inspcf- 
tor  a  A'isit.  For  some  time,  Neville  had  been  looking  for  an 
attacdc,  knowing  his  unpopularity,  and  had  armed  his  negroes  ami 
barricadcul  his  windows. 1  An  attack  u])on  his  house,  with  a  view- 
to  a  destruction  of  his  papers,  had  probably  been  in  contempla- 
tion, and  those  who  gathered  on  the  morning  of  th(!  Ifith  of  July, 
were  determined,  wc  presume,  to  carry  the   proposed  destruction 


*  nracl<onri(lgc's  Incidents,  pp.  25.  148.  f  Findloy,  1G6. — Brackcnridf^e,  iii.  2-5. 

\.  Son  tli«  accouiitH  ^.'ivcri  l)}"  I3racl<cnridgc  of  tlio  inunlcroiis  sj)irit  which  lillfcl  tlin 
Ignorant  and  cxcitod  country  jkoijIc. 

1)  Ncvilln  liad  been  an  opposor  of  a  State.  Excise,  wliicli  liad  ])rnvionsly  existed  :  (sen 
Uratkenridge  iii.  j).  1,  &.c.  :)  he  had  taken  tiic  place  of  Inspector,  witii  the  slateMiciil  lli-it 
li(!  did  not  care  what  peoj)h;  thought; — he  sliouhl  liave  an  independent  salary  ol  mx 
hundred;  h(!  was  understood  to  mean  pounds,  liut  really  meant  dollars,     (Findley,  7!t.) 

§  Uraekonridgn,  i.  G. 

1!  Aineriean  State  Tapers,  xx.  110,  HI. — Findlcy  and  Brackenridgc, 


179(Vf)5 


i90-9.' 


JVevillc'^s  hmtfsr  dcstroyrd. 


445 


:h;i1  the  l')iiii.|| 
was  sliowii,  ;^ 
lii(;h  \vc  liaw 
nncd  at  Miiit:; 
,  ihc  sanii'  pii-. 
ccoiid  asxicia- 
lie.  Cliil),  \vi  re 
•,  iiolliiu^  \V,K 
but  iu  the  two 
he  worsi.  spiiii 
d  the  Govuiu- 
on  and  IjIhoJ- 

circumstances, 
it  provocation, 
erve  his  wuU 
process  in  his 
of  the  county, 
,  l)ut  who  liai! 
imcrit,  and  had 

After  scrvini^ 

11 


e( 


)V  a  (Tdwd 


)■ 


injury.  §     The 

r  to  his  own 
IV.  at  (IciU'ial 
alhered  under 
lay  the  Ins})ec- 
ooking  for  an 
us  negroes  and 
50,  with  a  view 

in  contempla- 
e  Ifith  of  July, 
;ed  destruction 

ikoiiridgc,  iii.  2.5. 
■it  whicli  nilcil  thr 

ioiisly  (wi.-tcd  :  (sen 
!i  tli(;  slut(,'iiiciil  llut 
•mlciit  salary  of  mx 
ai-s,     (Fiiidlcv,7!t.) 


into  efl'ect.     When   ficneral  Neville  discovered  the   pnrly  on  that 

:iii)rning  nrouiul    his   (h)or,    he   asked  thdr  business,    aiul     upon 

-. (civing  evasive  replies,  proceeded  at   once  In  treat  them  as  ene- 

:!iies ;  shut  his  dof)r  again,  and  oi^eiied  a  fire,  by  which   six  of  his 

i'lpposed  assailants  wei'e  wounded,  one  of  them  mortally.*      This, 

feourse,  added   greatly  to  the  anger  and   excitement    pic\  ioiisI_^ 

\isliug;  n(,'WS  of  the  bloodshed  were.'  difTused   through  the  .Mingo 

ivek   neighborhood,   and    bi'fore    nighllidl,    steps    were    taken    to 

avenge  the   suflerers.      What  followed,  we  will  give  in  the  words 

ot' General  Hamilton,  adding  alterward.s  some  particulars  galhined 

iroiu  Findley  and  JJrackenridge. 

Apprehending  that  die  l)usines.s  would  not  tcrminalc  iicrejie  [Neville] 
made  application  by  letter  to  the  judges,  generabs  of  militia,  and  shcrifl" 
of  the  county,  for  protection.  A  reply  to  his  application,  from  John 
Wilkin.s,  jun.,  and  John  Gibson,  magistrates  and  militia  olFicer.s,  inform- 
fj  him  tliat  the  laws  could  noi  be  executed,  so  as  to  afford  him  the  pro- 
lection  to  which  he  was  entided,  owing  to  die  loo  general  conddnation 
of  the  people  in  Uiat  part  of  Pennsylvania  to  oppose  the  revcime  law  ; 
adding,  that  they  would  take  every  step  in  their  power  to  bring  tiie 
rioters  to  justice,  and  would  be  glad  to  receive  information  of  the  indi- 
viduals (•■oncerned  in  the  attack  upon  his  house,  that  prosecutions  nught 
be  connncnccd  against  them;  and  expressing  Uieir  sorrow  that  should 
iiciiussc  coiiiilulus  of  the  county  be  ordered  out  in  support  of  the  civil 
;iiiliorily,  very  few  could  be  gotten  that  were  not  of  the  party  of  tlio 
noicrs. 

The  day  following  tlic  insurgents  reassembled  with  a  considerable 
i'JiTiTientation  of  numbers,  amounting,  as  has  been  computed,  to  at  least 
fiVe  huuilred  ;  and  on  the  I7th  of  July  renewed  their  attack  upon  the 
Muse  of  tlie  inspector,  who,  in  the  interval,  had  taken  the  precaution  of 
Killing  to  his  aid  a  small  detachment  from  the  garrison,  of  Fort  Pitt, 
ivliicli,  at  the  time  of  die  attack,  consisted  of  eleven  men,  who  had 
ten  joined  by  Major  Abraham  Kirkpalrick,  a  friend  and  connexion  of 
Ac  inspector. 

There  being  scarcely  a  prospect  of  effectual  defence  against  so  large 
ibody  as  then  appeared,  and  as  die  inspector  had  every  thing  to  appre- 
hend for  his  person,  if  taken,  it  was  judged  advisable  that  he  siiould 
withdraw  from  the  house  to  a  place  of  concealment;  Major  Kirkpatrick 
onerously  agreeing  to  remain  with  the  eleven  men,  in  the  intention,  if 

*  riiidlcy,  S4. — RrackonridfTf!,  i.  G. — The  report  of  tlic  Ponnsylvani.i  coiniiiissioiicrs, 
''nitod  States  Gazette,  August  30tli,)  In  relation  to  tlie  attaeit  on  Neville's  house,  ai^'reed 
*!th  the  aeoounts  of  Braekenridge  aud  Findley,  in  the  main.  13oth  differ  from  IlarniJ- 
'''■'I's,  wiiicli  is  doubtless  imperfect. 


44G 


McFarlnne  Killed. 


1790-05 


0. 


790-9f: 


praptic;il)lf,  to  mi\l<c  a  capitulation  in  favor  of  tlio  property;  if  not,  to 
(lofcnd  it  as  lon£^  as  possible. 

A  parley  took  plarc-  iiiulcr  cover  of  a  flatr,  wliirli  was  sent  hy  tlio  in- 
surffcnts  to  the  lionsc  (o  demand  that  the  inspector  should  come  furih, 
renounce  his  ofTice,  and  stipulate  never  again  to  accept  an  ollicc  under  ilio 
same  laws.  'I'o  this  it  was  replied  that  the  inspector  had  left  the  hitiisr 
upon  their  first  approach,  and  that  the  place  to  wliicli  he  had  retired  wns 
unknown.  'I'hey  then  declared  that  they  must  have  whatever  related  to 
his  f)(ll('e.  'I'hey  were  answered  that  they  nii^ht  send  persons,  not  cx- 
ccediuf^'  six,  to  search  the  house,  and  take  away  whatever  |)aprirs  thiy 
could  iind  appertaining  to  the  office.  15ut  not  satisfied  with  this,  ihey 
insisted,  unconditionally,  that  the  armed  men  who  were  in  llio  lioiiso 
for  its  dcfmice  should  march  out  and  ground  their  arms,  which  Major 
Kirkpatrick  peremptorily  refused;  considering  it  and  represcntiiitr  il  to 
tliein  as  a  proof  of  a  design  to  destroy  the  property.  This  rcfus:il  put 
an  end  to  the  parley. 

A  brisk  firing  then  ensued  between  tlic  insurgents  and  thosn  in  t!if 
house,  which,  it  is  said,  lasted  for  near  an  hour,  till  the  assailants,  ha- 
ving set  fire  to  the  neighboring  and  adjacent  I)uildings,  eight  in  number, 
the  intenseness  of  the  heat,  and  the  danger  of  aii  immediate  communica- 
tion of  the  fire  to  the  house,  obliged  Major  Kirkpatrick  and  his  small 
party  to  come  out  and  surrender  themselves.  In  the  course  of  the 
firing  one  of  the  insurgents  was  killed  and  several  wounded,  and  three 
of  the  persons  in  the  house  were  also  wounded.  The  person  killed,  is 
understood  to  have  been  the  leader  of  the  party,  of  the  name  of  .Tames 
McFarlane,  then  a  major  in  the  militia,  formerly  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Pennsylvania  line.  The  dwelling-house,  after  the  surrender,  shared  the 
fate  of  the  other  buildings,  the  whole  of  which  were  consumed  to  the 
ground.  The  loss  of  property  to  the  inspector,  upon  this  occasion.  i> 
estimated,  and  as  it  is  believed  with  great  moderation,  at  not  loss  than 
three  thousand  pounds. 

The  marshal,  Colonel  Prcsly  Neville,  and  several  others,  were  taken 
hy  the  insurgents  going  to  the  inspector's  house.  All,  except  the  mar- 
shal and  Colonel  Neville,  soon  made  their  escape  ;  but  these  were  car- 
ried ofl'  some  distance  from  the  place  where  the  affray  had  happened, 
and  detained  till  one  or  two  o'clock  the  next  morning.  In  the  course  of 
their  detention,  the  marshal  in  particular  suflcred  very  severe  and  hu- 
miliating treatment,  and  was  frequently  in  imminent  danger  of  his  lift', 
Several  of  the  party  frequently  presented  their  pieces  at  him  with  every 
appearance  of  a  design  to  assassinate,  from  which  they  were  with  diffi- 
culty restrained  by  the  efforts  of  a  few  more  humane  and  more  prudent. 

Nor  could  he  obtain  safety  nor  liberty,  but  upon  the  condition  of  a 
promise,  guarantied  by  Colonel  Neville,  that  lie  would  serve  no  other 
process  on  the  west  side  of  the  Alleghany  Mountain.     The  alternate 


ocing  im 
iliis  cond 
finiiness 
ihe  Iryiiij 

The  ii 
l)or  (one 
3  surrcnd 
ancc  wou 
of  Ccner 
threaten  i  I 
fijrec ;  dc 
alike  incc 

As  it  V 
'.lie  inagi> 
safety,  be 
k  was  kn 
insurgent 
^uilous  re 
execution 

The  f( 

appear  in 
Jflibcral 
who  sat 
•Second, 
ollicial  p 
'.oinmani 
jtll  in  C( 
was  rega 
Fourtii,  t 
i)y  the  cc 
"The  a 
iiaracter 
that  furth 
\vho  the 
Revoluti( 
ii)licipat( 
and  uiak( 

*  Amcricc 

t  Fiiidlav 

FFimllay, 

§  I'liulliiy 

iccouiu  of  I 


17!)()-0j, 
)crty  ;  if  not.  to 

s  sont  liy  llio  in- 
Diild  como  fiTih, 

odico  niidor  ilio 
acl  Icfl  tlic  lioiisr 
1  had  retired  was 
latcvcr  rcdatcd  in 

p(3rso!is,  not  ex- 
ever  piipnrs  ihcy 
1  with  this,  they 
jre  in  the  hoiisr" 
IS,  which  Mjjiir 
rcproscntiiii:  ii  to 

Tills  refusal  put 

nnd  those  in  t!'.'' 
he  assaihitits,  h:i- 
eight  in  number, 
liate  communica- 
ck  and  his  small 
ic  course  of  the 
unded,  and  three 

person  killed,  is 
[)  name  of  James 

icutcnant  in  the 

nder,  shared  the 
consumed  to  the 

this  occasion,  i^ 
,  at  not  less  than 

hers,  were  taken 
,  except  the  mar- 
t  these  were  car- 
had  happened, 
In  the  course  of 
y  severe  and  hu- 
anger  of  his  life. 
t  him  with  every 
■  were  with  difH- 
[id  more  prudent. 
le  condition  of  a 
Id  serve  no  other 
n.     Tiic  alternate 


;90-95. 


Jllladc  on  JWrille. 


417 


being  immediate  death,  extorted  from  llu'  mar.-hal  a  conipliaiuM!  with 
this  condition,  iiotwiihslatulinj  the  just  .sense  of  ofluMal  (li;^nily,  nnd  the 
tiniinrss  of  character  which  were  witnessed  hy  his  conduct  throughout 
ihe  trying  scenes  he  had  experienced. 

The  insurgents,  on  the  18th,  sent  a  deputation  of  two  of  their  luiin- 
bor  (one  a  justice  of  the  peace)  to  Pittshurgh,  to  require  of  'he  niarshil 
1  surrender  of  the  process  in  his  possession,  intimating  that  his  compli- 
3I1CC  would  satisfy  the  people,  and  add  to  his  safety  ;  and  also  to  demand 
of  General  Neville,  in  peremptory  terms,  the  resignation  of  his  oflict!;  ; 
threatening,  in  case  of  refusal,  to  attack  the  place  and  take  him  hy 
fijrcc ;  demands  which  both  these  officers  did  not  hesitate  to  reject,  as 
alike  inconipatihle  witli  their  honor  and  their  duty. 

As  it  was  well  ascertained  that  no  protection  was  to  be  expected  from 
the  magistrates  or  inhabitants  of  Pittsburgh,  it  became  necessary  to  the 
safety,  both  of  the  inspector  and  the  marshal,  to  quit  that  place  ;  and,  as 
it  was  known  that  all  the  usual  routes  to  Philadelphia  were  beset  by  the 
insurgents,  tliey  concluded  to  descend  the  Ohio,  and  proceed,  by  a  cir- 
"iiilous  route,  to  the  seat  of  Government;  whicli  they  began  to  put  in 
execution  on  the  night  of  the  19th  of  July.*^ 

The  following  points,  which  are  of  great,  importanee,  do  not 
appear  in  the  above  narrative.  First,  it  seem.s  the  attack  was  so 
lieliberate  that  a  comuiittee  of  three  was  cliosen  to  superintend  it, 
who  sat  upon  an  elevation,  and  directed  the  various  movements.! 
Second,  it  seems  that  the  object  aimed  at  was  the  destruction  of 
official  papers,  and  not  property  or  lifc.|  Third,  McFarlane,  the 
.onimander  of  the  rebels,  was  shot  dead,  when  he  exposed  lum- 
^elt  in  consequence  of  a  call  from  the  house  to  cease  firing;  this 
was  regarded  as  intentional  murder  on  the  part  of  the  defenders. || 
Fourlii,  there  is  doubt  as  to  the  burning  having  been  authorised 
l)y  the  committee  of  attack.  § 

The  attack  upon  Neville's  house  was  an  outrage  of  so  violent  a 
haraeter,  and  the  feeling  that  caused  it  was  of  so  mixed  a  nature 
'hat  further  movements  were  of  necessity  to  be  expected.  Those 
who  thought  themselves  justified,  as  the  early  actors  in  the 
Revolution  had  been,  would  of  course  go  forward ;  those  who 
anticipated  the  vengeance  of  the  laws,  thought  it  safer  to  press  on 
and  make  the  rebellion  formidable,  tlian  to  stop  and  so  be  unable 

'American  State  Papers,  xx.  112. 

+  Findlny,  86,  87.--Hrackcnri(lgc  i.  IS.  |  Same  authorities. 

fFimllay,  87. — Brackcnridgc,  i.  19. 

§  I'liidlay.  p.  88,  says  it  was  unauthorised.— i^ce    in  American   Pioneer,  ii.   207,  an 
iccount  of  Neville  and  the  attack  on  his  house. 


44S 


llnifrd  Sfa/cs  Mail  rohhnl  hi/  V>rn<lford.  \TM)-%. 


to  lif)|)('  for  Icrms  IVdiii  llir  i^ovnninciil  :"  llir  (lc[u"iv('(l  looki'd  li,; 
})luii(lcr,  the  (Icprcsscd  for  ;i  cliiiiicc  to  rise,  tlic  iitiihitious  Imd  tli, 
j^rcul  incii  of  l''r;iiicf  in  \  icw  hd'orr  lliciii,  iiiid  llic  cowiirdly  Inl- 
lowed  \vli;il  I  lie)  dared  not  try  to  witlistiind. 

These  \iiri()US  ieellnys  sliowed  tlieiiiselvcs  at  a  incelliin-  li,.!,' 
Jul)'  2.'](l  at  I\Iiii<^"o  creek,  the  parlleidars  of  wliieli  are  yiveii  li^ 
J]raekeiirid{^e,i  who  attended,  in  a  \ivid  and  clear  iiarrati\c.  Th. 
masses  were  hali-niad,  lilled  with  tiue  Parisian  lury,  and  (hovc 
their  apparent  leaders  powi'iless  helorc  them.  At  this  ^atheriii^f  ii 
general  convention  to  meet  on  the  Mlh  ol  Aun;ust,  at  Parkinson's 
ibny,  now  VVillianisport,  upon  tlu;  i\h)n()ni;ahela,|  was  ajrreed  on; 
but  tile  more  violent  meanwhile  determined  upon  steps  that  would 
entirely  close  the  way  to  reconciliation  with  llie  (lovernnicnl:  || 
these  were  1st,  tlie  robbery  of  the  mail,  by  which  they  (ixjx'ctcd 
lo  learn  who  were  their  chief  oj)ponents ;  next,  the  exjiulsion  from 
the  country  of  the  persons  thus  made  known;  and  lastly,  the  sciz- 
ui'c  of  the  United  States  arms  and  ammunition  at  I'ittshuruli.^^ 
The  leading  man  in  these  des[)erate  acts  was  David  Tbadfoid,  an 
attorney  ami  politician  of  some  eminence.  The  first  step  was  sue- 
cessfidly  taken  on  the  2Gth  of  July,  and  (leneral  John  Gibson, 
Colonel  Presly  Neville  son  of  General  John  Neville,  and  three 
otliers  were  found  to  have  written  letters  in  relation  to  the  late 
proceedings. II  This  being  known,  the  people  of  Pittsburgh  were 
requested  by  the  Jacobins  of  the  country  to  ex})el  these  persons 
forthwith,  and  such  was  the  fear  of  the  citizens  that  tlie  order  was 
obeyed,  though  unwill'iigly.**  But  the  third  ])r()ject  succeeded 
less  perfectly.  In  order  to  effect  it  a  meeting  of  the  masses  hail 
been  called  for  August  1st  at  Braddock's  field;  this  call  was  made 
in  the  form  usual  lor  militia  musters,  and  all  were  notified  to  come 

*  I3r;n:k(-iiri(li,'o  tells  us  this  w:is  iho  cuso  witli  Riiulfonl  liiinsolf. 

t  l^;ici\riiri(lgo's  Iiicidoiils  of  tlic  IiisurrfMttion  of  170-1. — vol.  i.  30. — Findloy,  01. 

\  Aniericiin  Pioneer,  ii.  65. 

\\  Findli'v,  03  to  05.— J'.ruclionridgc,  i.  52,  &c. 

§  Fiiidloy,  102. — Hracltrnridgo,  i.  56. — iii.  1-18. 

K  nr.iclicnridge,  i.39. 

**  Findley,  0.?,  &c. — Hracticnridgo,  i.  45,  .52. — Unitcil  States  Oazotto,  August  Stli,  ami 
August  21st,  1701.  In  tlie  Boston  Indopondpiit  Clironiclo  of  August  IStli,  llif  procrrd- 
ings  of  the  Pittshurgh  inrrtiug  arc  given  at  length.  It  \s  in  accordance  witli  tlu;  terror  o! 
the  times  that  General  Gibson,  one  of  the  accused,  presided  at  the  meeting  which  on  the 
31st  of  .luly,  sent  away  the  three  letter-writers  who  were  least  known. — (Edward  D:iy. 
James  lirison,  and  Abraham  Kirkjiatrick  :)  a  f(!\v  d^ys  al\er,  August  4,  his  own  and  Col 
Neville's  e.\])ulsion  was  agreed  on.  The  meeting  of  .Tidy  31  was  in  session  when  a  cuin- 
mittec  from  Washington  county  brought  in  the  news  of  the  intercepted  letters. 


1790-95 

irmcd  an 

yar  and  : 

kfly  as  1 

.'-•ne  to  t 

lie  rehel 

II  fear. 

States  ars 

ition  wa? 

■'iirgh  at  [ 

fibbing  a 

lie  count r 

mil  it  wa? 

revented 

:  ^lowers ; 

Toperty  o 

<ted  in  th 

nolcnce,  t 

'!.e  biirnini 

'\x  attack 

.'.ached  th 

'ike  decic 

■fliole  mat' 

:ourt  havii 

s'ate  of  in; 

Proclamati 

•;e  used  to 

nd  also  th 

'aoiild  be  .« 

■'ere  appoi 

visit  the 

lotion  wit 

'  Grackenrid 

t  .\merican  i 

'■  •'"fic  the  cor 
-Wto  106. 

IThe  Unitcc 
f.J:inu's  n 
<.I'isper  Y 
OVilliam 

Those  of  Per 


Jcc  the 

29 


ir  ins 


;9()-95. 


Phui  to  ntlnck  the  United  Stales  ,  Irscwil. 


419 


cd  lookt'd  Ih 
itioiis  li;i(i  till 
cowarilly  I'ol- 

mt'ctiii^  liclil 
arc    ;^ivtii  li) 
in'ali\t'.    Till 
iry,  and  drove 
lis  ^atln'iiii^f  ;i 
it   Parkiiis()ii'> 
'as  a<i,iTi'!l  (in; 
'ps  tlial  wotilil 
^jlovcniuit'iilill 
they  (.'xpcc'tcd 
•xpulsioii  tioiii 
aslly,  the  sci/.- 
il    Piltshurtih.s^ 
1   Bradford,  an 
t  sti'p  was  sur- 
John    Gil)Soii, 
illc,  and  dircc 
ion  to   llif  laic 
ittsl)Ui}rU  were 
these  persons 
the  ohUt  was 
ect  suceceded 
e  masses  had 
call  was  made 
otified  to  comi' 

— Finillcy,  91. 


to,  August  Stli,  anil 
K-ith,  tlip  i)ro(TP(l- 
:n  with  Iho  terror  ol' 
oeting  wliicli  on  the 
,,.„_( E.hvard  DiV; 
1,  his  own  and  I'nl 
cssion  when  li  coin- 
d  letters. 


irmc'd  and  equipped,     nrackenrid^e  was  a;.;ain  prest'nl,  thoii-^h  in 

;Var  and  trenihlin^^     Terror,  indeed,  ii[)pears  to  ha\e  ruled  as  pcr- 

;Vrfly  as  beyond  the  Atlantic.     The  PiltsI)urL,di  re])ri'senlativcs  liad 

,'nnc  to  tlie   conference   from   fear  of  helnj.^  Iliought   lukewarm  in 

he  rebel  cause,  and  fmdini^  themselves  susjjccted    passed  the  day 

M  fear.     'J'he  object  of  tiie  j^adierin*^,  an  attack  upon  tlu'   I'liiti'd 

Slates  arsenal,  had  been  divul<^ed  t(   few,  and  upon  farther  eonsul- 

ition  was  abandoned.     \]\d  it  was  ('etermiiu-d  to  march  to    Pitfs- 

iiirgh  at  any  rale,  for  the   purj)ose  of  intimidatini!;  the  disaireeted, 

•fibbing  a  few  houses,  and  biu'uing  a  few  stores.     The  women  of 

!ie  country  had  gathered  to  see  the  sack  of  tlie  city  at  the  Fork — 

::i(l  it  was  with  difnculty  that  the  condagralion  and   robbery  were 

rt'vented ;  tlie  leaders  in    general   opposed   the   excesses  of  their 

llowcrs;  the  brother  of  tlie  murdered   McFarlane   protected    the 

roperty  of  Major  Ivirkpatri(d<,  and  as  others  who  were  inosi  inter- 

<ted  in  the  insurrection,  showed  e(pial  vigor  in  the   ])revention  of 

inlcnce,  the  march  to  Pittsburgh  resulted  in  nothing  worse  than 

':.(■  burning  of  a  few  barns   and  sheds.*     When   a  knowdedge  of 

!,e  attack   on   Ni'ville's  house  and  the   subsecpient   proceedings 

'.ached  the  Federal   Government,  it  was  thought  to  be   time  to 

like  decided   steps.     On  the  5th  of  August,   Hamilton    laid  the 

vhole  matter  before  the  President;  .Judge    Wilson  of  the  supreme 

ouit  having  on  the  4th  certified  the   western   counties  to  be  in  a 

!!ate  of  insurrection ;  t  and  upon   the  7th,  Washington   issued  his 

Proclamation   giving  notii^e  that  every  means  in  his  power  would 

used  to  put  down  the  rebellion.     As  it  was  his  wish,  however, 

aJ  also  that  of  Governor  Mifflin  of  Pennsylvania, |   that  no  pains 

ukl  be  spared  to  prevent  a  recourse  to  arms,    Commissioners 

"ere  appointtnl,  three  by  the  United  States  and  two  ])y  the  State, || 

visit  the  West,  and  try  to  procure  an  aliandoimient  of  the  insur- 

ction  without    bloodshed.  §     When   these   messengers    reached 


'  Drackcnridge,  i.  6(),  &c. 

i  American  State  Papers,  xx.  85,  lOG,  &c. 

;  Sec  the  correspondence  of  Governor  Mifflin  and  Randolpli. — American  State  Papers, 

;.'J7to  106. 

iThc  United    States  Commissioners  were, — 

James  Ross,  a  Senator  in  Congress,  very  po])iilar  in  western  Pennsylvania. 
Jasper  Yeatcs,  Associate  ,Tndge  of  the  Supreme  Conrt  of  Pennsylvania. 
William  Uradlbrd,  Attorney  (Joncral  of  tiie  United  States. 

Those  of  Pennsylvania  were, — 

(Thomas  McKcan,  Chief  Justice  of  the  State. 
(William  Irvine,  Keprcsentativc  in  Congress. 

i^co  their  instructions.    American  State  Papers,  xx.  86. 

29 


450  Meeting  of  the  Committee  of  Conference.      1790-0.'. 

the  nt'ighborliood  of  Piltsbwrf^li  tin;  iiu'ctiiig  at  Parkinson's  ftrr) 
was  in  session,*  and  (jiillalin  and  olhcrs  were  lining  to  iJicvcnt 
matters  from  beroming  worsi!  than  they  already  werc.f  This 
meeting,  upon  receiving  notice  of  the  ajjproach  of  the  Coniinis- 
sioners,  agreed  to  send  a  committee  of  conference^  to  treat  with 
them;  and  at  the  same  time  named  a  standing  committee,  one 
from  each  township,  making  sixty  in  number,  to  whom  tlie  foriiKr 
were  to  ri'port,  and  who  were  authorized  to  call  a  new  meeting  nt' 
deputies  or  recall  the  old  ones,  In  order  to  accept  or  reject  the 
terms  ofTered  on  the  part  of  Government.  On  the  21st  of  August 
the  Commissioners  and  Committee  of  conference  met,  and  after 
some  discussion  agreed  upon  terms,  which  the  representatives  ot 
the  insurgents  thought  their  constituents  would  do  well  to  arr-cpt. 
They  were  then  submitted  to  the  standing  committee,  but  in  tlmt 
body  so  much  fear  and  mutual  distrust  prevailed,  as  to  lead  to  ;'. 
mere  recommendation  to  the;  })eople  to  accept  the  terms  ofTcrid, 
by  a  vote  of  34  to  23,  while  the  committee  themselves  failed  to 
give  the  pledges  which  had  been  re([uired  of  them.  This  state  ot' 
things  and  the  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  even  the  recommenda- 
tion was  obtained  only  l)y  shielding  the  voters  through  a  vote  by 
ballot,  proved  to  the  agents  for  Government  that  little  was  yet 
done  towards  tran(piilizing  the  country.  ||  All  the  committee-nitn 
and  leaders  were  in  dread  of  popular  violence,  and  after  varinii:^ 
letters  had  passed,  and  a  second  committee  of  conference  had 
agreed  that  it  would  be  wise  to  adopt  the  terms  offered  by  tlie 
Government,  §  the  question  was  referred  to  the  people  themselves 
who  were  to  sign  their  names  to  pledges  prepared  for  the  purpose; 
by  whicli  pledges  they  bound  themselves  to  obey  the  law  and  help 

*  Tlio  I'lill  iiroccodings  of  tlu;  niocting  at  Parkinson's  ferry  may  be  fuunil  in  the  Ronton 
Independent  Chronicle,  of  Se{)teniber  1st. 

t  Sec  United  States  Gazette  of  September  9th. 

\  The  Conferees  were  from  VVestmoioland,  Alleghany,  Fayette,  and  Washington,  and 
Ohio  county,  Virginia  ;  tliroc  from  each.  The  correspondence  of  the  Virginia  Dolrijiti^S 
may  serve  to  show  how  illiterate  they  were,  although  with  them  were  Gallatin,  Bracken- 
ridge  and  others  of  equal  education.  (American  State  Papers,  volume  xx.  ^'i-)  ^^^ 
another  specimen  of  the  literary  ignorance  prevalent  among  the  common  people,  tee 
Brackenridgc,  i.  77 — Note.  Sec  in  reference  to  the  Conferees,  &c.,  United  States  Ci.izette, 
August  22d, 

II  Sec  American  State  Papers,  xx.  87  to  97.— United  States  Gazette,  September  6, 
where  the  reasons  which  governed  the  conferees  are  given. — Brackenridge  i.  117.  A  lull 
report  by  the  Pennsylvania  Commissioners  is  in  the  Boston  Independent  Chronicle,  '<" 
September  22. 

§  American  State  Papers,  xx.  95. 


1790-9^ 

N  npern 

tinctly  tf 

was  to  ti 

persons  ■ 

irates;  a 

(he  Coin 

longer  tii 

lad  an    i 

Presiden 

.  f  Septei 

vote  was 

portions  ( 

m  .some  1 

and  agaij 

of  a  disp( 

vote  did 

:lon  coul( 

Commissi 

in''  accon 

reported  1 

■ho  25th, 

land,  and 

Lee,  Go\ 

visited   tl 

':oimties,<5 

whither,  1 

■ive.lf   N( 

..'i  many  c 

■mst  nec( 

jiid  a  fe^ 


'  Americai 
findley,  130, 

1  America: 

t  Josiah  Hi 
'"'Wette,  Sepi 

I  Americai 

§  Sparks'  \ 
-iputy  refcrr 

'  See  parts 

'*  Aracricj 


1790-9.'.    I  1790-95.  Call  Jor  the  MiUt'ia  hy  the  Presideitf. 


451 


kinson's  terry 
n<j;  to  prevent 
wcrc.f     This 

llie  Cominis- 
[  to  treat  with 
)inmlttoe,  one 
Din  tlu;  forinir 
ew  moelinj^f  of 

or  reject  the 
ilst  of  Aii<:;n^* 
met,  and  al'ir 
)rcscntativos  o\ 
well  to  af'ept. 
tec,  but  in  that 

as  to  load  to  :•, 

terms  ofTereil, 
selves  failed  to 
,  This  slate  I't 
c  rccommcnthi- 
•ougli  a  vote  by 
it  little  was  yd 

committee-men 
(1  after  various 
conference  iiail 
ofTered  l)y  the 
ople  themselves 
for  the  purpose; 

le  law  and  help 

found  in  the  Boswn 


and  Washington,  and 
!ic  Virginia  Delogst'^s 
re  G.allatin,  Bracken- 
ohime  XX.  93.)  For 
common  peopir,  sp8 
United  States  Cazcttc, 

azette,  September  6, 
cnridgei.  in.  A  lull 
endent  Chronicle,  '<" 


t<  operation,  or  if  iiiiwillini^   to  do   this  they  were  to  refuse  dis- 
tinrtly  to  sign  any  such  pn.nise.     Tills  trial  ol"  popidar  sentiment 
wa.s  to  take   j)lac(;   on   the  1  llh  f»f  September,  in   the   presence  of 
persons  who  had  been  at  the  Parkinson  ferry  meeting,  or  of  magis- 
'rates;  and   the   result  of  the   vote   was  to  be  by  them   certified  to 
the  Commissioners.     It  woidd    have    been  wtdl  to    have    given  a 
longer  time  that  the    good    disposition  of  the    Icadrrs   might  have 
had  an    opportunity  of  spreading    among    the  people,  l)ut   as  the 
President  in  his  proclamation  had    rtupiircd  a  dispersion  by  the  1st 
f  September,  it  was  thought  impossible  to  wait.     On  the  llth  a 
vote  was  taken,  but  very  imperfect  and  unsatisfactory.*     In  some 
portions  of  the  country  men  opeidy  refused  obedience  to  the  law; 
in  some  they  were  silent;  in  some  they  meridy  voted  by  ballot  for 
and  against  submission ;  and    upon   the   whole  gave  so  little  proof 
fa  disposition  to  support  the  legal  oflTicers  that  the  judges  of  the 
vote  ditl  not  feel  willing  to  give  certificates  that  offices  of  inspec- 
ion  could  be  safely  established  in  the  several  counties,  and  the 
Commissioners  were  forced  to  return  to  Philadelphia  without  hav- 
ing accomplished  their  objects. f     On  the   21th  of  September  they 
npnrted  their  proceedings  and  failure  to  the  President;  who,  upon 
;he  25th,  called  the  militia  of  Pennsylvania, |  New  Jersey,  Mary- 
land, and  Virginia,   into  the   field    under  the   command  of  Henry 
Lee,  Governor  of  the  State  la.st  named. ||     Washington    himself 
visited  the  troops  and  met   some    deputations   from  the    western 
counties, §  but  was  unable  to   accompany  the  army  to  Pittsburgh, 
whither,  however.  General  Hamilton  went  to  represent  the  Execu- 
ive.H   No  resistance  was  offered  to  the  army,  although  the  soldiers 
ill  many  cases  .showed  a  spirit  as  bad  as  that  of  the   rebels,  and 
most  needless  cruelty  was  in  some  cases  practiced.**     Bradford, 
iiid  a  few  of  the  most  prominent  friends  of  violence  fled  to  the 


•  .\mRrican  State  Papers,  xx.  9C-S9. — United   States  Gazette,  September  22  and  26. — 
Findley,  130. — Boston  Independent  Chronicle,  October  2. 

t  American  State  Papers,  xx.  90. — United  States  Gazette.  September  .'Uh  and  6th. 

t  Josiah  Harmar  was  Adjutant  General  to  the  militia  of  Pennsylvania.    (United  States 
'"■azette,  September  12th,  &c.,  &c.) 

I'  American  State  Papers,  xx.  97. — Sparks'  Washington,  x.  439. 

§  Sparks'  Washington,  x.  441,  note. — Findley  the  historian  of  the  insurrection  was  the 
■tputy  referred  to  ;  see  in  his  history  an  account  of  his  mission,  &c. 

'  See  parts  of  his  journal  in  Sparks'  Washington,  x.  450,  note. 

'*  American  Pioneer,  i.  213.— Brackenridgc,  ii.  79,  6ic. 


452  Ending  of  tin:   WIdakey  Riots.  l7'J0-95 

Spiinl.sh  provint.'i'S  of  the  southwest.*  To  prevent  u  renewal  oi 
the  insurreelion  and  .seeure  oheilienee  to  the  hiw  an  aru'id  I'on'i. 
under  (Jeneral  Morgan  remained  throuj^h  the  winter  west  u|  llu 
mountains.  [  Thus,  al  a  eosl  ol'  (i(j')y)i)2.  .'J4  dollars, ^  llie  whiskey 
riots  were  endi'd.|| 

But  there  is  reason  to  think  the  money  was  well  spent;  and  tlmt 
the  insurreetion  was  a  wholesome  eruption.  It  served  several  trnod 
purposes;  it  alarmed  tlie  wiser  [xxlion  ol"  the  Democratic  purl), 
who  saw  how  mucli  u['  Jaeolun  I'ury  lay  hidden  in  the  Ameririm 
people  ;  it  proved  to  tlie  wiser  part  ol'  tlie  friends  of  tjie  Administra- 
tion lliat  the  societies  they  so  much  hated,  even  if  tiiey  originated 
the  evil  feelin<^s  prevalent  in  the  west,  would  not  countenaiui 
tlie  riotous  acts  that  followed;  the  unruly  p(/ition  of  the  westurr: 
j)eo{)le  was  awed  hy  the  energy  of  the  lv\eeutive,  and  to  those 
who  loved  order  the  readiness  of  the  militia  to  march  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  Government  was  evidence  of  a  much  better  disposition 
than  most  had  hoped  to  fmd.§  In  addition  to  these  advantam's, 
We  may  name  the  activity  of  business  caused  by  the  expenditun 
of  so  large  a  sum  in  the  west,  and  the  increase  of  frontier  popula- 
tiou  from  the  ranks  of  the  army.lf 

Turning  to  the  region  north  of  the  Ohio,  we  have  to  notice,  1st. 
the  settlement  of  Gallioi)olis,  commonly  called  Gallipolis. 

In  May  or  June,  1788,  Joel  IJarlow  left  this  country  for  Eurnpc, 
*'  authorized  to  dispose  of  a  very  large  body  of  land"  in  the  west." 
In  1790,  this  gentleman  distributed  proposals  in  Paris,  for  the  salt 
of  lands,  at  five  shillings  per  acre,  which  promised,  says  V'ohuy, 
*'  a  climate  healthy  and  delightful ;  scarcely  such  a  thing  as  frost  in 
winter;  a  river  called  by  way  of  eminence,  'The  Bi'autiful/ 
abounding  in  fish  of  an  enormous  size ;  magnificent  forests  of  r 
tree  from  which  sugar  Hows,  and  a  shrub  which  yields  candles; 

♦  nraclionriilgc  and  Findlcy. — Miirsliall's  Waaliington,  v.  .OSO.    In  1R06  nraiKonl  w:' 
at  Baton  Rouge;  sec  testimony  of  John  Morgan,  American  State  Papers,  xx.  501. 

t  American  State  Papers,  xx.  112.  :j:  American  State  Papers,  vii.  661. 

I  Sec  Washington's  speecli  of  November  19tli,  in  Sparlis,  xii.  44  to  52. 

§  Sparks'  Wasliington,  x.  446.  454.  xii.  50.  Among  those  who  deserve  to  be  rcmem 
bered  in  connection  witli  tlie  wliiskey  riots,  is  Judge  Addison,  whose  support  of  tlie  law 
was  marked  and  teini>cratu  :  see  his  charge  to  the  Grand  Jury  or"  Alleghuiiy  county,  on  llu 
Ist  of  Sei)lenil)er  ;  it  is  in  the  Uniteil  States  Gazette  of  September  13lh.  The  Jury  did  not, 
probably  dared  not,  respond  to  its  views.  See  a  letter  by  Brackenridge  in  United  States 
Gazette,  September  29th. 

1  American  Pioneer,  ii.  2 14. 

••  Sparks'  Washington,  vol.ix.  p.  386. 


i7f)()-n 

vini*;on 

;!icrs. 
ilii's  (lis 

nibark 
•ach  wi 
imong  ■ 

oarhmi 
udislcs 
I'liited  ; 
without 
.'iianagei 
jicnding 
France. 

They 
'lie  p(TS 
hind,  an 
fo  rcPtch 
'he  mid 
nothing, 
ilcstructi 
land,  wi 
closing  a 
men  rou 

Who 
pnny  wh 
biters  / 
iTrant  frr 

p.  104,; 

Ohio  Co 
Europe  I 
'■vure  cor 
otc  Lam 
trad  bet 
fhase  an 
>upposin 
n  provet 

'  View  ol 
■'id  the  wa.' 

'Brackei 


17'J0-9;j 

a  renewal  ui 

aniH'd  toici. 

•r  wi'sl  »)!'  tin 

:  the  whiskey 

lenl;  imd  tli;it 
,  several  ^'Mn\ 
ocnitic  purly, 
the  Aincriciiii 
c  Adininistia- 
ley  ori^diiatcd 
;  couriteiiiuuc 
if  the  weskii: 
,  and  U)  \\\()<i 
h  to  the  Slip- 
ter  dispnsilioii 
L'  advanta'ns, 
ic  expeuditun 
ontier  popula- 
te) notice,  l.st. 
lolis. 

ry  lor  Europe. 

in  the  west.* * 

is,  for  tlie  salt 

says  VoliK'y, 

ing  as  frost  in 

u!   lieautifiiV 

it   forests  of  r 

ields  candles; 

son   Rrrullonl  w> 
)crs,  XX.  .'301. 

vii.  661. 
1)52. 
erve  to  be  remcm- 
support  of  tliC  law 
luii)  county,  on  tin. 
The  Jury  iliil  n"' 
ge  in  United  SlalCi 


1790-9? 


Srttkmfnl  of  CinDinpnlh 


453 


v(ni»;on  in  ahi.ndanrr ;  without  fnvcs,  wolves,  lions  nr  ti^ors;  no 
taxes  to  pay  ;   n'Midlifary  enroltnents;    no  (|uart(rs  to  find  for  sol- 


diers. 


Purrh 


Rse 


ine  nnnierons,  individual  and  whole  fajn- 


sotne 


.lies  disjiosed  of  their  property;  and,  in  the  fnursi>  of  17!)  I 
iiiliarked  at  Havre,  others  at  Hordeaiix,  Nantes,  or  Rochelle^ 
'aeli  with  his  title-deed  in  his  [loekel.*  Five  hundred  settlers, 
iiiiop'^  whom  were  not  a  ft  w  carvers  and  f^ildcrs  to  his  Majesty, 
^onchniakers,  friseurs,  and  peruke-makers,}  and  other  arti/ans  ami 
ndlstrs  e(pially  well  fitted  for  a  hac.'kwoods  life,  arrived  in  the 
I'liited  States  in  17!)l-92;  and,  actinia  without  concert,  travelling 
without  knowled;j;e  of  the  lani^uai^e,  customs  or  roads,  they  at  last 
.'nanap;ed  to  reach  the  spot  designated  for  their  residence,  after  ex- 
iKnding  nearly  or  quite,  the  whole  proceeds  of  tlicir  sales  in 
France. 

They  reached  the  spot  designated,  hut  it  was  otdy  to  learn,  that 
lie  persons  wljose  title-deeds  they  lu-ld  did  not  own  f>iir  font  of 
hind,  and  that  they  had  parted  with  all  their  worldly  goods  merely 
!o  reach  a  wilderness,  which  they  knew  not  h(»w  to  cultivate,  in 
the  midst  of  a  people,  of  whose  speech  anil  ways  they  knew 
untiling,  and  at  the  very  moment  when  the  Indians  were  carrying 
destruction  to  every  white  man's  hearth.  Without  food,  without 
iaiid,  with  little  money,  no  experitince,  and  with  want  and  danger 
?lnsiiig  around  them,  they  were  in  a  position  that  none  but  French- 
men could  be  in  without  despair. 

Who  brought  them  to  this  pass?  Volney  says,  the  iScioto  Com- 
pany which  had  bought  of  the  Ohio  Company;  Mr.  Hall  says  in  his 
bftcrs  from  the  West  (p.  137,)  a  company  who  had  obtained  a 
jant  from  the  United  States;  and,  in  his  Sfatisfir^  of  tlu'  WcM 
p.  ini,)  the  Scioto  Company,  whitdi  was  formed  from  or  by  the 
Ohio  Company,  as  a  subordinate.  Ijarlow,  he  says,  was  sent  to 
Europe  by  the  Ohio  Company ;  and  by  them  tlie  lands  in  question 
vere  conveyed  to  the  Scioto  Com])any.  Kilbourn  says,  "  the  Sei- 
f'to  Land  Company,  which  intended  to  buy  of  Congress  all  the 
'rait  between  the  w^estern  boundary  of  the  Ohio  Company's  pur- 
chase and  the  Scioto,  directed  the  French  settlers  to  Gallipolis, 
supposing  it  to  be  west  of  *he  Ohio  Company's  purchase,  though 
it  proved  not  to  be."     The  Company,  he  tells  us,  failed  to  make 

'  View  of  the  cliinato  aiul  toll  of  tlio  I'nitiMl  Stiitcs,  &e.    The  sugar-tree  was  the  maple, 
■;iiil  the  wax-ljcaring  myrtle  tlic  shrub  that  yielded  candles. 
'  Hriickonridge's  Recollections,  p.  42. 


454 


Siijfarutg^  of  GdlUopolis  Sdllers. 


1790-9.) 


their  payments,  and  tlie  wlujle  proposed  purchase  remained  \vi;L 
government.* 

The  trulli  undoubtedly  is,  that  those  for  whom  13arh)vv  actci,, 
were  the  persons  referred  to  by  Doctor  Cutler,|  wlio  joined  with 
the  Ohio  Comj)any  in  their  purcliase  to  tlie  extent  of  three  and  out- 
half  millions  of  acres;  amoii}^  whom,  he  says,  were  man)  of  tin; 
principal  characters  of  America.  These  characters,  however,  iievt  i 
paid  for  their  lands,  and  coidd  give  no  title  to  the  emigrants  they  hail 
allured  across  the  ocean.  'J'heir  excuse  was  that  their  agents  had  dc- 
ceived  them,|  but  it  was  a  plea  good  neither  in  inoials  or  law.  Wlii, 
those  agents  were,  and  how  far  Ihc)  were  guilty,  and  how  I'ar  ili, 
comininy  was  so,  are  pcnnts  which  seem  to  be  still  involved  in  doubt. 

But,  wliatev(;r  doubt  there  may  be  as  to  the  causc-s  of  the  suil'ii- 
ing,  there  can  be  noiu:  as  to  the  sufferers.  'l"he  poor  gilders,  ami 
carvers,  and  ])eruke-makers,  who  had  followed  a  jack-a-lantciii 
into  the  literally  howling  wilderness,  found  that  their  lives  de- 
pended upon  their  labor.  They  must  clear  the  ground  build  tlicii 
houses,  and  till  their  fields.  Now  tin;  s})ot  upon  which  the)  luul 
been  located  by  the  Scioto  Com])any  was  covered  in  part  witli 
those  immense  button-wood  or  Sycamore  trees,  which  are  so  in  • 
quent  alojig  the  rivers  of  the  west,  and  to  remove  which  is  uu 
small  undertaking  even  for  the  American  woodman.  The  coach- 
makers  were  wholly  at  a  loss;  but  at  last,  hoping  to  conquer  by  a 
coup- de- main y  they  tied  ropes  to  the  branches,  and  while  one  (lozuii 
pulled  at  them  with  might  and  main,  another  dozen  went  at  the 
trunk  with  axes,  hatchets,  and  every  variety  of  edged  tool,  and  1j) 
dint  of  })erseverance  and  clieerl'ulness  at  length  overcome  thu 
monster;  though  not  without  some  hair-breadth  escapes;  for  whin 
a  mighty  tree,  that  had  been  hacked  on  all  sides,  fell,  it  rerjuiicd  a 
Frenchman'sheels  to  avoid  the  sweeji  of  the  wide-.spread  branches 
But,  when  they  had  felled  the  vast  vegetable,  they  were  lildu  bit- 
ter oil"  than  before;  for  they  could  \nn  move  or  burn  it.  At  last  a 
good  idea  came  to  their  aid ;  and  while  some  chopped  oil"  ihu 
lindjs,  others  dug,  by  the  side  of  the  trunk,  a  great  grave,  inlu 
which,  with  many  a  heave,  they  rolled  their  fallen  enemy. 

Their  houses  they  did  not  build  in  the  usual  straggling  Anu'riiaii 


•  Kill)0iirn'H(;;i7.(tnrr,  1S31. 

f  Soo  nnir,  [).  2S.0.  Tliis  ;i|ii>oars  to  W  (icnionslr.iffd  l)y  \.\\(>.  fact  t!i:U  Colonel  Di:rr,vli'i 
applied  to  Dr.  Cutler  *'  to  t.iko  in  anoilior  corn[);my,'"  did,  iih  tlm  .ngcnt  of  the  Scioto  Coim- 
jiaiiy,  receive  the  I'Vencli  ;ind  Kcnd  tlirin  to  (liillioiiolis.     ( Atiiericnii  State  I'n;)ors,  .vvi.3". 

\  M.Mculettc,  ont!  of  the  settlers,  in  American  Pioneer,  ii.  185. 


V,'/-.s'.  1790-95. 

•hast.'  rcmaincil  wii!. 

vhom  Barlow  acted, 
■,t  who  joined  wlih 
x-nt  ol'  three  and  ohl- 
,  were  many  ol'  ih, 
:ters,  however,  m;V(  i 
le  eniif^rantstheylia.l 
L  llieir  agenis  liad  dc- 
inoials  or  law.  \Vlii, 
illy,  and  how  lar  iln 
ill  involved  in  douU. 
causes  of  the  suil't  r- 
le  poor  f^djders,  ami 
ed  a  jack-a-kiutLiii 
thai  tiieii'  lives  dc- 
ic  ground  build  tliui 
pon  which  they  had 
jverecl  in  part  willi 
s,  w'hich  are  so  lit.' 
■eniove  which  is  in* 
dinan.  The  coach- 
ing to  conquer  by  a 
ind  while  one  doziii 
dozen  went  at  thu 
f  edged  tool,  and  h) 
ngth    overconie   diu 

I  esci'ipes ;  lor  vvliin 
es,  fell,  it  re(juired  a 
ide-spread  branches, 
they  were  little  bit- 
burn  it.     At  la.st  a 

ne  chopi)ed  oil"  the 

II  great   grave,   iiil" 
lien  enemy, 
straggling  American 


flict  lli.itrolonrl  Dnrrjwlio 
If;  .'ifjf'iit  oftlir  Sciotu  ('mil- 
icnii  Stnt'.'  I'nporn,  xvi,^". 
,85. 


1700-95. 


SdlUtmenla  in   Virginia  Rt'servi 


455 


style,  but  made  two  rows  or  blocks  of  log  cabins,  each  cabin  being 
about  sixteen  feet  scpiare  ;  wliile  at  one;  end  was  a  larger  room, 
which  was  used  as  a  council-chamber  and  ball-room. 

In  the  way  of  cultivation  thty  did  little.  'I'he  land  was  not 
(heirs,  and  they  had  no  motive  to  improve  it  ;  and,  moreover,  their 
foiaing  was  in  the  midst  of  the  Indian  war.  Here  and  there  a 
little  vegetable  garden  was  formed;  but  their  main  su|)j)ly  of  food 
they  were  forced  to  buy  from  boats  on  the  river,  by  wbiidi  means 
their  remaining  funds  w'ere  sadly  broken  in  upon.  Five  of  their 
number  were  taken  prisoner  by  the  Indians;  food  becunie  scarce; 
ill  the  fall,  a  marsh  behind  tlie  town  s(,'nt  up  miasmata  that  pro- 
duced feV(!rs;  then  winter  came,  and,  despite  Mr.  I'arlfjw's  [)romise, 
brought  frost  in  plenty;  and,  by  and  by,  they  lieard  from  beyond 
seas  of  the  carnage  that  was  (h^solating  the  fire-sides  fhey  had  h.'ff. 
Never  W(!re  in(,'n  in  a  more  mournful  situation  ;  but  still,  twice  in  the 
week,  the  whole  colony  came  tr)g(,'ther,  and  to  the  sf)Uiid  of  the 
violin  danced  off  liunger  and  care.  The  savage  scout  that  had 
been  lurking  all  day  in  tlu'  tbicdcet,  listened  to  the  strange  music, 
nnd,  hastening  to  liis  fellows,  told  tliem,  that  the  wliites  would  be 
ujion  them,  for  he  had  seen  tbeni  at  their  \var  dance  ;  and  the 
careful  Connecticut  man,  as  he  guided  his  broad-horn  in  the  shadow 
fiftlie  Virginia  shore,  wondered  what  miscdiief  "the  red  varmint" 
were  at  next  ;  or,  if  he  knew  the  sound  of  the  fiddle,  shor)k  liis  head, 
as  lie  thought  of  tin;  whiskey  that  must  hav*;  been  used  to  produce 
all  that  merrim(;nt. 

I>ut  French  vivacity,  though  it  could  work  wonders,  "ould  not 
pay  for  land.  Some  of  the  CSidlipolis  settlers  went  to  T)(!troit, 
others  to  Kaskaskia;  a  fi;w  bought  their  lands  of  the  Ohio  Compa- 
ny, who  treated  them  with  great  liberality;  and,  in  1795,  (^)n- 
gress,  being  infi)rmed  of  the  circumstances,  granted  to  tlie  sufFerers 
Uventy-fi)ur  thousand  aci'cs  of  land  opposite  Little  Sandy  I^iver,  to 
which,  in  179S,  tw(dv(!  hundred  acres  more  were  added;  which 
tract  has  been  sinct;  known  as  FrcnrJi  Crfitit. 

"^riie  influence  of  this  settlement  upon  the  Slate  was  unimportant  ; 
but  it  fi)rms  a  curious  little  e])isode  in  Ohio  history,  and  aflbrds  a 
strange  example  of  national  cliaracter.* 

During  this  perir)d,  however,  other  settlements  liad  been  taking 
place  in  Ohio,  which,  in  theii  influence  upon  the  destinies  of  th(,' 
Stale  were  dei'ply  felt ;  we  mean  that  of  the  Virginia  Ileserve  be- 

*  S(;(!  till!  CDiriiiiiiiiicitioii  of. Mr.  Mciilitto  rnli'rrcd  to  ;il)ovo.  Wo  liuvo  Hoini.lliin;,'  I'roiii 
oral  cutiiiiumicatioiiH.     Who  American  Pionofr,  i.  91.  'J').    American  Stati;  I'a[>er!<j  xvi.  2'J. 


i^ 


45G 


Contract  of  MdhanielMassie  mid  others.       1790-93.    I   1790-91 


tweon  (lie  Scioto  and  Little  Mlaiai  river.s,  that  of  the  Cuimectlcir. 
Reserve,  and  that  of  Dayton. 

In  1787,  the  reserved  hinds  of  tlie  Old  Dominion,  north  of  iln; 
Ohio,  were  examined,  and  in  August  of  that  ye.i  ■,  entries  were 
commenced.*  Against  the  validity  of  these  entries,  Congress,  in 
17SS,  entered  their  protest.}  This  protest,  v  hich  was  practically 
a  prohibition  of  settlement,  was  withdrawn  in  1790.  As  soon  as 
this  was  done,  it  became  an  object  to  have  surveys  made  in  the 
reserved  region,  but  as  this  was  an  undertaking  of  great  danger  in 
consequence  of  the  Indian  wars,  high  prices  in  land  or  money  had 
to  be  paid  the  surveyors. |  The  person  who  took  the  lead  in  lliis 
gainful  but  unsafe  enterprise,  was  Nathaniel  Massie,  then  twenty- 
seven  years  old.  lie  had  been  for  six  years  or  more  in  the  west, 
and  had  prepared  himself  in  Colonel  Anderson's  office  for  the  do- 
tails  of  his  business.  Thus  prepared,  in  December,  1790,  he  en- 
tered into  the  following  contract  with  certain  persons  therein  named. 

Articles  of  agreement  between  Nathaniel  Massie,  of  one  part,  and  the 
several  persons  that  have  hereunto  subscribed  of  the  other  part,  wit- 
nesseth  that  the  subscribers  hereof  cloth  oblige  themselves  to  settle  in 
the  town  laid  oflf,  on  die  northwest  side  of  the  Ohio,  opposite  to  the 
lower  part  of  the  Two  Islands  ;  and  make  said  town,  or  the  neigliborliooil, 
on  the  northwest  side  of  the  Ohio-  their  permanent  seat  of  residence  for 
two  years  from  the  date  hereof;  no  subscriber  shall  absent  himself  more 
than  two  montlis  at  a  time,  and  during  such  ab.-^ence  fnrnisl;  a  strong 
able-bodied  man  siifTicient  to  bear  arms  at  least  equal  to  himself;  no  sub- 
scriber shall  absent  himself  the  time  above  mentioned  in  case  of  acUial 
danger,  nor  shall  such  absence  be  but  once  a  year ;  no  subscriber  shall 
absent  himself  in  case  of  actual  danger,  or  if  absent  shall  return  imme- 
diately. Each  of  the  subscribers  doth  oblige  themselves  to  comply  with 
the  rules  and  regulation.s  that  shall  be  agreed  on  by  a  majority  thereof 
for  the  support  of  the  settlement. 

In  consideration  whereof,  Nathaniel  Massie  doth  bind  and  oblige 
himself,  bis  heirs,  &c.,  to  make  over  and  convey  to  such  of  the 
subscribers  that  comply  with  the  above  mentioned  conditions,  at  the 
expiration  of  two  years,  a  good  and  sufficient  title  unto  one  in-lot  in 
said  town,  containing  five  poles  in  front  and  eleven  back,  one  out-lot  of 
four  acres  convenient  to  said  town,  in  the  bottom,  which  the  said  Massie 
is  to  put  them  in  immediate  possession  of,  also  one  hundred  acres  of 

*  McDonald's  Skctclics,  20.    American  Pioneer,  i.  43S. 
t  01(1  Journals,  iv.  836.    Passed  July  17Ui. 

I  From  ono-fourth  toonc-halCllio  lands  surveyed,  or  tiMi  pounds,  Virginia  currency,  per 
thousand  acres,  l)cside  cliain-mcu"s  expenses.     (McDonald,  *S.) 


'and,  wli 
the  conv 
assigns. 
hr  wit 
and  scab 

The  t( 
ville,  an 
on  the  0 
veying  c 
!jut,  thoi 
til  nor  a 
iinportar 

Connc 
liiinis  tc 
•.ending  ^ 
■Lis  tract 
.rJered  i 
part  was 
'hose  citi 
•lie  Briti.^ 
New  Ilaj 
lands  an( 
'lie  Resei 
'Lorised  e 
■f  their  V 
■^rdingly 
:orming  t 
ilred  thoi 
lUit-claiii 
:;al  and  ^ 
lie  three 
Morgan, 
'lie  quit-c 
lie  West 
a  1796, 

'  Amcric; 
^  McDonc 

;!..iS4. 
[America 
■  For  the 
■;  ^^  and  A 


s.       1790-9.1, 
.e  Cuimecticir. 

1,  north  of  tin 
,  entries  were 
,  Congress,  in 
vas  practically 
I.  As  soon  as 
made  in  the 
reat  daiif^^or  in 
or  money  had 
le  lead  in  this 
,  tlicn  twoiity- 
c  in  the  Avest, 
ice  for  the  dc- 
,  1790,  he  en- 
herein  named. 

le  part,  and  the 
other  part,  wit- 
.'es  to  settle  in 
opposite  to  the 
;  neigliborliood, 
if  residence  for 
It  himself  more 
rnis!;  a  strong 
mself ;  no  sub- 
case of  acUial 
ubscril)or  shall 
return  imme- 
to  comply  with 
ajority  thereof 

nd  and  oblige 
o  such  of  the 
ditions,  at  the 
one  in-lot  in 
one  out-lot  of 
he  said  Massie 
ndred  acres  of 


iiiia  currency,  per 


1790-95. 


Connecticut  sells  her  Reserve. 


Vol 


'and,  wliich  the  said  Massic  has  shown  to  a  part  of  the  suhscribcrs  ; 
the  conveyance  to  be  made  to  each  of  the  subscribers,  their  heirs  or 
assigns. 

In  witness  whereof,  each  of  the  parties  have  hereunto  set  their  hands 
and  seals,  this  1st  day  of  December,  1790.* 

Tlu;  town  thus  hiidolFwas  situated  some  twelve  miles  above  Mays- 
ville,  and  was  called  Manchester ;  it  is  still  known  to  the  voyager 
on  the  Ohio.  From  this  point  ISIassie  and  his  eom})anions  made  sur- 
V(ying  expeditions  through  the  i)erilous  years  from  1791  to  1796, 
Ijiit,  though  often  distressed  and  in  danger,  they  were  never  weari- 
ed nor  afraid;  and  at  length,  with  Wayne's  treaty  all  dariger  of 
importance  was  at  an  end.f 

Connecticut,  as  we  have  stated,  had,];  in  17SG  resigned  her 
Iiiiiiis  to  western  lands,  with  the  exception  of  a  reserved  tract  ex- 
•(.luling  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  beyond  Pennsylvania.  Of 
liis  tract,  so  fir  as  the  Indian  title  was  extinguished,  a  survey  was 
•rdered  in  October,  17SG,  and  an  office  opened  for  its  disposal : 
part  was  sold,  and  in  1792,  half  a  milion  of  acres  were  given  to 
hose  citizens  of  Connecticut,  who  had  lost  property  by  the  acts  of 
lie  British  troops,  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  at  New  London, 
New  Haven  and  elsewhere;  these  lands  are  known  as  the  Fire- 
ands  and  the  "Sufferers'  lands,"]]  and  lie  in  the  western  part  of 
he  Reserve.  In  May,  1795,  the  Legislature  of  Connecticut  au- 
liorised  a  committee  to  take  steps  for  the  disposal  of  the  remainder 
f their  western  domain;   this  committee  made  advertisement  ac- 

'I'dingly,  and  before  autumn  had  disposed  of  it  to  fifty-six  ])ersons, 
:  rming  the  Connecticut  Land  Company,  for  one  million  two  hun- 
-ired  thousand  dollars,  and  upon  the  5th  or  the  9tli  of  September, 
juit-claimed  to  the  purchasers  the  whole  title  of  the  State,  territo- 
.■:al  and  juridical. §  These  purchasers,  on  the  same  day  conveyed 
iie  three  millions  of  acres  transferred  to  them  by  the  State,  to  John 
Morgan,  John  Caldwell,  and  Jonathan  IJruce,  in  trust;  and  ui)oii 
he  fiuit-claim  deeds  of  those  trustees,  the  titles  to  all  real  estate  in 
he  Western  Reserve,  of  necessity  rest.  Surveys  were  commenced 
1 179G,  and  by  the  close  of  1797,  all  the  lands  east  of  the  Cuya- 

'  American  Pioneer  i.  72. 

^  McDonald's  Skctcli  of  General  Massic. 

;  p.  2Si. 

[American  State  Papers,  v.  696. 

'  For  the  title  of  Connecticut  ;in(l  the  above  facts,  sec  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  91 
■  --,  and  American  Pioneer,  ii.  24. 


458 


Settlement  of  Dayton. 


1790-!)5 


lioga  were  divided  "nto  townsliips  five  miles  square.  The  at^ri:* 
of  the  Connecticut  Land  Company  was  General  Moses  Cleveland, 
and  in  honor  of  him  the  leading  city  of  the  Reserve,  in  17%. 
received  its  name.  That  township  and  five  others  were  r<;tainti! 
for  private  sale,  and  the  remainder  were  disposed  of  hy  a  letter}, 
Uie  first  drawing  in  which  took  place  in  Fehruary,  1798.* 

Wayne's  treaty  also  led  at  once  to  the  fi)undation  of  Dayton,  ani! 
the  peoi)ling  of  that  fertile  region.  The  original  proposition  !.v 
Symmes  had  been  for  the  purchase  of  two  millions  of  acres  hehwci, 
the  Miamies  ;  this  was  changed  very  shortly  to  a  contract  for  uwv 
million, — extending  from  the  great  Miami  eastwardly  twenty  inilts : 
but  the  contractor  being  unable  to  pay  for  all  he  wished,  in  179-2, 
a  patent  was  issued  for  248,540  acres.  But  although  his  tun' 
was  by  contract  limited  toward  the  east,  and  greatly  curtailed  iu 
its  extent  toward  the  north  by  his  failure  to  pay  the  whole  anioiint 
due.  Judge  vSymmes  had  not  hesitated  to  sell  lands  lying  between 
the  eastern  boundary  of  his  purchase  and  the  Little  Miami,  an! 
even  after  his  patent  issued  continued  to  dispose  of  an  imaginary 
right  in  those  north  of  the  quantity  patented.  The  first  irregularity, 
the  sale  of  lands  along  the  Little  Miami,  was  cured  by  the  act  if 
Congress  in  1792,  which  authorized  the  extension  of  his  purcliasf 
from  one  river  to  the  other ;  but  the  sales  of  territory  north  of  tlie 
tract  transferred  to  him  by  Congress,  were  so  entirely  unauthor- 
ized in  the  view  of  the  Government,  that  in  1796  it  refused  ti 
recognize  them  as  valid,  and  those  who  had  become  purchasers 
beyond  the  patent  line,  were  at  the  mercy  of  the  Federal  rulers 
until  an  act  was  procured  in  their  favor  in  1799,  by  which  pre- 
emption rights  were  secured  to  them.f  Among  those  who  wen 
thus  left  in  suspense  during  three  years,  were  the  settlers  through- 
out the  region  of  which  Dayton  forms  the  centre. 

Seventeen  days  after  Wayne's  treaty,  St.  Clair,  Wilkinson,  Jon- 
athan Dayton  and  Israel  J^udlow  contracted  with  Symmes  for  the 
seventh  and  eighth  ranges  between  Mad  river  and  the  Little  Miami. 
Three  settlements  were  to  be  made,  one  at  the  mouth  of  Mad  rivtr, 
one  on  the  Little  Miami,  in  the  seventh  range,  and  another  on  the 
Mad  river.  On  the  21st  of  September,  1795,  Daniel  C.  Cooper 
started  to  survey  and  mark  out  a  road  in  the  purchase,  and  John 
Dunlap  to  run  its  boundaries,  which  was  done  before  the-  4th  nt 


*See  American  I'ionocr,  ii.  2:1,  &c. 

t  See  fur  tlio  rull  particulars  of  Symmes'  contract,  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  "•-!• 


in.;. 


127' 


1790-95 

re.  The  a[fri:' 
DSC'S  Clcvelaml, 
servo,  ill  179G, 
i  were  retaiiiti! 
if  by  a  lolten, 
1798.* 

I  of  Dayton,  anil 
1  proposition  Iiv 
)f  acres  Ijetwit n 
contract  for  on. 
ly  twenty  miles ; 
'ished,  in  1792, 
hough  his  trai! 
itly  curtailed  in 
e  whole  amount 
i  lying  between 
ttle  Miami,  an! 
of  an  iiiiaginaiy 
first  irregularity, 
:d  l)y  the  act  if 
of  his  })ur('liaH' 
>ry  north  of  thtj 
tirely  unautlinr- 
)6  it  refused  to 
"ome  purchasers 
Federal  rulers, 
by  which  pn- 
tliosc  who  wen 
>ettlers  througli- 

Wilkinson,  Jon- 
Syinnies  for  the 
le  Little  Miami. 
th  of  ^lad  riv.  r, 
1  another  on  the 
aniel  C.  Coopor 
base,  and  John 
efore  the  4th  ot' 


a  Papers,  xvi.  70.  I'/i 


1790-95. 


Various  Land  Speculations. 


459 


October.  Upon  the  4th  of  November,  Mr.  Ludlow  laid  ofT  the 
town  of  Dayton,  which  was  disposed  of  by  lottery.* 

From  1790  to  1795,  the  Governor  and  Judges  of  tlie  North- 
West  Territory  published  sixty  four  statutes.  Thirty-four  of  the.se 
were  adopted  at  Cincinnati,  during  June,  July  and  August  of  the 
last  named  year,  and  were  intended  to  form  a  pretty  c()m[)lete  body 
of  statutory  provisions:  they  are  known  as  the  Maxwell  Code, 
from  the  name  of  the  publisher,  but  were  passed  by  Governor  St. 
Clair  and  Judges  Symmes  and  Turner.  Among  them  was  that 
which  provided  that  the  common  law  of  England  and  all  statutes 
in  aid  thereof  made  previous  to  the  fourth  year  of  James  the  1  st, 
should  be  in  full  force  within  the  territory.  Of  the  system,  as  a 
whole,  Mr  Chase  says,  tliat  with  many  imperfections,  "it  may  be 
Joulited  whether  a.iy  colony,  at  so  early  a  period  after  its  first 
establishment,  ever  had  one  so  good."f 

Just  after  the  conclusion  of  Wayne's  treaty,  a  speculation  in 
.Michigan  of  the  most  gigantic  kind  was  undertaken  by  certain 
astute  Yankees,  named  Robert  Randall,  Charles  Whitney,  Israel 
Jones,  Ebenezer  Allen,  &c.,  who,  in  connection  with  various  per- 
sons in  and  about  Detroit  proposed  to  buy  of  the  Indians  eighteen 
or  twenty  million  acres,  lying  on  lakes  Erie,  Huron,  and  Michigan, 
tlie  pre-emption  right  of  which  tliey  hoped  to  obtain  from  the 
United  States,  by  giving  members  of  Congress  an  interest  in  the 
investment.  Some  of  the  members  who  were  approached,  how- 
ever, revealed  the  plan,  and  Randall,  the  principal  conspirator 
having   been  reprimanded,  the    whole  speculation   disappeared.^ 

Another  enterprise,  equally  gigantic,  but  far  less  objectionable, 
dates  from  the  20th  of  February,  1795  ;  we  refer  to  the  North 
American  Land  Company,  which  was  formed  in  Philadelphia  un- 
der the  management  of  Robert  Morris,  John  Nicholson  and  James 
Greenleaf.  This  Company  owned  vast  tracts  in  various  States, 
\vhich,  under  an  agreement  bearing  date  as  above,  were  ofTered  to 
the  public. II 

But  we  have  hitherto  taken  no  notice  of  the  provisions  of  Jay's 
lreaty,§  in  so  far  as  it  concerned  the  west;  nor  have  we  mentioned 

*.SeG  B.  Van  Cleves'  Memoranda,  American  Pioneer,  ii.  294.  295. 

t  Sketch  of  History  of  Ohio,  p.  27.  For  the  laws  from  1790  to  1795,  sec  Chase's 
Statutes,  i.  103  to  204. 

\  See  papers  and  evidence,  American  State  Papers,  xx,  125  to  133. 

Ii  Observations  on  the  Nortli  American  Land  Company,  London,   179(i.     Imlay   (Ed. 
1797)  p.  572. 
§  For  the  dates  ia  respect  to  Jay's  treaty,  sec  note,  p.  415. 


460 


Jny'^s  Treaty. 


1790-C5. 


the  iifgolialions  \villi  Spain  wliich  secured  Ihc  use  of  llu'  MissisMp. 
pi.  To  (hose  we  may  now  turn.  The  portion  of  Mr.  Jay's  treaty 
with  ^vlli(•h  we  are  concerned,  is  the  second  article,  and  that  is  ;is 
follows : 


Art.  2.  Ills  Majo^ly  will  withdrnw  all  his  troops  and  [garrisons  from 
all  posts  and  places  within  the  houndiiry  lines  assigned  hy  the  treaty  of 
peace  to  the  United  Slates.  This  evacuation  shall  take  place  on  or 
before  the  first  day  of  June,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety- 
six,  and  all  the  proper  measures  shall  he  taken  in  the  interval  hy  concert 
between  the  government  of  the  United  Slates  and  His  Majesty's  Gover- 
nor general  in  America,  for  settling  the  previous  arrangements  which 
may  be  necessary  respecting  the  delivery  of  the  said  posts  :  the  United 
Slates,  in  the  mean  time,  at  their  discretion,  extending  their  selllemenis 
to  any  part  within  the  said  boundary  line,  except  widiin  the  precincts 
or  jurisdiclion  of  any  of  the  said  posts.  All  settlers  and  traders  within 
the  precincts  or  jurisdiction  of  the  said  posts,  shall  continue  to  enjoy, 
unmolested,  all  their  properly,  of  every  kind,  and  shall  be  protected 
therein.  They  shall  be  at  full  liberty  to  remain  there,  or  to  remove 
with  all  or  any  part  of  their  effects  ;  and  it  shall  also  be  free  to  them  to 
sell  their  lands,  houses  or  eflccls,  or  retain  the  properly  thereof,  at  their 
discretion ;  such  of  them  as  shall  continue  to  reside  within  llie  said 
boundary  lines  shall  not  be  compelled  to  become  citizens  of  the  United 
Slates,  or  to  take  any  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  government  thereof;  but 
they  shall  be  at  full  liberty  so  to  do  if  they  think  proper,  and  they  sliall 
make  and  declare  iheir  election  within  one  year  after  the  evacuation 
aforesaid.  And  all  persons  who  shall  continue  there  after  the  expiration 
of  the  said  year,  without  having  declared  their  intention  of  remaining 
subjects  of  Ills  Britannic  Majesty,  shall  be  considered  as  having 
elected  tc  become  citizens  of  the  United  States.*' 


Turning  to  the  negotiation  with  Spain,  wc  find,  that  in  Novem- 
ber, 1794,  Thomas  Pinckney  was  despatched  to  treat  with  the 
court  of  Madrid,  in  relation  to  boundaries,  to  the  Mississippi,  nnd 
to  general  trade.  Many  reams  of  paper  had  been  spoiled  by  pre- 
vious""messengers,  Jay,  Carmichael  and  Short,  to  little  purpose, 
and  it  was  a  matter  of  three  months'  farther  correspondence,  to 
mature  the  treaty  of  October  27th,  1795.  This  treaty,  signed  by 
plain  Thomas  Pinckney,  "a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  and  their 
envoy  extraordinary  to  His  Catholic  Majesty,"  on  the  one  part, 
and    on  the  other  by  "the  most  Excellent  Lord  Don  Manuel  tie 

*  AmoricaTi  Sfntn  Pnpors,  i.  520. — For  the  treaty  and  correspondence  entire,  see  Am. 
State  Papers  i.  470  to  525. 


1790-95, 


1790-95. 


7\miy  with  Spain. 


fill 


ic  MissisMn. 
Mr.  Jay's  treaij- 
,  and  (hat  is  ;is 


I  jrarrisons  from 
by  the  treaty  of 
lake  place  on  or 
Jred  and  ninety- 
terval  by  concert 
Majesty's  Gover- 
ingements  which 
osts  :  the  United 
their  selllciuenis 
hin  the  precincts 
tl  traders  within 
)ntitiuc  to  enjoy, 
all  be  protected 
re,  or  to  remove 
5  free  to  them  to 
'  thereof,  at  their 
within  the  said 
ns  of  the  United 
lent  thereof;  but 
r,  and  they  shall 
the  evacuation 
er  the  expiration 
on  of  remaining 
ered   as  liaviii;^ 


hat  in  Novcm- 

trcat  with  the 

^Tississippi,  and 

pnik'd  l)y  pre- 

littlo  purpose, 

espondcnce,  to 

}aty,  signed  by 

tates,  and  their 

1  the  one  part, 

Ion  Manuel  de 

nee  entire,  see  Am, 


IGl 

Godoy  and  Alvarez  de  Faria,  Rios,  Sanchez,  Zarzosa,  Prini'c  dc 
la  Paz,  Duke  de  la  Aleudia,  Lord  of  the  Soto  de  Roma  and  of  tiie 
State  of  Albala,  Grandee  of  Spain  of  the  first  elass,  Perpetual  Regi- 
dor  of  the  city  of  Santiajro,  Knight  of  the  illustrious  order  of  the 
finlden  Fleeee  and  Great  Cross  of  the  royal  and  distinguished 
Spanish  order  of  Charles  TIT.,  Commander  of  Valeneia  del  Veiitoso 
Rivera,  and  Aceuehal  in  that  of  Santiago,  ICnight  and  Cheat  Cross 
of  the  religious  order  of  St.  John,  Counsellor  of  State,  First  Secre- 
tary of  State  and  Despatcho,  Secretary  to  tlie  Queen,  Superintend- 
ent General  of  tlie  Ports  and  liighways.  Protector  of  the  Royal 
Academy  of  the  noble  Arts  and  of  the  I^oyal  Societies  of  Natural 
History,  Rotany,  Chemistry,  and  Astrononi}',  Gentleman  of  the 
King's  chamber  in  employment,  Cai)tain  General  of  his  armies, 
Inspector  and  Major  of  the  Royal  Corps  of  Ro(^y  Guards,  &e., 
{cc,  &c.,"*  contains,  among  other  provisions,  the  following,  once 
lit'cply  interesting  to  the  West. 

Art  4.  It  is  likewise  agreed  that  the  western  boundary  of  the  United 
States,  wliich  separates  them  from  the  Spanish  colony  of  Louisiana,  id 
ill  the  middle  of  the  channel  or  bed  of  the  river  Mississippi,  froti  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  said  States  to  the  completion  of  the  tliirty-first 
degree  of  latitude  north  of  the  equator.  And  his  Catholic  Majesty  lias 
likewise  agreed  that  the  navigation  of  the  said  river,  in  its  whole 
breadth,  from  its  source  to  the  ocean,  shall  be  free  only  to  his  subjects 
and  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  unless  he  should  extend  this  privi' 
lege  to  the  subjects  of  other  powers  by  special  convention. 

And  in  consequence  of  the  stipulations  contained  in  the  fourlli  article, 
His  Catholic  Majesty  will  permit  the  citizens  of  the  United  States,  for 
liie  space  of  three  years  from  this  time,  to  deposit  their  merchandise 
and  efTects  in  the  port  of  New  Orleans,  and  to  export  them  from  thence 
without  paying  any  other  duty  than  a  fair  price  for  the  hire  of  the 
stores ;  and  his  Majesty  promises  cither  to  continue  diis  permission,  if 
he  finds,  during  that  time,  that  it  is  not  prejudicial  to  the  interests  of 
Spain,  or,  if  he  should  not  agree  to  continue  it  there,  he  will  assign  to 
iliem,  on  another  part  of  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  an  equivalent 
establishment.t 

This,  being  approved,  closed  the  Mississippi  sore,  and  defeated 
the  plans  of  Sebastian. f 

*  The  after  history  of  this  man  of  many  titles  is  a  lesson  worth  the  study  of  all  those  in 
Jowcr:  sec  his  memoirs  translatcil,  London,  lS3G;also  an  article  in  Westminster  Re- 
view, for  April,  18J6. 

t  American  State  Papers,  i.  547.  549.  For  treaty,  see  American  State  Papers,  i.  546  to 
W,— For  Pinckney's  Correspondence,  do.  5J3  to  54C. — For  that  of  Jay,  Carmichael  and 
Short,  do.  131.  248  to  278.  328.  433  to  446. 

\  Ante,  p.  428. 


179  0. 


Till!  great  event  of  tliis  year  was  Ihc  final  transfer  of  the  imiih. 
orn  posts  from  JJritain  to  the  United  Stales,  under  Jay's  trciity. 
This  was  to  have  taken  plaee  on  or  before  the  1st  of  June,*  Liit 
owing  to  the  late  period  at  which  the  House  of  Tlcpresentallvi  s, 
after  their  memorable  debate  upoii  the  treaty,  passed  the  neecssiii) 
appropriations,  it  was  July  before  the  American  Government  fell 
itself  justified  in  addressing  the  authorities  in  Canada  in  regard  to 
Detroit  and  the  other  frontier  forts. f  When  at  last  ealled  upon  !o 
give  them  up  the  British  at  once  did  so,  and  Wayne  translerrctl 
his  liead-(piarters  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  Lakes, — wlu're  a 
county  named  from  him  was  established,  including  the  northwest  ol 
Ohio,  the  northeast  of  Indiana,  and  the  whole  of  Michigan. j— 
Meanwhile  the  treaty  with  S])ain  was  likely  to  become  ineirectual 
in  eonseipience  of  the  alliance  of  Spain  and  France  upon  the  I'JtIi 
of  August,  and  the  diflieulties  which  at  the  same  time  arose  be- 
tween the  latter  power  and  the  United  States.  ||  Spain  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  new  position  of  affairs  to  refuse  the  delivery  of  the 
posts  on  the  Mississippi  as  had  been  stipulated, §  and  proceeded, 
as  we  have  already  related,  to  tempt  tlie  honesty  of  leading  we.st- 
em  politicians. H 

During  this  year  settlements  went  on  rapidly  in  the  West. 
Early  in  the  year  Nathaniel  Massie,  of  whom  we  have  already 
spoken,  took  steps  to  found  a  town  upon  the  Scioto  on  a  portion 
of  the  lands  which  he  had  entered.  This  town  he  named,  when 
surveyed,  Chillicotiie/ 


** 


•  See  treaty,  Ante,  p.  460. 

+  Washington's  speech,  American  State  Papers,  i.  30. 

^  Chase's  Sketch,  27. 

H  Pi'liins'  History  United  States,  ii,  484. — American  State  Papers,  i.  550  to  7G0. 

§  Adams'  speccli,  American  State  Papers,  i.  44.    Documents,  do.   ii.  20  (tc,  66  i^c- 
78  &c. 
1  Ante,  p.  428. 

•  McDonald's  Sketches,  56,  60  to  64.  McDonald,  [p.  62,]  says  this  meant  "town,"' 
and  that  there  was  a  New  and  an  Old  Chillicothe,  the  former  on  the  Little  Miami,  the 
latter  on  Paint  Creek. — Boone,  Filson,  and  var-ous  others,  however,  speak  of  the  town 
on  the  Miami  as  Old  Chillicothe.    There  was  also  a  Chillicothe  on  the  Maumee.    Drate 


jr  of  the  nnrili. 
T  Jay's  Irciity. 
I  of  Jmif,*  hilt 
li'prcsoiitiitlvcs, 
(1  tlic  necessary 
!{)verniiu;nl  felt 
ula  in  regard  to 
;  called  upon  In 
yne  traiisrcriTd 
ikes, — wlicic  a 
he  northwest  ol 
if  Michigan.J- 
;ome  ineHectuid 
3  upon  the  liJth 
time  arose  bu- 
^pain  took  ad- 
delivery  of  tlie 
and  proceeded, 
f  leading  west- 

'  in  the  West, 
have  already 
3to  on  a  portion 
e  named,  when 


i.  559  to  760. 
ii.  20  kc,  C6  i^c. 


this  meant  "town,"' 
e  Little  Miami,  the 
r,  speak  of  the  town 
the  Maumee.    Draiie 


1706.  Dfiilh  of  Cencral   Wayne  103 

"One  hundred  in  and  ()iit-h)ts  in  the  town,  were  rliosen  hy  lot, 
!iy  tht;  first  one  huM(h('d  selth'rs,  as  a  dftnation,  according  to  tlie 
iiiginal  proposition  of  the  pro^jrictor.  A  number  of  in  and  out- 
liils  were  also  sold  to  other  persons,  desiring  to  setth'  in  tin.'  town. 
Tht!  first  choice  of  in-lots  wer(i  disposed  of  for  tht;  mcxh'rate  sum 
if  ten  dolhirs  each.  The  town  increased  raj)idly,  and  before  the 
winter  of  1700,  it  had  in  it  several  stores,  tavertis,  and  s)ioj)s  for 
iiu'clianics.  The  arts  of  civili/Ced  life  soon  began  to  unfold  their 
power  and  influence  in  a  more  systematic  manner,  than  had  ever 
been  witnessed  by  many  of  its  iidiabitants,  especially  those  who 
were  born  and  raised  in  the  frontier  settlements,  where  neither  law 
nor  gospel  were  understood  or  attended  to."* 

In  September  the  town  of  Cleveland  was  surveyed;!  during 
the  spring  and  summer  various  families  settled  along  the  (Jreat 
Miami  from  Middleton  to  Pi(pm:|  the  Irocpiois  resigned  to  the 
Connecticut  Land  Company,  all  their  claims  to  the  Western  Rc- 
Ncrve  east  of  the  Cuyahoga  ;||  while  in  the  more  distant  West, 
settlers  and  specidators  began  to  appear  in  larger  numbers.  From 
Kaskaskia,  in  .January  of  this  year,  a  petition  came  signed  by  four 
persons,  asking  that  slaves  might  there  be  tolerated,  which  was 
refused  by  Congress.  §  St.  Louis  at  this  time  contained  seventy 
houses. — Five  or  six  rich  families  were  intermingled  with  five 
hundred  poorer  people;  and  there,  as  well  as  at  Kaskaskia  and 
other  French  settlements,  the  tendency  was  to  concentrate  property 
in  a  few  hands:  nearly  all  of  the  oldest  of  western  towns  belonged 
to  one  family.H  Toward  the  close  of  the  year.  General  Wayne 
on  his  return  from  Detroit  to  the  eastern  States  fell  sick  and  died, 
at  or  near  Erie,  (Presqu'ile.)** 

During  1796  Samuel  .Jackson,  and  Jonathan  Sharpless,  erected 
the  "  Redstone  Papermill,"  four  miles  east  of  Brownsville ;  the 
first  manufactory  of  the  kind  west  of  the  mountains.! f 

in  his  introduction  to  the  Life  of  Teciiniseli,  p.  17,  tells  us  that  one  tribe  or  sub-tribe 
of  the  Sliawancse  was  named  "  Cliillicotlic ; "  were  not  the  towns  named  from  that 
ifibc  ?    Another  tribe  was  named  "  ri(iua." 

'  McDonald,  C2.  t  American  Pioneer,  ii.  24. 

\  American  Pioneer,  ii.  295.  1|  American  Pioneer,  ii.  23. 

§  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  68  :  —  sec  post. 

f  Volncy's  View,  381,  376. 

'*  Burnet's  Letters,  49,  Allen's  American  Biography. 

+t  American  Pioneer,  i'.  64. 


I7<)7, 


III  17!)7,  Power,  as  lias  lii'cii  alicady  rcilatcd,  visited,  on  helmli 
ol  Sj)iiiii  Sehasliaii  in  KeiitueKy,  and  alUrWciids  Wilkinson  ;i! 
iJetroil,  where  that  coniinaiider  had  his  head-tinarlers  I'or  tin 
time.*  Nor  was  His  Catholic  Majesty  conlenteil  with  iinderliiitnl 
operations,  but  proceeded  to  i(;inl'oree  and  strenjflhen  his  u|)|nr 
posts  oil  the  Mississippi,  and  took  measurt-s  to  enlist  the  Indians 
in  his  favor;!  —  all  professedly  afj;ainst  Kn^land,  however.l 

Daniel  IJoone  during  this  year  removed  west  of  tlie  Mississij)j)i, 
into  the  dominions  oi'  Spain:  —  he  with  his  paek-horses,  in  the 
month  of  (Jctoher,  left  tlie  pleasant  valleys  of  Virginia  and  Ken- 
tuck}.  ||  lie  had  hei'U  for  some  years  a  resident  of  tlie  vallty  oi 
the  Kenhawa,  Kentucky  being  too  attractive  to  settlers,  and  his 
lands  so  badly  entered  as  to  give  him  no  title.  In  Louisiana  lit 
received  on  the  2Sth  of  January,  171)8,  a  grant  of  land  from  thf 
Spanish  Covernini'iit:  this,  however,  was  informally  ina(lt';hiil 
a  petition  was  ollered  the  Government,  and  an  act  of  Congress  at 
length  obtained,  February  10,  1814,  confirming  the  grant,  and 
saving  liom  entire  poverty  the  most  remarkable  of  the  fronliii 
men,  the  hcau-iileal  of  his  class. § 

The  "occupying  claimant"  law  of  Kentucky,  —  which  was 
intended  to  relieve  those  who  were  ejected  from  lands,  from  ihc 
hardshi})  of  J'aying  rent  for  the  time  they  had  held  them,  wliilt 
their  improvements  were  not  paid  for  or  regarded, —  was  also 
passed  in  this  year.  It  was  afterwards  decided  by  the  Suprcnii.' 
Court  of  the  United  States,  to  be  uiutonstitutional,  but  the  justice 
of  thai  decision  was  not  acquiesced  in  by  the  best  men  of  lun- 
tucky,1I  and  the  Appellate  Court  of  that  State  never  recognized  it 
upon  the  ground  that  it  was  not  a  decision  of  the  majority  of  tht 
Supreme  Court.** 

Detroit,  during  1797,  contained,  as  we  learn  from  Weld, ft  three 
hundred  houses. 


•  Sec  Powers'  Narrative  in  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  Appendix,  No.  xlv.  and  Wilk.n- 
Bon's  own  remarks  samn  volume,  p.  214,  &c.:  see  also  Marsliall,  ii.  22.5,  &c. 
t  Sec  Letter  of  Wirtliroj)  Sargent. — American  State  Papers,  ii.  88. 
^  American  State  Papers,  ii.78  to  103. 

II  American  Pioneer,  i.  327.  §  Land  Laws,  U42. 

%  Marshall,  ii.  208,  &c.— lluUcr,  2CG  to  279. 
•*  Butler,  279.  ft  Volume  ii.  183. 


179S. 


t<'(l,   oil   Itclliilt 

VVilkiiisDii  at 
liirlrrs  lor  lln 
ith  UM(1>'i'lii:iii| 
llicii  his  u|)|i(i 
si  the   Iiidiiiii^ 

.V(;v('r4 
II!  Mississipiii, 
horses,  in  the 
uia  and  Kcn- 
f  the  viillf)  (il 
;Ulcrs,  and  liis 
I  Louisianu  lit 
hind  tVoui  liif 
,lly  ina(h';  but 
of  Conji;rcss  at 
he  grant,  and 
of  the  frontier 

•  whieli    ^va^ 
lids,  from  the 
them,  whili- 
d, —  was   also 
the  Suprenie 
lit  the  justice 
men  of  Ken- 
recognized  il 
najority  of  tlie 

Wehl,tt  three 

xlv.  aiul  Wilkin- 
225,  &c. 


On  tho  7th  of  April  in  this  year,  an  act  was  passed  organizing 
he  Territory  of  Mississippi,*  and  Winthroj)  Sargent,  who  had  thus 
far  been  Secretary  of  the  north-western,  was  ap|)oiiited  (loveriior 
I  the  south-western  realm  hidonging  to  the  liniled  States,  f  VVil- 
Kiiison,  during  this  spring,  had  hi;en  ordered  to  the  country  still 
:,rld  i)y  ihv  Spaniards,}:  who,  however,  ahandoned  llu'  region  in 
lispute  with(nit  .serious  oj)p(jsition.  By  llie  lOlh  of  October,  the 
line  dividing  the  jjossessions  of  Spain  and  the  Federal  Covern- 
incnt  was  in  a  great  measure  run,||  and  the  liead  (piarlers  of  the 
American  commander  were  lixed  at  Loflus  IIeights,§  six  miles 
:iorth  of  the  3lst  degree  of  north  latitude. 

The  a})pointment  of  Sargent  to  the  charge  of  the  South-west 
Territory,  led  to  the  choice  of  William  Henry  Harrison,  who  had 
[jien  aid-de-camp  to  General  Wayne  in  1794,  and  whose  character 
;tood  very  high  in  the  estimation  of  all  who  kn(!W  him,  to  tho 
Secretaryship  of  the  North- West  ;1t  which  place  he  ludtl  until  ap- 
;ointod  to  represent  that  Territory  in  Congress. 

'  American  State  Papers,  xx.  203. 

t  Sargent  seems  to  have  l>eei»  nn  unpopular  man,  even  more  so  tlian  St.  Clair:   sec 
'.rnet'sletlurs,  p.  79.   In  ISOl,  he  waH  accused  ofniisiioings  in  Mis.sissijipi.  (American  Slate 
ijirrs,  XX.  23:3  to  241.)     The  following  advertisement  is  from  Freeman's  Journal,  (C'in- 
■nnati,)  of  November  2*),  179(5:— Tf>  Ihf  Gtvironn  Pnhllr  ;   In  the  month  of  July,  1791,  I 
-iJ  some  business  to  <lo  at  (irecnville  with  the  army.     In   my   absence,   the   (ireat  and 
ii^imrablc  Winthrop  Sargent,  Esq.  arrived  at  this  place — he  got  the  consent  ofiMrs.  Muu- 
!  to  t.irry  in  my  house  until  my  return,  which  Nvas  within  ii  few  days.     I  iuformcd  him 
•my  arrival,  I  could  not  spare;  that  [)art  of  my  house  which  he  occupied,  therefore  re- 
•Mted  him  to  remove,  but  as  he  had  got  possession,  he  chose  to  keep  it;  after  he  had 
f.ii  ill  it  for  seventeen  weeks,  I  was  obliged  to  hire  my  house  to  get  rid  of  him.     (Jn  the 
ly  of  this  month  I  made  out  my  bill,  an  1  sii.'ii(,'d  my  receipt  in  full — sent  it  by  my  l)oy, 
I  "h  a  request  for  him  to  send  me  tlie  money  by  the  boy  ;  he  would  not.     On  the  19tli,  I 
»!otc  him  a  few  lines,  and  demanded  the  money,  or  my  receipt,  and  in  [larticular  an  an- 
i*cr,  but  he  would  not  do  either:    as  he  had  got  the  advantage,  lie  chose  to  keep  it. 
1  write  tlies(i  few  lines  to  let  liie  world  know  what  an  exalted  character  we  have  got 
'J  Deputy  Governor  in  this  country.  LEVI  MUNSELL. 

Cincinnati,  Hamilton  County,  North-West  of  the  River  Ohio,  2'nh  November,  1790. 
The  editor  of  the  Kentucky  Herald  will  particularly  oblige  the  subscriber  by  inserting  the 
■Ate. 

;  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  i.  431. 
1  American  State  Papers,  xx.  710. 
^Wilkinson'  INlcmoirs,  ii.  133. 
'  Burnet,  in  Ohio  Historical  Transactions,  part  2,  vol.  i.  p.  69. 

30 


■1(iU 


jYiilUjiralion  in  Kcnturlyy, 


17!)I), 


The  rifirth-wcstcrn  'Ptiiitdry,  as  niiiy  !)•'  sww  by  a  rcffn'rwc  ti 
ihi'  ordinance  of  1787,*  was  to  have  a  rcprtsfntativc  assrn>l)I\  \\< 
soon  as  its  inlialiilants  nunilxTcd  five  thousand.  Upon  the  'iflih 
of  Oetoher,  (ii'Vernor  St.  Chiir  ji;:<ve  notice  hy  procianwUion  tlmi 
the  re(juire(l  j)o))tilalion  e.\tste(l,  and  din'cted  an  tdection  of  ripri'- 
sentativeslo  he  hehl  on  llie  third  Moinhiy  in  l)(;ceinl)er. f 

Duriii}^  the  sinnnier  of  17!)8,  tlie  janious  alien  and  sedition  lawv 
were  j)assed  hy  Congress.  Tliey  were,  by  the  Democratic  jmrty 
every  where  regarded  with  horror,  and  hated,  and  in  Virginia  arnl 
Kentucky  esj)ecially,  caHed  forth  in  oi)[)osition  \\iv.  most  able  im  n, 
and  proihiced  the  most  vioh;nt  measures.  The  Governor  of  K( n- 
tucky  called  the  attention  of  the  Legislature  to  th(;m,  and  upon  tln' 
8th  of  Novend)er  resolutions  prepared  by  Mr.  JefTerson  were  intro- 
duced into  the  House,  declaring  that  the  United  States  are  "  unitnl 
by  a  compact  under  the  style  and  title  of  a  constitution  for  tic 
United  States,  that  to  this  compact,  each  State  acceded,  as  a  Stutf, 
and  is  an  integral  party,  its  co-States  forming  to  itself  the  oIIri 
party ;  that  the  government  created  by  this  compact,  was  not  inadu 
the  exclusive  or  y//j«/ judge  of  the  extent  of  the  powers  delegatid 
to  itself;  but,  that  as  in  all  other  cases  of  compact  amonf,'  par- 
ties having  no  common  judge,  each  party  has  an  equal  right  to 
judge  for  '  'mself,  as  well  as  of  infractions  as  to  mode  and  maiin(r 
of  redress."  And  this  doctrine  was  further  developed  by  tjic 
mover  of  the  resolutions,  Mr  John  iVeckfniridge :  said  he,  "I  con- 
sider the  co-States  to  be  alone  parties  to  the  federal  compact,  ami 
solely  autliorized  to  judge  in  the  last  resort  of  the  power  exercisod 
under  the  compact — Congress  being  not  a  party,  but  merely  the 
creature  of  the  compact,  and  subject  as  to  its  assumption  of  power, 
(o  the  final  judgment  of  those  by  whom,  and  for  whose  use,  itsilt' 
and  its  powers  were  all  created."  In  another  passage  he  says, 
"  if  upon  the  representation  of  the  States  from  whom  they  dorivo 
their  powers,  they  should  nevertheless  attempt  to  enforce  them,  I 
hesitate  not  to  declare  it  as  my  opinion,  that  it  is  then  the  right 
and  duty  of  the  several  States,  to  nulUfy  those  acts,  and  prated  Iklr 
citizens  from  their  operation. "^ 

To  this  doctrine,  since  disclaimed  by  Kentucky,  in  a  clear  and 
formal  declaration, ||  William  Murray,  of  Franklin,  alone  ofTercd  a 
steady  opposition,  and  took  the  ground  since    occupied   by  Mr. 

•  Ante  p.  295. 

t  Dillon  i.  421.    Iiurnct  in  Ohio  Historical  Transactions,  part  2,  vol.  i.  p.  70. 

%  Butler  286  to  287.  \  In  1838.    See  Butler,  289. 


\VM). 

ii  rcfrrj'tu'f  ti 
fv.  u.s.st'ml)l\  ;h 
.Ipon  thf  •2ntli 
tclam'.itioit  t)iii> 
ction  of  rijiri- 
hvu\ 

d  sedition  law- 
•rnocrutic  piirty 
in  Virf^inui  and 
nost  ;d)l('  imii, 
vernor  of  Ken- 
1,  and  upon  tlir 
■son  were  Intro- 
.tes  are  "  unitiil 
ititurion  for  llic 
ded,  as  a  Statu, 
itself  the  otlai 
t,  was  not  made 
;)Wers  delegaUil 
pact  among  par- 
1  equal  riglil  to 
ode  and  maiirnr 
Viilopod    by  til'' 
said  ho,  "Iron- 
al  compact,  and 
lower  exercised 
hut  merely  the 
nption  of  power, 
whose  use,  itself 
assage  he  says, 
oin  they  derive 
enforce  them,  1 
s  then  the  right 
and  prated  their 

,  in  a  clear  and 
,  alone  ofTered  a 
jcupied  by  Mr. 

ol.  i.p.70. 
utler,  289. 


1700. 


JVorih-  Western  Lcgisiaturfl  nrgamznl. 


ir,7 


Wrbster  with  so  ^vv\\\  power;  but  ho  argued  in  vain,  the  Senate 
manimously  passed  the  resolutions,  the  House  acted  with  almost 
<(|ual  unanimity,  arul  tin-  rMtvcrnop  i^ave  them  liis  approbation.* 
A  eh;ing«'  in  the  P«'nal  ('ode  of  Kentueky  took  place  during 
171)8,  by  whii'h  the  punishuu'nt  of  death  was  confim-d  to  the  crime 
f  murder;  and  f(U' all  others  the  penitentiary  system  was  suijsli- 
•uled.l 


1799. 


The  election  of  representatives  for  the  Northwest  Territory 
h.ivin^  taken  place,  they  met  at  Cincinnati  upon  the  4tii  of  the 
tiisiiing  February,  to  nominate  persons  from  whom  tiie  mendjers 
(t  the  Legislative  Assembly  were,  according  to  the  Ordinance,  to 
l)e  selected.  This  nomination  bt;ing  made,  the  assembly  ad- 
|(nirned  until  lh(^  Hith  of  the  ff»llowing  Sej)tember.  From  those 
named,  the  President  selected  as  the  members  of  the  Council, 
Henry  Vandenburg  of  Vinccnnes,  Robert  Oliver  of  Marietta, 
lames  Findlay  and  .Jacob  IJurnet  of  Cincinnati,  and  David  Vance 

f  Vnnceville.  From  the  letters  of  Jacob  Burnet,  the  first  law- 
maker and  true  ruler  of  this  Northwest  Territory,  we  extract  the 
'"illowing  account  of  the  earliest  popular  proceedings  in  the  region 
■vlierein  Freedom  first  fairly  tried  her  powers. 

On  the  IGtIi  of  September,  1791),  both  branches  of  the  legislature 
:S3cmblcd  at  Cincinnati,  and  organized  for  business. |  Tlie  (juvernor 
nict  ihc  two  houses  in  tlie  representatives'  chamber,  and  in  a  very  cle- 
."int  address,  recommended  such  measures  as  he  thought  were  suited 
to  the  condition  of  the  country,  and  would  advance  tlie  safety  and  pros- 
perity of  the  people.  The  legislative  body  continued  in  session  till  the 
19th  of  December,  when  having  finished  their  business,  the  governor 

*  [Sutler,  2S5,  &c.  Sec  tlic  Virginia  resolutions,  the  alien  and  sedition  laws,  thcdcl)atc 
'  Virj;iiii;i,  tiin  rosoliitions  ofotlicr  States,  and  Madison's  "Vindication,"  in  a  volume 
■'•Mislicd  at  Uiclwnond,  by  Robert  I.  Smith,  in  1S32.  Sec  also  North  American  Review, 
>til-  ^1,  (Oct.  1830.)    This  is  a  very  full  and  able  paper.— Marshall,  ii.  254,  &c.  317. 

t  Butler,  281.    Marshall,  ii.  238. 

}  Tlicy  did  not  organize  until  the  24th ;  Mr.  Burnet  alone  appearing  on  behalf  of  the 
council  on  the  IGth,  and  but  four  representatives,  Mcsers.  Goforth,  McMillan,  Smith  and 
Udlow.    (Chase's  Sketch,  28.) 


468        ir.  //.  Harrison  chosen  Delegate  from  JY.  W.  Terr''y.     179;) 

prorogued  tlicm,  at  tlicir  rciiuest,  till  the  first  Monday  in  Novenibpr. 
This  being  the  first  session,  it  was  necessarily  a  very  laborious  ono. 
The    transition    from    a   colonial   to   a  semi-independent  government. 
called  for  a  general   revision,  us  well  as  a  considerable  enlargement  of 
the  statute-book.     Some  of  the  adopted  laws  were  repealed,  many  oth- 
ers altered  and  amended,  and  a  long  list  of  new  ones  added  to  the  code. 
New  oflices  were  to  be  created  and  filled — the  duties  attached  to  them 
prescribed,   and   a    plan  of  ways   and    means    devised,    to   meet  liie 
increased  expenditures,  occasioned  by  tiie  change  which  had  just  taken 
place.     As  the  number  of  members  in  each  branch  was  small,  and  a 
large    portion   of  them    either   unprepared    or   indisposed    to   partake 
largely  of  the  labors  of  the   session,   the   pressure  fell  on  the  shoul- 
ders of  a  few.     Although  tiie  branch  to  which   I  belonged,  was  com- 
posed of  sensible,  strong-minded  men,  yet   tiiey  were  unaccustomcil 
to  the  duties  of  their  new  station,  and  not  conversant  with  the  science  ot" 
law.     The  consequence  was,  that  tliey  relied  chiefiy  and  al.^lost  entirely 
on  me,  to  draft  and  prepare  the  bills  and  other  documents,  which  ori;:!- 
nated   in  the  council,   as  will  appear  by  referring  to  the  journal  of  the 
session.     OuvT  of  the  important  duties  which  devolved  on  the  legislature 
was  the  election  of  a  delegate  to  represent  the  territory  in  Congres;:. 
As  soon  as  the  governor's  proclamation  made  its  appearance,  the  elec- 
tion of  a  person  to  fill  that  station  excited  general  attention.     Before  the 
meeting  of  the  legislature,  public  opinion  had  settled  down  on  ^Villianl 
Henry  Harrison,  and  Arthur  St.  Clair,  jun.,  who  were  eventually  the 
only  candidates.     On  the  3d  of  October,  the  two  houses  met  in  the  rep- 
resentatives'chamber,  according  to  a  joint  resolution,  and  proceedcdjo 
the  election.     The  ballots  being  taken  and  counted,  it  appeared  that 
William  Henry  Harrison  had  eleven  votes,  and  Arthur  St.  Clair,  jun., 
ten  votes  ;  —  liie  former  was  therefore  declared  to  be  duly  elected.    The 
legislature,  by  joint  resolution,  prescribed  the  form  of  a  certificate  of  \m 
election  ;  having  received  that   certificate,  lie  resigned  the  office  of  Sec- 
rectary  of  the  territory  —  proceeded  forthwith  to  Philadelphia,  and  look 
his  scat,  Congress  being  then  in  session.     Though  he  represented  the 
territory  but  one  year,  he  obtained  some  Important  advantages  for  his 
constituents.     He  introduced  a  resolution  to  subdivide  the  surveys  of 
the  puuuc  lands,  and   to  ofi'er  them  for  sale  in  small  tracts  —  he  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  that  measure  through  both  houses,  in  opposition  to  the 
interest  of  speculators  who  were,  and  who  wished  to  be,  the  retailers  ot 
land  to  the  poorer  classes  of  the  community.*^     His  proposition  became 

•  From  ;i  circular  l)y  Harrison  to  tlip  people  of  the  territory,  dated  May  1 ),  l*'n'^)  ^''''' 
quote  in  relation  to  this  matter  the  following  passage  : 

"  Amongst  the  variety  of  objects  which  engaged  my  attention,  as  peculiarly  intcrostina 
to  our  territory,  none  appeared  to  me  of  so  much  importance  as  the  adoption  of  a  systein 
for  the  sale  of  the  public  lands,  which  would  give  more  favorable  terms  to  that  class  oi 


1799. 

1  hw, 
(lone  fc 
ho\vev( 
future 
nbtaine 
tTii  pa; 
farms,  ; 


To  1 
added 
NortliM 

The  ' 

ihirty-sc 
adminis 
efficient 
justices 
upon  th 
for  the  I 
oon  trove 
tax  for  t 
poses,  u 

rurchasers 
upon  that 
'irly  ])i'm 
Ami  short 
coiild  hav( 
ir\\  mater 
i'lircliascr 
due  oftl 
provided 
llircc  huiK 
:i-'.'iy  acres 
Jl  a  confl' 
iieir  aiiic 
'■'lizeiis  th. 

.''Mlliseri  t< 

:•;  fur  ait 
"iiic  for  m; 
'US  mail  tu 

'  fund,  ai 
^irciimstan 
liie  old  lav 

I^^IIKiIlt  is 

liie  public 
I'our  land- 
■M.irictt.T,  ; 
|l:ices." 

Mlistor 


Tnr'y.     1799. 

in  Novcinbrr. 
'  laborious  one. 
nl  government, 
enlargement  of 
aled,  many  otli- 
]ed  to  ihc  code. 
ittachcd  to  tliem 
J,    to   meet  the 
h  had  just  taken 
ras  small,  anJ  a 
)sed    to   partake 
11  on  llic  s!io\il- 
nffcd,  was  com- 
■e  unaccustomci! 
th  the  science  of 
d  almost  entirely 
its,  which  origi- 
[le  journal  of  the 
jn  the  legislature 
(ry  in  Congress. 
jarancc,  the  elec- 
ion.     Before  the 
own  on  William 
■e  eventually  the 
'S  met  in  the  rep- 
ind  proceededjo 
it   appeared  that 
r  St,  Clair,  jun., 
ly  elected.     The 
certificate  of  his 
the  ofllce  of  Sec- 
ilelphia,  and  tonk 
!  represented  the 
dvantagcs  for  his 
e  the  surveys  of 
tracts  — he  sue- 
opposition  to  the 
0,  the  retailer?  of 
oposition  became 

c(1  May  14,  l''on,  v 

peculiarly  interesting 

adoption  of  a  system 

erius  to  that  class  oi 


179f).  First  laws  of  the  Lfgislaturc.  469 

\  law,  and  was  hailed  as  the  most  beneficent  art  that  Congress  had  over 
done  for  the  territory.  Tt  put  it  in  the  power  of  every  industrious  man, 
however  poor,  to  become  a  freeholder,  and  to  lay  a  foundation  for  the 
fiittire  support,  and  comfort  of  his  family.  At  the  same  session,  he 
obtained  a  liberal  extension  of  time  for  the  pre-cmptioncrs  in  the  north- 
iTii  part  of  the  Miami  purchase,  which  enabled  them  to  secure  their 
farms,  and  eventually  to  become  independent,  and  even  wealthy. t 

To  those  paragraphs  by  our  first  law-maker,  may  bo  properly 
,id(h'(l  the  following  from  Mr.  Chase,  tlie  fir.st  eolleetor  of  our 
Northwestern  statutes. 

The  whole  number  of  acts  passed  and  approved  by  the  governor  was 
thirty-seven.  Of  these,  the  most  important  related  to  the  militia,  to  the 
administration  of  justice,  and  to  taxation.  Provision  was  made  for  the 
t'lTicient  organization  and  discipline  of  the  military  force  of  the  territory ; 
justices  of  the  peace  were  authorised  to  hear  and  determine  all  actions 
upon  the  case,  except  trover,  and  all  actions  of  debt,  except  upon  bonds 
for  the  performance  of  covenants,  without  limitation  as  to  the  amount  in 
controversy  ;  and  a  regular  system  of  taxation  was  established.  The 
lax  for  territorial  purposes,  was  levied  upon  lands  :  that  for  county  pur- 
poses, upon  persons,  personal  properly,  and  iiouses  and  lots. 

purchasers  who  are  likely  to  become  actual  settlers,  than  was  ofTercil  by  the  existing  laws 
upon  that  subject ;  conlbrniably  to  this  idea,  1  procured  the  passage  of  a  resolution  at  an 
'irly  period  for  the  ai)poinlniont  of  a  coniniittee  to  take  the  matter  into  consideration. 
Ami  shortly  after  I  reported  a  bill  contaiiiiiig  terms  for  the  purchaser,  as  favorable  as 
couiil  have  been  cxjiected.  This  bill  w;is  adopted  by  the  house  ofrepresentatives  without 
my  material  alteration  ;  but,  in  the  senate  amendments  were  introduced,  obliging  the 
,urcliaser  to  pay  interest  on  that  part  of  the  money  for  which  a  credit  was  given  trom  the 
Cito  of  the  purchase,  and  directing  that  one  half  the  land  (instead  of  the  whole,  as  was 
provided  l)y  the  hill  from  the  house  of  representatives,)  should  be  sold  in  half  sections  of 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  and  the  other  half  in  whole  sections  of  six  hundred  arlU 
forty  acres.  All  my  (jxertions,  aided  by  some  of  the  ablest  members  of  the  lower  houBC, 
it  a  conference  for  th.it  purpose,  were  not  suflicient  to  induce  the  senate  to  rc'-'o  from 
licir  amendments  ;  but,  upon   the  'vliole,   their  is  cause  of  congratulation  ■  !'ow 

'iliZLiis  that  terms  iis  favorat)Io  as  the  l)ill  still  contains,  have  be<!n  |)rocure  .  Ti  i  v 
rmniscs  to  be  the  foundation  of  a  gr(!at  incre.ise  of  (lopidiition  and  wealth  i>  lUi  en.  ».- 
y;fijr  although  the  minimum    price  of  the  land  is  still  fixed  at  two  dollars  ;  Jie 

t.iiie  for  making  payments  has  been  so  extended  as  to  put  it  in  the  power  of  every  in  ustri- 
iusiuau  to  comply  with  iheni,  it  lieing  only  nec(!ssary  to  [lay  one-fourth  part  of  the  money 
I  hand,  and  tiie  balance  at  the  end  of  two,  three,  and  four  years.;  besides  this,  the  odious 
Circumstance  of  forfeiture,  which  was  made  tin;  penally  of  failing  in  the  jiaymcnts  under 
t!ie  old  law,  is  entirely  abolished,  and  the  jjurchaser  is  allowed  one  year  after  the  last 
i'lviiiiiii  is  due  to  coUec't  the  money  ;  if  the  land  is  not  then  j)aid  for,  it  is  sold,  and,  after 
ttn'  public  have  been  reiniburs(Ml,  the  balance  of  the  money  is  returned  to  the  |iurcliaHer. 
lour  land-offices  arc  directed  to  be  ojiened — one  at  Cincinnati,  one  at  Chillicotlie,  one  at 
Mirictta,  and  one  at  Stcubenville,  f(  ;  the  sale  of  the  lands  in  the  neighborhood  of  those 
.iices."  (Life  of  Harrison,  by  Todd  and  Drake,  p.  20.) 
^Historical  Transactions  of  Ohio,  i.  71. 


470 


Kentucky  amends  he)'  ConUitution. 


1799 


ISOO. 


During  this  session,  a  bill,  authorising  a  lottery  for  a  public  purpose, 
passed  by  the  council,  was  rejecled  by  the  representatives.  Thus  early 
was  the  policy  adopted  of  interdicting  this  demoralizing  and  ruinou- 
mode  of  gambling  and  taxation ;  a  policy  which,  with  but  a  temporary 
deviation,  has  ever  since  honorably  characterized  the  legislation  of  Ohio. 

Before  adjournment,  the  legislature  issued  an  address  to  the  people,  in 
which  they  congratulated  their  constituents  upon  the  change  in  the  form 
of  government ;  rendered  an  account  of  their  public  conduct  as  legislators ; 
adverted  to  the  future  greatness  anJ  importance  of  this  part  of  the  Ame- 
rican empire ;  and  the  provision  made  by  the  national  government  for 
secular  and  religious  instruction  in  the  west ;  and  upon  these  considera- 
tions, urged  upon  the  people  the  practice  of  industry,  frugality,  tem- 
perance and  every  moral  virtue.  "  Religion,  morality,  and  knowledge," 
said  they,  "are  necessary  to  all  good  governments.  Let  us,  therefore, 
inculcate  the  principles  of  humanity,  benevolence,  honesty  and  punctu- 
ality in  dealing,  sincerity,  and  charity,  and  all  the  social  affections." 

About  the  same  time,  an  address  was  voted  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  expressing  the  entire  confidence  of  the  legislature  in  the 
wisdom  and  purity  of  his  administration,  and  their  warm  attachment  to 
the  American  constitution  and  government.  The  vote  upon  this  address 
proved  that  the  differences  of  political  sentiment,  which  then  agitated 
all  the  states,  had  extended  to  the  territory.  The  address  was  carried 
by  eleven  ayes  against  five  noes. 

On  the  nineteenth  of  December,  this  protracted  session  of  tlie  firsi 
legislature  was  terminated  by  the  governor.  In  his  speech  on  tliis  occa- 
sion he  enumerated  eleven  acts,  to  which,  in  the  course  of  session,  he 
had  thought  fit  to  apply  his  absolute  veto.  These  acts  he  had  not 
returned  to  the  legislature,  because  the  two  houses  were  under  no  obli- 
gation to  consider  the  reasons  on  which  his  veto  was  founded ;  and,  at 
any  rate,  as  his  negative  was  unqualified,  the  only  effect  of  such  a  return 
would  be  to  bring  on  a  vexatious,  and  probably  fruitless,  altercation 
between  the  legislative  body  and  the  executive.  Of  the  eleven  acts 
thus  negatived,  six  related  to  the  erection  of  new  counties.  These  were 
disapproved  for  various  reasons,  but  mainly  because  the  governor 
claimed  that  the  power  exercised  in  enacting  them,  was  vested  by  the 
ordinance,  not  in  the  legislature,  but  in  himself,  riiis  free  exercise  of 
the  veto  power  excited  much  dissatisfaction  among  the  people,  and  the 
controversy  which  ensued  between  the  governor  and  the  legislature,  as  to 
the  extent  of  their  respective  powers,  tended  to  confirm  and  strengthen 
the  popular  disaffection.* 

During  this  year  Kentucky  proceeded  to  amend  her  Constitu- 
tion, now  seven  years  old.     It  is  not  our  purpose  to  enter  into  tiu- 


•  Cliase'8  Sketch,  p.  20- 


1799 


ISOO. 


Proposal  to  divide  the  JV.  W.  Territory. 


471 


I  public  purpose, 
ves.  Thus  early 
zing  and  ruinous 
but  a  temporary 
afislation  of  Ohio 
to  the  pfoplc,  in 
lange  in  the  form 
net  as  legislators: 
part  of  the  Ame- 
government  for 
these  considera- 
,  frugality,  tern- 
and  knowledge," 
Let  us,  therefore, 
esty  and  punctu- 
il  affections." 
President  of  the 
legislature  in  the 
rm  attaclimenl  to 
ipon  this  address 
ch  then  agitated 
kess  was  carried 

ssion  of  the  firsi 

ech  on  this  occa- 

se  of  session,  he 

acts  he  had  not 

re  under  no  obli- 

bunded ;  and,  at 

of  such  a  return 

itless,  altercatior. 

the   eleven  acts 

3S.     These  were 

se  the  governor 

as  vested  by  the 

free  exercise  of 

people,  and  the 

legislature,  as  to 

1  and  strensithen 


her  Constitu- 
0  enter  into  the 


uetails  of  the  several  State  charters,  and  we  shall  only  mention  the 
fact  that  the  earliest  born  of  our  western  commonwealths,  when  a 
change  was  made  in  her  fundamental  law,  gave  it  a  more  demo- 
cratic and  popular  character.  This  was  done  by  making  the 
choice  of  the  senate  and  governor  direct,  instead  of  being  as 
formerly  through  a  college  of  electors ;  and  by  limiting  the  veto 
power.* 

In  1799,  Kentucky  began,  or  rather  threatened  to  begin,  a  sys- 
tem of  internal  improvements,  by  a  survey  of  the  river  upon  which 
her  capital  stands  ;  the  work  recommended  by  the  engineer,  how- 
ever, and  which  might  have  been  done  very  cheaply,  was  not 
undertaken.! 


1800. 


The  great  extent  of  the  territory  northwest  of  the  Ohio  made 
the  ordinary  operations  of  Government  extremely  uncertain,  and 
the  efficient  action  of  Courts  almost  impossible.  The  Cotnmittee 
of  Congress  who,  upon  the  3d  of  March,  reported  upon  the 
subject,  said, — 

hi  the  three  western  countries  there  has  been  but  one  court  having 
cognizance  of  crimes  in  five  years  ;  and  the  immunity  which  ofienders 
experience  attracts,  as  to  an  asylum,  the  most  vile  and  abandoned  crimi- 
nals, and  at  the  same  time  deters  useful  and  virtuous  persons  from  ma- 
king settlements  in  such  society.  The  extreme  necessity  of  judiciary 
aitentiun  and  assistance  is  experienced  in  civil  as  well  as  criminal  cases. 
The  supplying  to  vacant  places  such  necessary  officers  as  may  be  want- 
ed, such  as  clerks,  recorders,  and  others  of  like  kind,  is,  from  the  im- 
possibility of  correct  notice  and  information,  utterly  neglected.  This 
Territory  is  exposed,  as  a  frontier,  to  foreign  nations,  whose  agents  can 
tind  sufficient  interest  in  excilinsr  or  fomentinjj  insurrection  and  discon- 
lent,  as  thereby  they  can  more  easily  divert  a  valuable  trade  in  furs  from 
ihe  United  States,  and  also  have  a  part  thereof  on  which  they  border, 
which  feels  so  little  the  cherishing  hand  of  their  proper  Government,  or 
io  little  dread  of  its  energy,  as  to  render  their  attachment  perfectly  un- 

'  Marshall,  ii.  233.  240.  2r)2.  292.  293,  &c Butler,  290. 

+  Butler,  293.— Marshall,  ii.  317. 


472 


Indiana  Territory  formed. 


1800.   I   1800, 


certain  and  nmbiguoiH.  The  corumitteo  woukl  further  suggest,  tliai  the 
law  of  llic  3cl  of  March,  1791,  granting  1;uh1  to  certain  persons  in  thrj 
western  part  of  saiil  Territory,  antl  cJlreciing  the  laying  out  of  the  samo, 
remains  incxecuteJ  ;  thai  groat  discontent,  in  consequence  of  such  nc- 
lect,  is  excited  in  those  who  were  interested  in  the  provision  of  said 
law,  and  which  require  the  immediate  attention  of  this  legislature.  To 
minister  a  remedy  to  these  evils,  it  occurs  to  this  committee  that  it  i? 
expedient  that  a  division  of  said  Territory  into  two  distinct  and  scpanile 
Governments  should  be  made  ;  and  that  such  division  be  made,  by  a  line 
beginning  at  the  moutji  of  the  Great  Miami  River,  running  directly 
north,  until  it  intersects  the  boundary  between  the  United  States  and 
Canada.* 

In  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  this  resolution  an  act  was 
passed,  and  approved  upon  the  ^th  of  May,  from  which  we 
extract  these  provisions. 

That  from  and  after  the  4th  day  of  July  next,  all  that  part  of  the 
territory  of  the  United  States  northwest  of  the  Ohio  River,  which  lies 
to  the  westward  of  a  line  beginning  at  the  Ohio,  opposite  to  the  mouth 
of  Kentucky  River,  and  running  thence  to  Fort  Recovery,  and  thence 
north,  until  it  shall  intersect  the  territorial  line  between  the  United 
States  and  Canada,  shall,  for  the  purposes  of  temporary  government, 
constitute  a  separate  territory,  and  be  called  the  Indiana  Territory. 

Sec.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  there  shall  be  eslabiislicd 
within  the  said  territory  a  government,  in  all  respects  similar  to  tha; 
provided  by  the  ordinance  of  Congress,  passed  on  the  thirteenth  day  ol 
July,  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty-seven,  for  the  government 
of  the  territory  of  the  United  Slates  northwest  of  the  River  Ohio  ;  and 
the  inhabitants  thereof  shall  be  entitled  to,  and  enjoy,  all  and  singular 
the  rights,  privileges  and  advantages,  granted  and  secured  to  the  peo- 
ple by  the  said  ordinance. 

Sec,  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  so  much  of  the  ordinance 
for  the  government  of  the  territory  of  the  United  Stales  northwest  of 
the  Ohio  River,  as  relates  to  the  organization  of  a  General  Assembly 
therein,  and  prescribes  the  powers  thereof,  shall  be  in  force  and  operate 
in  the  Indiana  Territory,  whenever  satisfactory  evidence  shall  be  given 
to  the  Governor  thereof,  that  such  is  the  wish  of  a  majority  of  the  free- 
holders, notwithstanding  there  may  not  be  therein  five  thousand  tree 
male  inhal)itants  of  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  upwards  :  Provided, 
that  until  there  shall  be  five  thousand  free  male  inhabitants,  of  twenty- 
one  years  and  upwards,  in  said  territory,  the  whole  number  of  Repre- 
sentatives to  the   General  Assembly  shall  not  be   less  than  seven,  nor 

•  Amcricau  State  Papers,  xx.  206. 


lory, 


suggest,  that  the 
in  persons  in  tho 
out  of  the  s;inio, 
ice  of  such  ne^- 
rovision  of  gaii] 
legislature.  To 
imittee  that  it  i? 
inct  and  separate 
1  made,  hy  a  line 
running  directly 
lited   States  and 


n    an    act  was 
om   which  we 


that  part  of  the 
liver,  which  lies 
ite  to  the  mouth 
'ery,  and  thence 
■een  the  United 
iry  government, 
Territory. 
1  be  established 

similar  to  tha: 
hirteenth  day  ol 

the  government 
iver  Ohio  ;  and 
all  and  singular 
ured  to  the  peo- 

f  the  ordinance 

es  northwest  of 

neral  Assembly 

)rce  and  operate 

:;  shall  be  given 

rity  of  the  free- 

3  thousand  free 

irds  :   Provided, 

mts,  of  twenty- 

mber  of  Repre- 

than  seven,  nor 


1800.    W.  11.  Harrison  apimnted  Gov.  of  Indiana  Territonj.      473 

more  than  nine,  to  bo  apportioned  by  the  (lovernor  to  the  sevornl  coun- 
ties in  said  territory  agreeably  to  the  number  of  free  males  of  the  ago  of 
twenty-one  years  and  upwards,  which  they  may  respectively  contain. 

Sec.  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  nothing  in  this  act  contained 
shall  bo  construed  so  as  in  any  manner  to  afTcct  the  government  now  in 
force  in  the  territory  of  the  United  States  northwest  of  the  Ohio  River, 
further  ijian  to  prohibit  the  exercise  thereof  within  the  Indiana  Terri- 
tory, from  and  after  the  aforesaid  fourth  day  of  July  next:  Provided, 
That,  whenever  that  part  of  the  territory  of  the  United  States  which 
lies  to  the  eastward  of  a  line  beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Mi  .mi 
River,  and  running  thence,  due  north,  to  the  territorial  line  between  the 
United  States  and  Canada,  shall  be  erected  into  an  independent  Slate, 
and  admitted  into  the  union  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  original  States, 
thenceforth  said  line  shall  become  and  remain  permanently  the  boun- 
dary line  between  such  State  and  the  Indiana  Territory,  any  thing  in 
this  act  contained  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding. 

Sec.  0.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That,  until  it  shall  be  otherwise 
ordered  by  the  Legislatures  of  the  said  Territories,  respectively,  Chilli- 
cothc,  on  the  Scioto  River,  shall  be  the  seat  of  the  government  of  the 
Territory  of  the  United  States  northwest  of  the  Ohio  Rivei  ;  and  that 
St.  Vincennes,  on  the  Wabash  River,  shall  be  the  seat  of  the  govern- 
ment for  the  Indiana  Territory."* 

The  person  appointed  to  govern  the  new-made  Territory,  was 
William  II.  Harrison,!  whose  commission  was   dated  in    1801. 

We  have  already  mentioned  that  Coimeeticut  in  her  Reserve  had 
retained  the  jurisdiction  thereof  as  well  as  the  soil.  When  she 
disposed  of  the  soil,  however,  troubles  at  once  arose,  for  the  set- 
tlers found  themselves  without  a  government  upon  which  to  lean. 
Upon  their  representation,  the  mother  State,  in  October  1797, 
authorized  her  Senators  to  release  her  jurisdiction  over  the  lle- 
HTVC,  to  the  Union;  upon  the  21st  of  March,  1800,  a  Committee 
of  Congress  reported  in  favor  of  accepting  this  cession,  and  \ipon 
the  30th  of  May,  the  release  was  made  by  the  Governor  of  the 
State  in  accordance  with  a  law  passed  during  that  month:  the 
Inited  States  issuing  letters  patent  to  Connecticut  for  the  soil,  and 
Connecticut  transferring  all  her  claims  of  jurisdiction  to  the  Fede- 
ral Government. I     At  that  time  settlements  had  been  commenced 

•  Land  Lawg,  451 . 

t  Mr.  Harrison  had  in  a  great  measure  procured  tl=a  formation  of  the  separate  Territory. 
;Lil'c  of  Harrison  l)y  Todd  and  Drake,  p.  22.) 
t  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  9-1  to  9S. — Cliasc's  Statutes,  i.  64  to  66. 


474 


Governor  St.  Claires  Speech. 


1800.  I  ISOI. 


in  tlilily-fi^e  *  of  the  lownshi}).s,  and  one  thousand  persons  had 
become  settkirs ;  mills  had  been  built,  and  seven  hundred  milcv 
of  road  cut  in  various  directions,  f 

Congress  having  made  Chillicolhe  the  Capital  of  the  north- 
western Territory,  on  the  3d  of  November  1800,  the  Goiural 
Assembly  met  at  that  place.  At  this  meeting  Governor  St,  Clair 
ill  strong  terms  expressed  his  sense  of  the  want  of  popularity 
under  which  he  labored ;  he  said, — 

"My  term  of  office,  and  yourr,  gentlemen  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  will  soon  expire  —  It  is  indeed,  very  uncertain, 
whether  I  shall  ever  meet  another  Assembly,  in  the  character  1 
now  hold,  for  I  well  know,  that  the  vilest  calumnies  and  the  great- 
est falsehoods,  are  insidiously  circulated  among  the  people,  \vith  a 
view  to  prevent  it.  While  I  regret  the  baseness  and  malevolence 
of  the  authors;  and  well  know  that  the  laws  have  put  the  means 
of  correction  fully  in  my  power,  they  have  nothing  to  dread  from 
me  but  the  contempt  they  justly  merit.  The  remorse  of  the^r  own 
consciences  will  one  day  be  punishment  sufficient:  —  Their  arts 
may  however  succeed:  —  Be  that  as  it  may,  of  this  I  am  certain, 
that,  be  my  successor  whom  he  may,  he  can  never  have  the  inftr- 
csts  of  the  people  of  this  Territory  more  truly  at  heart  than  I  have 
had,  nor  labor  more  assiduously  for  their  good  than  I  have  done; 
and  I  am  not  conscious  that  any  one  act  of  my  administration  has 
been  influenced  by  any  other  motive  than  a  sincere  desire  to  pro- 
mote their  welfare  and  happiness. "| 

Notwithstanding  the  general  dislike  felt  toward  him,  however, 
St.  Clair  was  re-appointed  in  1801  to  the  place  he  had  so  long 
occupied. 

Toward  the  close  of  this  year  the  first  Missionary  to  the  Con- 
necticut Reserve,  came  thither  under  the  patronage  of  the  Con- 
necticut Missionary  Society.  He  found  no  township  containing 
more  than  eleven  families.  || 

Upon  the  1st  of  October  in  this  year  the  secret  treaty  of  St. 
Ildefonso  was  made  between  Napoleon  as  first  Consul,  and  the 

*  Mr.  Badger,  (in  American  Pioneer,  ii.  276,)  says  but  thirty-one  townships  wore 
inhabited  :  there  were  in  tiie  Reserve  east  of  the  Cuyahoga  one  hundred  and  three  town- 
ships.— (American  Pioneer,  ii.  25.) 

t  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  97. 

^  Burnet's  Letters,  p.  73.  J  American  Pioneer,  ii.  275. 


K 


1800. 

and  persons  luii' 
1  hundred  milt- 


tal  of  the  north- 
100,  the  Goiural 
overnor  St.  Clair 
nt   of  popvdaritv 


ISOI.         Proceedings  of  the  Legislature  at  ChiUicothe.  475 

King  of  Spain,   Mdu-rehy  the  latter  agreed  to  cede  to   France  the 
Province  of  Louisiana.* 

By  this  year's  census  Kentucky  contained  179,875  wlutes;  and 
40,343  slaves;  an  incr'.'ase  in  ten  years  of  118,742  whites,  and 
•28,913  slaves.! 


Df  the  House  of 
i,  very  uncertain, 
1  the  character  I 
es  and  the  great- 
le  people,  ^vitll  a 
and  malevolence 
e  put  the  means 
ng  to  dread  from 
Drse  of  thc'r  own 
:nt:  —  Their  arts 
Ids  I  am  certain, 
!r  have  the  inter- 
leart  than  I  have 
an  I  have  done; 
iministration  has 
re  desire  to  pro- 

him,  however, 
!  he  had  so  long 


lary  to  the  Con- 
age  of  the  Con- 
iship  containing 


■et  treaty  of  St. 
onsul,  and  the 


ono   townships   wore 
dred  and  throe  town- 


i.  275, 


1801. 


The  Governor  and  several  of  the  Legislators  of  the  northwestern 
Territory  having  been  insulted  during  the  autumn  of  this  year  at 
ChiUicothe,  while  the  Assembly  was  in  session;  —  and  no  mea- 
sures being  taken  by  the  authorities  of  the  Capital  to  protect  the 
Executive,  —  a  law  was  passed  removing  the  seat  of  Government 
to  Cincinnati  again. |  But  it  was  not  destined  that  the  Territo- 
rial Assembly  should  meet  again  anywhere.  The  unpopularity  of 
St.  Clair  already  referred  to,  was  causing  many  to  long  for  a  State 
Government  and  self-rule.  This  unpopularity  arose  in  part  from 
the  feelings  connected  wnth  his  defeat ;  in  part  from  his  being  iden- 
lified  with  the  Federal  party  then  fast  falling  into  disrepute ;  and 
ill  part  from  his  assuming  powers  which  most  thought  he  had  no 
right  to  exercise,  especially  the  power  of  sub-dividing  the  coun- 
ties of  the  Territory. 

But  the  opposition,  though  very  powerful  out  of  the  Assembly, 
was  in  the  minority,  even  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  and 
(luring  December  1801  was  forced  to  protest  against  a  measure 
brought  forward  in  the  Council  for  changing  the  Ordinance  of 

*  American  State  Papers,  ii.  507.  f  Marshall,  ii.  332. 

i  Burnet's  letters,  75.  We  state  the  fact  as  given  hy  Judge  Burnet,  but  cannot  recon- 
cile it  with  the  Journals.  On  the  16th  of  December  the  reniuval  of  the  Seat  of  Govern- 
ment was  broached  in  the  House.  (Jouniiil  of  House,  G2  ;)  on  the  19th  it  was  fully 
-tbated,  (Journal  of  House,  71  to  73  ;)  on  the  21st  was  passed  by  the  House,  (Journal 
"t'llousc,  77;)  on  the  same  day  it  was  passed  by  the  Council,  (Journal  of  Council,  32, 
33;)  on  the  24th  was  signed  by  the  Speaker  and  President,  (Journal  of  Council,  35, — ) 
wd  given  the  Governor  for  his  approbation,  (Journal  of  House,  89.)  On  the  night  of  the 
^th  and  26th,  the  only  riots  mentioned  in  the  Journals  took  place.  (Journal  of  Council, 
■i?.— Journal  of  House,  98.)  On  the  2lst  of  IJcccniber  Mr.  Uurnetaskfi!  leave  of  absence 
forten  days  which  was  granted  ;  (Journal  of  Council,  33.)  The  Governor's  approbation 
lo  the  bill  was  given  January  let  j  (Journal  of  House,  108.)  Possibly  his  consent  was 
determined  by  the  riots. 


476 


J^cw  Orlcnna  closed  against  Jlmericans. 


ISO'2,    I  1S02. 


1787  in  siK'li  a  manrKM"  as  to  make  the  Sciolo  and  a  line  drawn 
from  tlie  intersection  of  that  river  and  (lie  Tndian  boundary  to  Ihc 
western  extremity  of  the  Connecticut  Reserve,  the  limit  of  t'lc 
most  eastern  State  to  be  formed  from  the  Territory.  This  chuiigo, 
if  made,  would  long  have  i)Osti)oned  the  formation  of  a  State 
(iovernment  beyond  the  Ohio,  and  against  it  Tilfin,  Worthington, 
Langham,  Danlinton,  Massie,  JJunlavy,  and  Morrow,  recordcj 
solemnly  their  objections.*  Not  content  with  this  it  was  deter- 
mined that  some  one  should  at  once  visit  Washington  on  behalf  ot 
the  objectors,  and  upon  the  20th  of  December,  Thomas  Worthint,'- 
ton  obtained  leave  of  absence  for  the  remainder  of  the  session.! 
His  acts  and  those  of  his  co-laborers  belong  to  the  next  year. 


1802. 


By  the  treaty  with  Spain,  New  Orleans,  or  "an  equivakni 
establishment"  was  to  be  allowed  the  citizens  of  the  United  States 
as  a  place  of  deposite  for  property  sent  down  the  Mississippi. 
Until  the  16th  of  October,  1802,  no  change  in  relation  to  this 
place  of  deposit  took  place,  but  on  that  day  Morales,  the  intcndant 
of  Louisiana,  issued  an  order  putting  an  end  to  the  cherished  and 
all-important  privilege  granted  to  the  Americans.  This  led  to  in- 
stant excitement  and  remonstrance,  and  upon  the  7th  of  January 
following,  to  a  resolution  by  the  House  of  Representatives,  affirm- 
ing "their  unalterable  determination  to  maintain  the  boundaries, 
and  the  rights  of  navigation  and  commerce  through  the  River 
Mississippi,  as  established  by  existing  treaties. "|  The  act  of  the 
Intendant  had  not,  it  appeared,  been  authorized  by  the  Spanish 
Government,  and  was  not  acquiesced  in  by  the  Governor  of  Lou- 
isiana: II  but  the  suspension  continued  notwithstanding,  until  the 
25th  of  February,  1803,  when  the  port  was  opened  to  provisions, 

*  Journal  of  House,  SI  to  83.    See  also  Journal  of  Council,  16  and  17.    Journal  of 
House,  68. 
t  Journal  of  House,  93. 

X  Sec  Documents,  American  StUc  Papers,  ii.  469  to  471.  527.  528.  531.  530.  541.  o-'i'^- 
H  American  State  Papers,  ii.  528. 


1(1  a  line  (Innvii 
liouiidiiry  to  the 
he  limit  of  t'le 
This  clmni,'(.', 
Llion  of  a  Stuiu 
),  WorUiint^loM, 
)rrow,  recorded 
s  it  was  deter- 
ton  on  hclialfot 
■)mas  Worthini,'- 
if  the  session. f 
next  year. 


'an  equivaknt 
c  United  Stales 
he  Mississippi. 
relation  to  this 
s,  the  intendant 

cherished  and 
This  led  to  in- 
7th  of  January 
itatives,  affirm- 
the  boundaries, 
)ugh  the  River 
The  act  of  the 
3y  the  Spanish 
pernor  of  Loa- 
ding, until  the 

to  provisions, 

and  17.    Journal  of 


531.  536.  511.  ylS. 


lS02.         WorUdnglon  ohtahu  the  right  to  form  a  State. 


All 


;ipon  paying  a  duty;*  and,  in  April,  orders  from  the  King  of  Spain 
ria'du'd  the  United  States,  restoring  the  right  of  deposit. f 

In  January,  1802,  a  hill  was  passed  the  Assembly  of  the  North- 
Western  Territory,  and  ap])r()ved  hy  the  Governor,  establishing 
;i  university  in  the  town  of  Athens. | 

We  have  already  noticed  the  dissatisfaction  with  Governor  St. 
Clair,  which  prevailed  in  the  North-Westi'rn  Territory,  and  the 
wish  of  a  party  therein  to  obtain  a  State  Government,  although  not 
\ot  entitled  to  ask  it  under  the  ordinance.  Mr.  Worthington  left 
late  in  1801,  to  urge  upon  Congress  the  evils  of  the  proposition  to 
change  the  bounds  of  the  north-western  States  and  if  advisable,  to 
procure  permission  to  call  a  convention  for  the  formation  of  a  State, 
liavingthe  boundaries  mentioned  \i\  the  ordinance,  namely,  the  west 
line  of  Pennsylvania,  the  north  a»id  south  lines  of  the  territory,  and 
[iline  drawn  due  north  from  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami. 

While  Worthington  was  journeying,  upon  the  4th  of  January, 
Massie  presented  a  resolution  for  choosing  a  committee  to  address 
Congress  in  respect  to  the  proposed  State  Government ;  ||  this, 
jpon  the  following  day,  the  HoUoO  refused  to  pass,  however,  by  a 
vote  of  twelve  to  five. §  An  attempt  was  next  made  to  procure  a 
census  of  the  Territory,  and  an  act  for  that  purpose,  passed  the 
House,1I  buc  the  council  postponed  the  consideration  of  it  until  the 
next  session,**  which  was  to  commence  at  Cincinnati  on  the  fourth 
Monday  of  the  following  November. 

Worthington,  meantime,  at  Philadelphia,  pursued  the  ends  of  his 
mission,  and  used  his  intluenceff  to  effect  that  organization, 
"which  terminating  the  Influence  of  tyranny,"  was  to  "meliorate 
the  circumstances  of  thousands  by  freeing  them  from  the  domina- 
tion of  a  despotic  chief. ":j:|  Ills  efforts  proved  successful,  and  upon 
the  4th  of  March  a  report  was  made  to  the  House  in  favor  of  uu- 
lliorizing  a  State  Convention.  This  report  went  upon  the  basis 
lliat  the  Territory,  by  the  United  States'  census  made  in  1800, 
contained  more  than  forty-five  thousand  inhabitants,  and  as  the 


t  American  State  Papers,  ii.  556.  5G1. 
J  Journal  of  House,  HI. 
%  Journal  of  House,  155. 


*  American  State  Papers,  ii.  556. 

\  Journal  of  Council,  53. 

§  Journal  of  the  House,  115. 

'*  Journal  of  Council,  7S. 

tt  See  his  letter  to  Mr.  Giles,  chairman  of  the  committee  of  Congress,  February  13th, 
1802.    (American  State  Papers,  xx.  328.) 

U  See  letter  to  him  by  James Finley,  chairman,  February  12th,  1802.  (American  State 
Papers,  XX.  329.) 


478 


Provisions  as  to  Lands  in  Ohio. 


180-:. 


1S02. 


Government  since  tliat  time  had  sold  half  a  million  of  acres,  (ha!  tht 
territory  east  of  the  Miami,  supposing  the  past  rate  of  increase  in 
continue,  would,  by  the  lime  a  State  govrninent  could  be  fornud, 
contain  the  sixty  thousand  persons  contemi)lateil  by  the  ordinance; 
and  ui)on  (his  basis  })ropos('d  that  a  convention  should  he  la  Id, 
to  dclermine,  1st,  whether  it  were  expedient  to  form  a  State  (jov- 
crnment,  and  2d,  to  prepare  a  Constitution,  if  such  an  organization 
were  deemed  best.f  In  the  formation  of  (his  S(ate,  however,  a 
change  of  boundaries  was  proposed,  by  which,  in  accordance  with 
the  Fifth  ardcle  of  the  Ordinance  of  1787,  all  of  the  territory  nnr(h  of 
line  drawn  due  east  from  the  head  of  lake  Michigan  to  Lake  Kric, 
was  to  be  excluded  from  (he  ne'"  government  about  to  be  callid 
into  existence.     The  report  closed  as  follows  : 


Tiie  committee  observe,  in  the  ordinance  for  ascertaining  the  modr  of 
disposing  of  lands  in  (lie  Western  Territory  of  the  20th  of  May,  17'''). 
the  following  section,  wliich,  so  far  as  respects  the  subject  of  scliools, 
fjmains  unaltered  : 

There  shall  be  reserved  for  the  United  States  out  of  every  township, 
the  four  lots,  being  numbered  8,  11,  20,  29;  and  out  of  every  fraction- 
al part  of  a  township  so  many  lots  of  the  same  numbers  as  shall  he 
found  thereon  for  future  sale.  There  shall  be  reserved  the  lot  No.  16, 
of  every  township,  for  the  maintenance  of  public  schools  within  the 
said  township  ;  also,  one-third  part  of  all  gold,  silver,  lead,  and  copper 
mines,  to  be  sold,  or  otherwise  disposed  of  as  Congress  shall  hereafter 
direct. 

The  committee  also  observe,  in  the  third  and  fourth  articles  of  the 
the  ordinance  of  the  1,3th  July,  1787,  the  following  stipulations,  to  wit: 

Art.  3.  Religion,  morality,  and  knowledge,  being  necessary  to  gnod 
government  and  the  happiness  of  mankind,  schools  and  the  means  of 
education  shall  forever  be  encouraged,  &c. 

Art.  4.  The  Legislatures  of  those  districts  or  new  States  shall  never 
interfere  with  the  primary  disposal  of  the  soil  by  the  United  States  in 
Congress  assembled,  nor  with  any  regulations  Congress  may  find  neces- 
sary for  securing  the  tide  in  such  soil  to  the  bona  fide  purchasers.  No 
tax  shall  be  imposed  on  lands  the  property  of  the  United  States  ;  ami  in 
no  case  shall  non-resident  proprietors  be  taxed  higher  than  residents. 

T'le  committee,  taking  into  consideration  these  stipulations,  viewing 
the  lands  of  the  United  States  within  the  said  territory  as  an  important 
source  of  revenue ;  deeming  it  also  of  die  highest  importance  to  the 
stability  and  permanence  of  the  union  of  the  eastern  and  western  parts 

t  American  State  Papers,  xx,  326. 


Amor 


fit 


18()"»    I  ^^^^'        Lands  sold  by  United  States  to  hr free  from  Taj\ 


479 


f  acres,  tliat  the 
of  increase  lo 
)ul(l  be  formed, 
the  ordiiiaticc; 
lould  be  laid, 
n  a  State  (jov- 
an  orf^anizatidii 
te,  however,  a 
iccordanec  with 
erritory  north  of 
1  to  Lake  Kric, 
Lit  to  be  tailed 


ning  the  motlp  of 
h  of  May,  17S5. 
hject  of  schools, 

every  township, 
)f  every  fraction- 
ibers  33  shall  he 
1  the  lot  No.  10, 
hools  within  the 
lead,  and  opper 

s  shall  hereafter 

articlcg  of  the 
)ulations,  to  wit: 
ecessary  to  good 
nil  the  means  of 

Itates  shall  never 

United  States  in 

may  find  neces- 

purchascrs.    No 

d  States ;  and  in 

an  residents. 

,;itions,  viewing 

as  an  imporlani 

iportance  to  the 

id  western  parts 


of  the  United  Suites,  that  the  intercourse  should,  as  far  as  possible,  lie 
facilitated,  and  their  interests  bo  liberally  and  mutually  eoiisulted  and 
promoted,  are  of  opinion  that  tlio  provisions  of  the  aforesaid  artieles 
may  I)C  varied  for  the  reciprocal  advantage  of  the  United  States  and  the 
Stale  of when  formed,  and  the  people  thereof;  they  have  there- 
fore deemed  it  proper,  in  lien  of  the  said  provisions,  to  oflcr  the  follow- 
ing propositions  to  tlie  convention  of  the  eastern  State  of  the  said  terri- 
tory, when  formed,  for  their  free  acceptance  or  rejection,  without  any 
condition  or  restraint  whatever,  which,  if  accepted  by  the  convention, 
shall  be  obligatory  upon  the  United  States  : 

1st.  That  the  section  No.  10,  in  every  township,  sold,  or  directed  to 
be  sold  by  the  United  States,  shall  be  granted  to  the  inhabitants  of  such 
lownship  for  the  use  of  schools. 

2d.  That  the  six  miles  reservation,  including  the  salt  springs,  com- 
monly called  the  Scioto  salt  springs,  shall  bo  granted  to  the  State  of 

when  formed,  for  the  use  of  the  people  thereof;  the  same  to  I)c 

jsed  under  such  terms,  conditions,  and  regulations,  as  the  Legislature  of 
the  said  State  shall  direct:  provided  the  said  Legislature  shall  never  sell 
nor  lease  the  same  for  a  longer  term  than  ■  years. 

3d.  That  one-tenth  part  of  the  nett  proceeds  of  the  lands  lying  in 
•,liD  said  State,  hereafter  sold  by  Congress,  after  deducting  ail  expenses 
incident  to  the  same,  shall  be  applied  to  the  laying  out  and  making  turn- 
pike or  other  roads,  leading  from  the  navigable  waters  emptying  into 
ihe  Atlantic  lo  the   Ohio,  and  continued  afterwards  through  the  Slate 

of ;  such  roads  to  be  laid  out  under  Uie  authority  of  Congress, 

with  the  consent  of  the  several  States   through  which  the  roads  shall 

pass :  provided  that  the  convention  of  the  Slate  of shall,  on  its 

part,  assent  that  every  and  each  tract  of  land  sold  by  Congress  shall  be 
»nd  remain  exempt  from  any  tax  laid  by  order  or  under  authority  of  the 
Slate,  whether  for  State,  county,  township,  or  any  other  purpose  what- 
ever, for  the  term  of  ten  years,  from  and  after  the  completion  of  the  pay- 
::icnt  of  the  purchase  money  on  such  tract  to  the  United  States.* 

In  accordance  with  the  rcconunenJation  of  their  committee, 
Congress,  upon  the  30th  of  April,  passed  a  law,  carrying,  with 
flight  modifications,  the  views  above  given,  into  effect. f  The 
provisions  of  this  law  were  thought  by  many  in  the  Territory  un- 
withorized,!  but  no  opposition  was  offered  to  the  appointment  of 
Icisons  to  attend  the  Convention,  and  the  Legislature  even  gave 
'Vay  to  the  embryo  Government,  and  failed  to  assemble  according 
0  adjournment.  ||  The  Convention  met  upon  the  1st  of  November ; 
i'^  members  were  generally  JefTersonian  in  their  national  politics, 

*  Ainorican  State  Papers,  xx.  326.  t  Sec  this  act  in  Cliase,  i.  70. 

t Burnet's  Letters,  108.  |  Burnet's  Letters,  111. 


4  HO 


JVurl/iern  lionuiltny  of  Ohio. 


iso-i 


and  liiid  l)«:«'ti  npposud  lo  tlic  fliiin^c  of  boundaries  proposed  tl,, 
previous  yciir.  lit  fori!  pro(;et'ding  lo  liiisincss,  (lovernor  Si.  CluJi 
proposed  to  address  them,  in  his  ollicial  rharaeter,  as  the  cliid 
cxeeulivc  nia<fislrat<'  of  the  t«'rrilory.  This  [)roposilion  was  resist- 
ed, by  several  of  the  nuunhers;  but  aHer  diseussion,  a  motion  was 
made  and  a(h)pled,  by  a  majority  of  five,  that  "Arthur  St.  Clair, 
sen.,  Ivs(|uire,  !)»'  permittrd  to  adih'css  the  eonviTilion,  on  IIiom 
points,  \vhi<'h  he  deems  of  importance." 

II(!  advised  the  postponement  of  a  State  orj^anization  until  tin 
peoj)h'  of  the  ori«;inaI  eastern  division  were  jjlairdy  entitled  to  dt- 
inand  it,  and  were  not  sid)jert  to  l)e  bound  by  conditions.*  This 
advice,  niven  as  it  was,  caused  .Icirerson  instantly  to  ri-movc  St. 
Clair,  but  when  tlie  vote  was  taken  upon  doin;^  that  which  he  ad- 
vised llieu)  not  to  do,  but  one  of  thirty-tlu'ee,  Kphraim  Culler  of 
Washington,  voted  with  the  (jovernor.f 

On  one  point,  the  proposed  boundaries  of  the  new  Stale  were 
altered. 


\'.*    |MI 


iljued 


To  every  person  who  has  atlcnded  to  this  subject,  and  who  has  con- 
sulted the  maps  of  the  western  country,  extant  at  the  time  the  orilinanrc 
of  1787  was  passed  ;  that  luko  Midiifran  was  believed  to  be,  and  w;i3 
rei)resente(l  by  all  tin;  niaj)S  of  that  day,  as  being  very  far  north  ofllic 
position  which  it  h:>s  since  been  ascertained  to  occupy.  I  liave  seen 
the  map  in  the  dcparlmeiit  of  state,  which  was  before  the  commitlco  of 
Congress,  who  framed  and  reported  the  ordinance  for  the  government  of 
the  territory.  On  that  map,  the  souUiern  boundary  of  Michigan,  was 
represented  as  being  above  the  forty-second  degree  of  north  latitude. 
And  there  was  a  pencil  line,  said  t  have  been  made  by  the  committee, 
passing  through  the  .southern  beau  of  die  lake,  to  the  Canada  line, 
which  struck  the  strait,  not  far  below  die  the  town  of  Detroit.  Tli;ii 
line  was  manifesUy  intended  by  Uie  connnittec  and  by  Congress,  to  be 
the  nordiern  boundary  of  our  stale;  and  on  the  principles  by  which 
courts  of  (diancery  construe  contracts,  accompanied  by  plats,  it  wtmld 
seem  that  the  map,  and  the  line  referred  to,  should  be  conclusive  evi- 
dence of  our  boundary,  without  reference  to  the  real  position  of  the 
lake.  When  Uie  convention  sat,  in  1802,  the  prevailing  undcrstaiidini; 
was,  that  the  old  maps  were  nearly  correct,  and  that  the  line,  as  defmed 
in  the  ordinance,  would  terminate  at  some  point,  on  the  strait,  above  the 
Maumee  bay.  While  the  convention  was  in  session,  a  man  who  had 
hunted,  many  years,  on  lake  Michigan,  and  was  well  acquainted  widi 


Vir 


•  Chuse'sSkntcli,  ni. 

t  Chase's  Sketch,  31.    Burnet's  Letters,  110. 


1S()2 

vs  proposid  111, 
vcrnor  Si.  Clair 
T,  as  the  I'liiii 
it  ion  was  rtsi.st- 
n,  a  motion  was 
itliiir  St.  Clair, 
:[itioii,  on  \\\i\^< 

/.atioii  until  tlir 
/  entitle. I  to  d.- 
iditions.*  Till- 
y  to  remove  St. 
fit  wliieh  lie  ail- 
iraim  Cutler  of 

[lew  Stale  were 


and  who  has  con- 
me  the  ordinance 
d  to  he,  and  was 
/  far  north  of  llic 
y.  I  have  seen 
the  cornrnillco  of 
he  governniciil  of 
if  Michigan,  was 
if  north  lalilude. 
y  tlio  coinmiitce, 
tlie  Canada  line, 
f  Detroit.  That 
Conure.ss,  lo  be 
iciple.s  by  wliich 
Y  plat.s,  it  wdiili! 
concliK-iivo  evi- 
l  position  of  tlic 
ng  undcrstandin!,' 
e  line,  as  defined 
strait,  above  the 
a  man  who  had 
acquainted  widi 


IS02. 


Harrison  treats  with  Indians, 


481 


['•*  |i(i.siiir)ii,  InpixMied  to  Ik;  in  Cliillirnthi' ;  and  in  convrrHatidii  with 
(iMc  of  il.s  members,  told  Inm,  that  llie  lake  ('xtendeij  nmeh  farlher  Houih, 
than  WHH  generally  im|ipoHn(l,  and  that  a  map  uf  the  country,  which  ho 
tiulMceti,  placed  its  nonlhern  bend  many  milen  north  of  ilM  iruc  poHilion. 
ThiM  information  excited  xome  uiH^aHinesH,  and  induced  the  conv(!niion 
to  modify  the  (daUNC,  describin^r  the  north  boundary,  ho  as  to  ^uard  its 
iiiingdeprehaed,  below  ihe  most  northern  cape  of  ihc  Maumee  bay.' 

With  this  elianj^f,  and  some  extension  of  the  school  and  road 
ilonations,  the  ('onvention  ai^ree<!  to  the  proposal  of  Con^'ress, 
uid  u|)on  tin'  2f)tli  f)f  November,  their  aj^reement  was  ratilied  and 
ii^ned  ;  f  as  was  also  Ihe  Constitution  of  the  State  of  Ohio.  Of 
'his  Constitution  we  sliall  say  nothiuf^  farther  than  that  it  bore  in 
very  provision  the  marks  of  demoeratic  feeling;  of  fidl  faith  in 
lie  people.  By  the  p(!opl(!  thems(dves,  however,  il  was  never  e\'- 
amined  ;  but  no  o[)positioM  was  oU'ered  to  it,  atnl  a  fieneral  Assem- 
iily  was  re(piired  to  meet  al  Cliillicothe  f)n  the  I  si  Tuesday  of 
Mat  oh,  1803. 

After  the  ai^rcMMiient  by  Congress  to  the  Consliliilion  of  Ohio, 
iiid  her  admission  into  tht;  Cnion,  Uk;  Pcninsida  of  Micdiigan  was 
wholly  within  the  lerriU)ry  of  Indiana. 

On  the  17th  of  Septendjer,  1802,  (joveirior  Haiiison,  of  Indiana 
Territory,  at  Vincennes,  entered  into  an  agreement |  with  various 
liiefs  of  tlic  Pntawatomie,  Eel  river,  Piankeshaw,  Wea,  Kaskas- 
kia  and  Ki(;kapo()  tribes,  by  whirh  were  settled  the  bounds  of  a 
;iact  of  land  near  that  plaee,  said  to  have  been  given  by  the  Indi- 
iiis  to  its  rounder ;  and  certain  chiefs  wore  named  wh^  were  to 
include  the  matter  at  Fort  Wayne.  This  was  the  fn-st  step 
iiken  l)y  Harrison  In  those  negotiations  which  continued  through 
^')  many  years,  and  added  so  much  to  the  dominifuis  of  the  Con- 
liiluration.  IT-  found  the  natives  jealous  atul  out  of  temper,  ow- 
ing partly  to  American  injustice,  but  also  in  a  great  degree,  it  was 
iiought,  to  the  acts  of  the  British  traders  and  agents. || 

In  January  of  this  year.  Governor  Harrison   also   communicated 
'0  the  President  the  following  letter,  detailing  some  of  the   most 
urious  land  speculations  of  which  we  have  any  account. 

The  court  established  al  this  place,  under  the  authority  cf  the  Stale  of 
Virginia,  in  the  year  1780,  (as  I  have  before  done  myself  the  honor  lo 

'  Historical  Triinsactions  of  Ohio,  p.  115. 

t  Chase's  Statutes,  i.  71  is  the  llcsolution  of  Novf;rnlK;r  29th. 

t  Dawson's  Harrison,  27.  1)  DawsoiCs  Harrison,  7  to  jH. 

31 


S 


482 


La7id  Speculations  in  Indiana  Territory. 


180-2 


inform  you)  assumed  to  themselves  the  right  of  f^ranting  lands  to  even- 
applicant.  Having  exercised  this  power  for  some  time  without  opposi- 
tion, they  began  to  conclude  that  their  right  over  the  land  was  supreme, 
and  that  they  could  with  as  much  propriety  grant  to  themselves  as  to 
others.  Accordingly,  an  arrangement  was  made,  by  which  the  whole 
country  to  which  the  Indian  title  was  supposed  to  be  extinguished,  was 
divided  between  the  members  of  the  court ;  and  orders  to  that  eil'ec! 
entered  on  their  Journal,  each  member  absenting  himself  from  tlie  court 
on  the  day  that  the  order  was  to  be  made  in  his  favor,  so  that  it  mioht 
appear  to  be  the  act  of  his  fellows  only.  The  tract  thus  disposed  of 
extends  on  the  Wabasli  twenty-four  leagues  from  La  Pointe  Coupee  to 
the  mouth  of  Wiiite  River,  and  forty  leagues  into  the  country  west,  and 
thirty  east  from  the  Wabash,  excluding  only  the  land  immediately  sur- 
rounding this  town,  which  had  before  been  granted  to  the  amount  of 
twenty  or  thirty  thousand  acres. 

The  authors  of  this  ridiculous  transaction  soon  found  that  no  advan- 
tage could  be  derived  from  it,  as  they  could  find  no  purchasers,  and  I 
believe  that  tlie  idea  of  holding  any  part  of  the  land  was  by  the  greater 
part  of  them  abandoned  a  few  years  ago  ;  however,  the  claim  was  dis- 
covered, and  a  part  of  it  purchased  by  some  of  those  speculators  who 
infest  our  country,  and  through  these  people,  a  number  of  others  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  United  Slates  have  become  concerned,  some  of  whom 
are  actually  preparing  to  make  settlements  on  the  land  the  ensuiniJ 
spring.  Indeed,  I  should  not  be  surprised  to  see  five  hundred  families 
settling  under  these  titles  in  the  course  of  a  year.  The  price  at  which 
the  land  is  sold  enables  any  body  to  become  a  purchaser ;  one  thousand 
acres  being  frequently  given  for  an  indifferent  horse  or  a  rifle  gun.  And 
as  a  formal  deed  is  made  reciting  the  grant  of  the  court,  (made  as  it  is 
pretended  under  the  authority  of  the  State  of  Virginia)  many  ignorant 
persons  have  been  induced  to  part  with  their  little  all  to  obtain  this  ideal 
property,  and  they  will  no  doubt  endeavor  to  strengthen  their  claim,  as 
soon  as  they  have  discovered  the  deception,  by  an  actual  settlement. 
The  extent  of  these  speculations  was  unknown  to  me  Mntil  lately.  I 
am  now  informed  that  a  number  of  persons  are  in  the  habit  of  repair- 
ing to  this  place,  where  they  purchase  two  or  three  hundred  thousand 
acres  of  this  claim,  for  which  'hey  get  a  deed  properly  r.uthcnticutcd  and 
recorded,  and  then  disperse  themselves  over  the  United  Stales,  to  cheat 
the  ignorant  and  credulous.  In  some  measure,  to  check  this  practice,  I 
have  forbidden  the  recorder  and  prothonotary  of  this  county  from  re- 
cording or  authenticating  any  of  these  papeis  ;  being  determined  tiiat 
the  ofiicial  seals  of  the  Territory  should  not  be  prostituted  to  a  purpose 
so  base  as  that  of  assisting  an  infamous  fraud.* 
To  Jas.  Madison,  Sec'y.  of  State.  WM.  H.  HARRISON. 

*  Auicrican  State  Papers,  acvi.  123. 


-i) 


-y- 


180-2 


1S03. 


Treaty  loith  France  for  Louisiana. 


4S3 


nff  lands  to  cverv 
e  without  oppoji- 
ind  was  supreme, 

themselves  as  to 

which  the  whole 
extinguished,  was 
Icra  to  that  efTcct 
elf  from  the  court 
,  so  that  it  minht 

thus  disposed  of 
Poiiite  Coupee  to 
country  west,  and 
[  immediately  sur- 

to  the  amoun;  ot" 

nd  that  no  advan- 
purchasers,  and  1 
v^as  by  the  greater 
lie  claim  was  dis- 
s  speculators  who 
;r  of  others  in  dil- 
ed,  some  of  wliom 
land   the  ensuiii;; 
J  hundred  families 
'lie  price  at  which 
ser ;  one  thousand 
a  rifle  gun.    And 
Lirt,  (made  as  it  is 
ia)  many  ignorant 
,0  obtain  this  ideal 
en  their  claim,  as 
actual  settlement. 
le  Mnlil  lately.    I 
le  habit  of  repair- 
hundred  thousand 
aulliciUlcateJ  and 
1  Stales,  to  cheat 
ck  this  practice,  I 
county  from  re- 
determined that 
luted  to  a  purpose 

\.  HARRISON. 


K. 


During  the  session  of  1802,  tlie  Legislature  of  Kentucky  eiiar- 
•iicd  an  "Insurance  Company,"  whose  notes  payable  to  bearer 
were  to  be  transferred  or  assigned  by  delivery;  this  feature  iaadi> 
;jie  institution  a  Hank  of  circulation,  and  such  it  became.* 


18  0^. 


Upon  the  11th  of  January,  Mr.  Jefferson  -sent  a  message  to  the 
Senate  nominating  Robert  11.  Livingston  and  James  Munroe  min- 
isters at  the  Court  of  France,  and  Charles  Pinckney  and  James 
Munroe  at  that  of  Spain,  ■with  full  power  to  form  treaties  for  "en- 
larging and  more  eflectually  securing  our  rights  and  interests  in 
the  river  Mississippi,  and  in  the  territories  eastward  thereof."! 
This  was  done  in  consequence  of  the  order  by  Morales  taking  from 
'lie  Americans  the  use  of  New  Orleans  as  a  place  of  deposit;  and 
ihc  knowledge  of  the  Government  of  the  United  Slates,  that  in 
^ome  form  a  treaty  had  been  made  by  which  Spain  had  transferred 
licr  interest  in  Louisiana  to  France. 

The  secret!  treaty  of  St.  Ildefonso  had  been  formed  on  the  1st 
of  October,  ISOO ;  on  the  29th  of  the  next  March,  Rufus  King, 
'Jien  Minister  in  London,  wrote  home  in  relation  to  a  reported 
cession  of  Louisiana,  and  its  inlluence  on  the  United  States:  ||  on 
lie  9th  of  June,  1801,  Mr.  Pinckiiey,  at  Madrid,  was  instructed 
ill  relation  to  the  alledged  transfer,  and  upon  the  28th  of  Septem- 
ber, Mr.  Livingston,  at  Paris,  was  written  to  upon  the  same  topic. 
On  the  20th  of  November,  Mr.  King  sent  from  London  a  copy  of 
'Jie  treaty  signed  at  Madrid,  March  21,  1801,  by  which  the  Prince 
if  Parma,  (son-in-law  of  the  King  of  Spain,)  was  established  in 
Tuscany ;  this  had  been  the  consideration  for  the  grant  of  Louis- 
ana  to  France  in  the  previous  autumn,  and  that  giant  was  now 
'Confirmed.  From  that  time  till  July  1802,  a  constant  correspond- 
tiice  went  on  between   the  American   Secretary  ot  Slate  and  tiie 

•  Marshall,  ii.  3JS. 

t  American  State  Papers,  ii.  47r). 

\  In  regard  to  the  secresy  practicetl,  scj  Mr.  LiviiigBton's  letterd,  Amoriciii  State 
PapcfB,   ii.  512,  51J. 

I  American  State  Papers,  ii,  509. 


481  Proposed  cession  of  J\'\'io   Orleans.  ISO.'j. 

Ministers  at  Paris,  Lniul.-ii,  and   Madrid,  rclalivi"  to  tlu;  iinpoilan: 
(lucstion,  What  can  he  done  to  secure  the  interests  ol'  tin;    I'nidii 
in  relation  to  tlie   Mississippi?     Mr.    Livin<i;ston,   in    l''rancc,  va^ 
of  opinion  that  a  cession  of  New   Orleans   ini^lil    possibly  he  ol). 
tained  from  that  power;  and  to  obtain  it  he.  advisi'd   the   iiayinoit 
of  "a  lar<i('  price"  if  j-eipiired.      Mr.  I/ivinffston  at  lh(!  same  tinK' 
wrote   anil   hiid    before   the    French   leadi-rs  an   elaborate  memoir 
intended    to   show   that  true   })olicy  re([Mirt'd    France  not  to  iciain 
Louisiana,*  but  when,  on  tiie  last  ol  Au^^usl,  he  again  made  pro- 
positions, Talle)rantl  told  him  that  the  First  Consul  was  not  rt  uil\ 
to  reci'ive  them.     Still  the  sagai.'ious  And)assador  felt  "pcrsuadul 
that  the  whole  would  end  in  a  reliiuiuishment  of  the  country,  ainl 
transfer  of  the  Capital  to  the    United    States;")   and    ])ursi;e(l  lii< 
labors  in   hope;  —  asking  from  his  Government   only  explicit  in- 
structions as  to  how  much  he  might  oiler  France  for  the   FloridaN, 
W'hich  it  was   sui)posed  she   would   soon  get  from  Spain,  and  also 
for  New  Orleans. :j:     His  ^  iews  were   acquiesced  in  by  the  I'lvsi- 
dent,  and    Mr.   JNIunroe   went  out  in  March,    1803,  beariii^^  in- 
struclions,    the    object  of  which  was    "  to    procure   a   cession  of 
New    Orleans  and  the  Floridas  to  the  United  States." ||     All  idia 
of  pur(.'hasing  Louisiana  west  of  the  Mississippi,  was  thus  far  di<- 
claimed  by  Mr.  Livingston,  in  October  1802,  and  by  Mr.  JlII'lt- 
son  in  January  1803. §     Upon  the  lOth  of  the  latter  month,  how- 
ever,   Mr.    Livingston   proposed   to  the  Minister  of  Napoleon  U) 
cede  to  the  United  States  not  only  New   Orleans  and  Florida,  hut 
also  all  of  Louisiana  above  the  river  Arkaiusas.lf     But  such  \viri; 
not  the  views  entertained  in  the  Cabinet  of  the  United  States,  and 
upon  die  2d  of  March   the  instructions  sent  to   Messrs.  Livingston 
and  Monroe,  gave  a  plan  which  expressly  left  to  France  "all  her 
territory  on   the  west  side   of  the  Mississippi.**"     Li   couformity 
with  these  orders  when  Talleyrand,  on  the  11th  of  the  next  month, 
asked  Livingston  if  he  wished  all  of  Louisiana,  he  answered  tha^ 
his  (iiovernment  desired  only  New  Orleans  and  Florida,  though  in 
his  opinion,  good  policy  would  lead  France  to  cede  all  west  of 
the  Mississippi  above  the  Arkansas,   so  as  to  place  a  barrier  be- 
tween her  own   Colony  and   Canada.     Talleyrand   still   suggested 
the  cession  of  the  whole  French  domain   in  North   America,  and 

*  It  is  in  American  St;ite  Papers,  ii.  520  to  524. 

t  Amcricuu  State  Papers,  ii.  525.  |  American  State  Papers,  ii.  52S. 

I  American  State  Tapers,  ii.  529.  §  American  State  Papers,  ii.  526,  529. 

i!  American  State  Papers,  ii.  531,  534.  **  American  State  Papers,  ii.  540  to  544. 


h: 


ISO.l 

•  lo  11h!  iinjxirliih: 
sis  ol'  IIk;    I'liidii 

in  [''raiicf,  vw-- 
possibly  1m'  (it). 
st'd  the  i)U}iii(nt 
ill  tlic  saiiic  tiiiiL' 
■liihorate  iiu'iiiiiir 
luicc  not  to  rcUiiii 
ag;iin  niiuU:  \nt)- 
sill  was  not  r(;iil\ 

•  ielt  "  pcrsuiuli  (1 
the  ("ountry,  ainl 
and    j)ursut.'(l  his 

only  explicit  iu- 

Ibr  the   Floridas, 

1  Spain,  and  also 

in  by  the  I'rtsi- 
803,  bcariiij^f  in- 
ure a  cession  (if 
.ites."l|     All  idea 

was  thus  far  dis- 
id  by  Mr.  Jell'Li- 
tter  month,  liow- 
r  of  Napoleon  to 
and  FlDrida,  but 
f  But  such  were 
nited  States,  and 
lessrs.  Livint^stiin 

France  "  all  her 
111  coufornuty 
f  the  next  uiontli, 
lie  answered  thaf 
"lorida,  though  in 
cede  all  west  of 
ice  a  barrier  he- 
\  still  su Ingested 
•til   America,  and 


pcrs,  ii.  52S. 
pors.  ii.  52G,  .')29. 
apcrs,  ii.  540  to  544. 


1.S03. 


Jiar^ain  and  purr/iasr  of  Louisiana. 


485 


isked  how  much  woidd  lie  'j;iv<'n  for  it  ;  Mr.  T/i\  itii^fslon  intiniafed 
thai  twenty  millions  (of  Jiiuics,)  mii^hl  be  a  Ihir  price  ;  *  ihis  the 
Minister  of  BoiiiiiJiule  said  was  loo  low,  but  asked  the  .\niriican 
1-1  think'  ol'  the  iiiiithr.  j  lb'  did  think  of  il,  and  his  thoii^rht  was 
diat  the  j)urchas('  of  f.oui.siiina  enlire  was  too  lai'f^e  an  olijcet  for 
llif  li'niled  States,  ;ind  that  ii"  acijuircd  it  ouL,dit  to  Ix;  exchaii'^tMl 
with  Spain  Ibr  the  l''loridas,  reservinj^  only  New  Orleans.  On  the 
iJlli  of  April  Mr.  Munroe  reached  I'aris,  and  upon  the  l.'hh  the 
.Minister  oi'  the  Treasury,  Marbois,  who  was  a  personal  friend  of 
Livingston  had  with  him  a  lon^  conversation  from  which  it  aj)- 
poared  th.it  Na|)oleon,  then  about  to  renew  his  wars  with  Kn}/;Iand, 
wished  lo  sidl  l^ouisiana  entire,  and  tluit  the  only  tjuesfion  was  as 
to  ])rice.  l5onai>arte  had  named  what  eipialled  125  millions  of 
t'rancs,  but  to  this  the  Republicans  turned  a  deaf  ear;  otrerinj^ 
only  40  or  bO  millions.  In  a  short  time,  however,  a  compromise 
look  place,  and  the  American  ne<;otiators,  pjoing  entirc^ly  ijcyond 
the  letter  of  their  instructions,  agreed  to  pay  80  millions  of  francs 
for  the  vast  territory  upon  and  beyond  the  river  first  navigated  by 
Marquette:  I — the  treaty  was  arranged  upon  the  30lh  of  the  month 
in  which  the  purchase  liad  first  been  suggested.  ||  This  act  of  the 
Ministers,  though  unautliori/ed  and  unexpected,  was  at  once 
aii^reed  to  by  the  President  ;§  Congress  was  summoned  to  meet 
upon  the  17th  of  October,  and  on  that  day  the  treaty  was  laid 
before  the  Senate:  1)y  the  21st  the  transfer  was  ratified,  and  upon 
the  20th  of  the  following  December,  the  Province  of  Louisiana 
was  jfTicially  didivered  over  lo  CK)vernor  Clairborne  of  Mississippi, 
and  General  Wilkinson,  who  were  empowered  to  assume  the 
Government.H 

To  this  transfer  of  Louisiana  Spain  at  first  objected,  as  she 
alledged  "on  solid  grounds,"  but  early  in  1804  renounced  her 
opposition.** 

From  what  has  been  said  it  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  JefTerson  had 
no  agency  in  the  purchase  of  Louisiana  beyond  the  approval  of 
the  unlooked-for  act  of  his  Ministers  in  France.     If  any  person 

'American  State  Papers,  ii.  553.  t  American  State  Papers,  ii.  552. 

t  See  in  American  State  Papers,  ii.  557  to  5G0,  ttic  letters  of  Livingston  and  Monroe. 

i  Tlie  treaty  is  in  American  State  Papers,  iL  507  to  508,  and  in  Laws  of  Missouri  (Jef- 
ferson City,  1842,)  i.  1  to  4. 

§  American  State  Paj)ers,  ii.  566. 

1  American  State  Papers,  ii.  572,  581  to  58.1. 

•*  .American  State  Papers,  ii.  567  to  572,  583. 


I 


486 


History  of  Symmes''  College  Townahip. 


180.1 


deserves  to  be  remembered  in  e(,nneetlon  with  that  great  bartinin 
it  was  Mr.  Livingston  ^v•llOse  efTorts  were  constant  and  elFeetual. 
An  accomit  of  them  may  be  found  in  liis  letters,  read  in  the  fol- 
lowing  order:  1st,  tliat  of  May  12,  1803,  (American  State  Papers, 
ii.  557;)  i>d,  that  of  December  30,  1801,  (do.  512;)  and  after 
that  in  the  order  of  dates  and  arrangement.  The  person  throu(rli 
whom  Mr.  Livingston  obtained  the  ear  of  Napoleon  was  Joseph 
Bonaparte.* 

During  June  the  Chiefs,  agreed  upon  at  Vincenncs  the  previous 
year,  transferred  to  Governor  Harrison,  at  Fort  Wayne,  the  lands 
claimed  by  the  United  States,  about  the  "Post;"  and  their  act 
was  farther  confirmed  at  the  Capital  of  tlie  Territory  in  August, 
by  various  chiefs  and  warriors. f 

On  \\\Q  13th  of  August  the  Kaskaskias  transferred  to  the  whites 
througii  Harrison,  their  lands  in  Illinois.:}: 

Upon  the  15th  of  April  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
new  State  of  Ohio,  signed  a  bill  respecting  a  College  Township 
in  the  District  of  Cincinnati.  |[  The  history  of  this  township  is 
somewhat  ciu-iou'^;,  and  we  give  it  in  the  words  of  Judge  Burnet. 

The  ordinance  adopted  by  Congress,  for  the  disposal  of  the  public 
domain,  did  not  authorise  a  grant  of  college  land,  to  the  purchasers,  of 
less  than  two  millions  of  aercs.  The  original  proposition  of  Mr. 
Symnies  being  for  that  quantity,  entided  him  to  the  benefit  of  such  a 
grant.  It  was  his  intention,  no  doubt,  to  close  his  contract,  in  confor- 
mity with  his  proposal.  lie  therefore  stated,  in  his  printed  publication, 
before  referred  to,  diat  a  college  township  had  been  given  ;  and  lie  des- 
cribed his  situation  to  be,  as  nearly  opposite  the  mouth  of  Licking  river. 
as  an  entire  township  could  be  found,  eligible  in  point  of  soil  and  situ- 
ation. He  also  selected,  in  good  faith,  one  of  tlie  best  townships  in  the 
purchase,  answering  the  description,  and  marked  it  on  his  map,  as  the 
college  township.  The  township,  thus  selected,  was  the  third  of  the 
first  entire  range,  on  which  the  town  of  Springdale  now  stands.  The 
tract  was  reserved  from  sale,  and  retained  for  the  intended  purpose ; 
until  Mr.  Symmes  ascertained,  that  Ids  agents  had  relinquished  one  half 
of  his  proposed  purchase,  by  closing  a  contract  for  one  million  of  acres, 
by  which  his  right  to  college  lands  was  abandoned,  and  of  course  not 
provided  for  in  the  contract.  He  then,  very  properly,  erased  the  en- 
dorsement from  the  map,  and  offered  the  township  for  sale,  and  as  it 


"^  Amrrican  St.ito  Pajiors,  ii.  .525,  530,  533. 

+  American  State  Papers,  v.  688. 

\  Ancricaii  State  Papers,  v.  CS7.  J  Journal  of  tlie  House,  117. 


//;. 


1803. 


Ill  great  Ijaruain 
it  and  I'lrcf'tunl, 
road  in  the  fol- 
m  State  Papers, 
312;)  and  after 
person  throtjrrli 
eon  was  Joseph 

ics  the  previous 

'ayne,  the  lands 

'•"  and  their  act 

orv  in    Aiiijust, 

id  to  the  whites 

:?ntatives  of  tlu; 

tlege  Township 

his  township  is 

Judge  Burnet. 

al  of  the  public 
le  purchnsors,  of 
position   of  Mr. 
benefit  of  such  a 
itract,  in  confor- 
ntcd  pubHcation, 
'en  ;  and  he  des- 
of  Licking  river. 
of  soil  and  situ- 
townships  in  the 
his  map,  as  the 
the  third  of  the 
IV  stands.     Tlie 
ended  purpose ; 
^uished  one  half 
million  of  acres, 
J   of  course  not 
erased  the  en- 
'  sale,  and  as  it 


117. 


1803. 


History  of  Symmea''  College  Township. 


487 


was  one  of  the  best,  and  most  dcsiral)le  portions  of  his  purchase,  it  was 
r^ipidly  located.     The  matter  remained  in  this  situation,  till  the  applica- 
;ion  in  1792,  to   change  the  boundaries  of  the  purchase,  and  to  grant  a 
patent,  for  as   much  land,  as  his  means  would   enable  him   to  pay  fur. 
When  the  bill  for  that  purpose  was  under  consideration,  (ieneral  Dayton, 
the  agent,  and  one  of  the  associates  of  Mr.  Symmes,  being  then   an 
influential  member  of  the  house  of  representatives,  proposed  a  section, 
authorising  the  President  to  convey  to  Mr.  Symmes  and  his  associates, 
one  entire  township  in  trust,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  an  academy, 
and  other  schools  of  learning,  conformably  to  an  order  of  Congress,  of 
the  2nd  of  October,  1787.     The  fact  was,  that  the  right,  under  the  order 
referred  to,  had  been  lost,  by  the  relinquishment  of  half  the   proposed 
purchase,  in  consequence  of  which  the  contract  contained  no  stipulation 
for  such  a  grant.     Notwithstanding,  from   some  cause,  either  want  of 
correct  information,  or  a  willingness  then,  to  make  the  gratuity,  —  most 
probably  the  latter,  the  section  was  adopted  and  became  a  part  of  the 
law.     At  that  time,  there  was  not  an  entire  township  in  the  purchase, 
undisposed  of.     Large  quantities  of  all  of  them,  had  been  sold  by  Mr. 
Symmes,  alter  liis  right  to  college  lands  had  been  lost,  by  the  conduct 
of  his  agents,  Dayton  ?nd  Marsh.     It  was  not,  therefore,  in  his  power 
to  make  the  appropriation  required  by  the  act  of  Congress,  though  in 
arranging  his  payment   at  the  treasury,  he  was  credited  with  the  price 
of  the   township.     The  matter  remained  in  that  situation,  till  about  die 
time  the  legislature  was  elected,  under  the  second  grade  of  the  territorial 
government,  in  1799.     Mr.  Symmes  dien  feeling  the  embarrassment  of 
his  situation,  and  aware  Uiat  the  subject  would  be  taken  up  by  the  legis- 
lature, made   a  written  proposition  to  the  governor,  ofTering  the  second 
township  of  die  second   fractional  range,   for  die  purposes   of  a  col- 
lege.    On  examination,  the  governor  found,  that  he  had  sold  an  undi- 
vided moiety  of  that  township,  for  a  valuable  consideration,  in    1788  — 
that  the  purchaser  had  obtained  a  decree  in  the  circuit  court  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, for  a  fepccific  execution   of  the  contract ;    and  that  he  had  also 
sold  several  smaller  portions  of  the  same  township  to  others,  who  then 
held  contracts   for   same.     As   a  matter    of  course   the    township   was 
refused.     He  then  appealed  from   die  decision  of  the  governor,  to  the 
territorial  legislature.     They  also  refused  to  receive  it,  for  die  same 
reasons,  which  been  assigned  by  the  governor.     A  similar  refusal  was 
afterward  made,  for  the  same  reason,  by  the  state  legislature  ;  to  whom  it 
was  again  offered.     I  had  the  cliarity  to  believe.  Unit  when  Mr.  Symmes 
tirst  proposed  the  township,  to  the  governor,  it  was  his  iniention  to  buy 
up  the  claims  against  it,  which  he  probably  might  have  done  at  that 
liinc,  on  fair,  and  moderate  terms ;  but  he  omitted  to  do  so,  till   that 
arrangement  became  impracticable,  and  until  his  embrrr:issments   pro- 
duced by  the  refusal  of  Congress,  to  confirm  his  contract,  for  the  land 


488 


India?!,  Treaties. 


1804. 


Jic  had  sold  out  of  his  patent,  rendered  it  impossible  for  him,  to  niaLc 
any  remuneration  to  government,  or  the  intended  beneficiaries  of  the 
grant.  The  delegates  representing  the  territory  in  Congress,  were 
instructed,  from  time  to  time,  to  exert  their  inlkience  to  induce  the  gov. 
ernment  in  some  form,  to  secure  the  grant,  to  the  people  of  the  Muimi 
purchase.  But  notliing  eflectual  was  accomplished,  till  the  eslalilish- 
menlof  the  state  government  in  1803  ;  when  a  lav/  was  passed  by  Con- 
gress* vesting  in  the  legislature  of  Ohio,  a  quantity  of  land  equal  to  one 
entire  townsiiip,  to  be  located  under  their  direction,  for  the  purj)Ose  of 
establishing  an  academy,  in  lieu  of  the  township  already  granted,  for  liie 
same  purpose ;  by  virtue  of  the  act,  entitled  "  an  act  authorising  the 
grant  and  conveyance  of  certain  lands,  to  John  C.  Symmes  and  his 
associates."  Under  the  authority  of  an  act  of  the  Ohio  legislature, 
passed  in  April,  1803,t  Jacob  White,  Jeremiah  Morrow,  and  William 
Ludlow  made  a  location  of  these  lands,  amounting  to  thirty-six  sections, 
as  they  are  now  held  by  the  Miami  University.  In  consequence  of  ilic 
early  sales,  by  Judge  Symmes,  lliese  lands  were  necessarily  Iwated 
west  of  the  Great  Miami  river;  and  consequently  without  the  limit  of 
Symmes'  purchase.]: 


1804. 


Governor  Harrison,  on  the  ISth  of  August,  purchased  from  the 
Delawares  their  claims  to  a  large  tract  between  the  Wahash  and 
Ohio  • "  from  the  Piankeshaws  their  claims  to  the  same,  and  also 
to  the  xands  granted  by  the  Kaskaskias  in  1803 ;  §  from  the  Sacs 
and  Foxes  their  title  to  most  of  the  immense  district  between  the 
Mississippi,  Illinois,  Fox  river  emptying  into  the  Illinois,  and 
Wisconsin  rivers;  —  H  comprehending,  it  is  said,  more  than  fifty- 
one  million  of  acres.**     This  latter  treaty  was  made  at  St.  Louis. 

During  1804  measures  were  taken  to  learn  the  facts  as  to  the 
settlements  about  Detroit,  and  an  elaborate  report  upon  them  was 
made  by  C.    Jouett,  the  Indian  Agent  in  Michigan  :ft  from  that 

*  See  Chase's  Statutes,  i.  72.  t  See  American  Pioneer,  i.  269. 

^  Historical  Transactions  of  Ohio,  i.  152-5. 

I  American  State  Papers,  v.  689.  ^  American  State  Papers,  v.  690. 

1  American  State  Papers,  693.  **  Dawson's  Harrison,  59. 

+t  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  190  to  192.     See  on  titles  in  Michigan,  iViuerican   SU'.^ 
Papers,  xvi.  263  to  2S4. 


1804. 

)r  him,  to  make 
icficiarics  of  the 
Congress,  were 
I  induce  the  gov- 
)le  of  the  Miaiin 
ill  the  estiihli.sh- 
I  passed  by  ('on- 
and  equal  to  one 
r  the  purpose  of 
^  granted,  for  the 
autliorising  the 
5ymmes  and  his 
Ohio  legislature, 
ow,  and  William 
irty-six  sections, 
nsequence  of  the 
cessarily  lw;iled 
hout  the  limit  of 


laseJ  from  the 
I  Wabash  and 
same,  and  also 
rom  the  Sacs 
ct  between  the 
e  Illinois,  and 
nore  than  fifty- 
e  at  St,  Louis, 
facts  as  to  the 
upon  them  was 
n :  ft  from  that 

i.  269. 

s,  V.  690. 

9. 

Ill,  iViuericaii   Sta'^ 


1S04.  Louisiana  Organized.  489 

ivport  wo   take  sonic   sentences  illustrative  of  the  state  of   (hi- 
capital. 

The  town  of  Detroit. — The  charter,  which  is  for  fifteen  acres  square, 
was  granted  in  the  time  of  Louis  XIV.  of  France,  and  is  now,  from  the 
best  information  I  liavc  been  able  to  collect,  at  (Juebec.  Of  those  two 
hundred  and  twenty-five  acres,  only  four  are  occupied  by  the  town  and 
Fort  Lenault.  The  remainder  is  a  common,  except  twenty-four,  which 
were  added  twenty  years  ago  to  a  farm  belonging  to  William  Macomb. 
As  to  the  lilies  to  the  lots  in  town,  I  should  conceive  that  the  citizens 
might  legally  claim,  from  a  length  of  undisturbed  and  peaceable  posses- 
sion, even  in  the  absence  of  a  more  valid  and  substantial  tenure.  Several 
of  those  lots  are  held  by  the  commanding  ofllcer  as  appendages  of  the 
ffarrison.  A  stockade  encloses  the  town,  fort,  and  citadel.  The  pickets, 
as  well  as  the  public  houses,  are  in  a  state  of  gradual  decay,  and,  in  a 
few  days,  without  repairs,  they  must  fall  to  the  ground.  The  streets  are 
narrow,  straight,  regular,  and  intersect  each  other  at  right  angles.  The 
houses  are,  for  the  most  part,  low  and  inelegant ;  and  although  many  of 
ihem  are  convenient  and  suited  to  the  occupations  of  the  people,  there 
are  perhaps  a  majority  of  them  which  require  very  considerable  repara- 
tion.* 

Congress,  during  1804,  granted  a  township  of  land  in  Michigan 
for  the  support  of  a  College,  f 

During  this  year,  or  early  in  1805,  the  Shawancse  Prophet, 
brother  to  Tecumthe,  began,  as  it  is  commonly  thought,  to  excite 
ihe  Indians  to  entertain  hostile  feelings  against  the  Americans. :{: 
This  may,  however,  be  doubted  as  will  be  seen  hereafter. 

On  the  26th  of  March  a  law  was  passed  organizing  the  country 
wchased  of  France  into  two  portions ;  all  below  the  33d  degree 
of  latitude,  being  formed  into  the  Territory  of  Orleans,  and  the 
remainder  into  the  District  of  Louisiana.  ||  The  former  was  placed 
under  a  proper  territorial  government;  —  the  latter  was  annexed  to 
'he  domain  of  Governor  Harrison  of  Indiana. 

'American  State  Papers,  xvi.  191. 

t  Lanman,  230.  \  McAfee,    Drake's  Life  of  Tecumseh,  86. 

i  Laws  of  Missouri,  i.  5.    Land  Laws. 


1805. 


On  the  11th  of  January,  Congress  mach;  Mifhipjan  a  separate 
territory,  with  Wm.  Hull  for  its  (lovernor :  tlic^  ('han<^e  of  frovcm- 
racnt  was  to  take  plaee  on  June  30th.  On  the  11th  of  that  morith 
a  fire  at  Detroit  destroyed  all  the  buildin<(s  at  that  plaee,  ptihlic 
and  private,  together  with  mueh  of  the  personal  prop(!rty  of  tlic 
inhabitants.  On  the  29th  of  June,  the  Presiding  Judge  reached 
the  Strait,  and  upon  the  1st  of  July,  the  Governor  arrived  there; 
They  found  the  people,  in  part  eneamped  on  and  near  the  site  of 
the  destroyed  town,  and  in  part  scattered  through  the  country.* 
From  their  report  to  Congress,  made  in  October,  we  extract  the 
following  passages : 

The  place  which  bore  the  appellation  of  the  town  of  Detroit,  was  a 
spot  of  about  two  acres  of  ground,  completely  covered  with  buildings 
and  combustible  materials,  the  narrow  intervals  of  fourteen  or  fifteen 
feet,  used  as  streets  or  lanes,  only  excepted  ;  and  the  whole  was  en- 
vironed with  a  very  strong  and  secure  defence  of  tall  and  solid  pickets. 
The  circumjacent  ground,  the  bank  of  the  river  alone  excepted,  was  a 
wide  commons  ;  and  tboiigli  assertions  are  made  respecting  the  exis- 
tence, among  the  records  of  Quebec,  of  a  charter  from  the  King  of 
France,  confirming  this  commons  as  an  appurtenance  to  the  town,  it 
was  either  the  property  of  the  United  States,  or  at  least  such  as  indi- 
vidual claims  did  not  pretend  to  cover.  The  folly  of  attempting  to 
rebuild  the  town,  in  the  original  mode,  was  obvious  to  every  mind:  yet 
there  existed  no  authority,  either  in  the  country,  or  in  the  officers  of  the 
new  Government,  to  dispose  of  the  adjacent  ground.  Hence  had  already 
arisen  a  state  of  dissension  which  urgently  required  the  interposition  of 
some  authority  to  quiet.  Some  of  the  inhabitants,  destitute  of  shelter, 
and  hopeless  of  any  prompt  arrangements  of  Government,  had  re-occu- 
pied their  former  ground,  and  a  few  buildings  had  already  been  erected 
in  the  midst  of  the  old  ruins.  'Other  portion  of  the  inabitants  had 
determined  to  take  possession  c  he  adjacent  public  ground,  and  to 
throw  themselves  on  the  liberality  of  the  Government  of  I'ne  United 
States,  either  to  make  them  a  donation  of  the  ground,  as  a  compensation 
for  their  sufferings,  or  to  accept  of  a  very  moderate  price  for  it.    If  they 


Lanman,  1G9. — American  State  Papers,  xvi.  217. — Land  Laws,  5M. 


1805. 


Detroit  refoumled. 


491 


ipjan  a  separate 
injfo  of  gnvcrn- 
h  of  that  month 
at  place,  public 
property  ot"  tlic 
;  Jucln;c  reaolu'd 
r  arrived  there ; 
near  the  site  of 
h  the  country.* 
we  extract  tiic 


af  Detroit,  was  a 

(1  with  buildings 

ourteen  or  fifteen 

e  whole  was  en- 

ind  solid  pickets. 

excepted,  was  a 

peeling   the  cxis- 

om   the   King  of 

e  lo  the  town,  it 

ist  such  as  indi- 

of  attempting  to 

every  mind:  yet 

he  officers  of  the 

ence  had  already 

e  interposition  of 

stitute  of  f-helter, 

lent,  had  re-occu- 

!ady  been  erected 

,e  inabitants  had 

ground,   and  to 

U   of  liie  United 

s  a  compensation 

ce  for  it.    If  they 

311. 


could  liavo  made  any  arrangement  of  the  various  pretentions  of  indi- 
viduals, or  could  have  agreed  on  any  plan  of  a  town,  they  would  soon 
have  begun  to  build.  Hut  llie  want  of  a  civil  authority  to  decide  inter- 
fering (daims,  or  lo  compel  the  refractory  lo  submit  to  the  wishes  of  a 
majority,  had  yet  prevented  them  from  carrying  any  particular  measure 
into  execution.  On  the  morning  of  Monday,  the  1st  day  of  July,  the 
inhabitants  had  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  resolving  on  some  defini- 
tive mode  of  procedure.  'J'he  .ludges  prevailed  on  them  to  defer  their 
intentions  for  a  short  time,  giving  them  assurances  that  the  Governor  of 
ihc  territory  would  shortly  arrive,  and  that  every  anungement  in  the 
power  of  their  domestic  Government  would  be  made  for  their  relief.  On 
these  representations  they  consented  to  defer  their  measures  for  one 
fortnight.  In  the  evening  of  the  same  day  the  Governor  arrived ;  it 
was  his  first  measure  to  prevent  any  encroachments  from  being  made  on 
the  public  land.  The  situation  of  the  distressed  inhabitants  then  occu- 
pied die  attentioii  of  the  memljcrs  of  the  Governmen*  for  two  or  three 
days.  The  result  of  these  discussions  was,  to  proceed  to  lay  out  a  new 
town,  embracing  the  whole  of  the  old  town  and  the  public  lands  adja- 
cent;  to  state  to  the  people  that  nothir.g  in  the  nature  of  a  tide  could  be 
given  under  any  authorities  then  possessed  by  the  Ciovcrnment;  and 
that  they  could  not  be  justified  in  holding  out  any  charitable  donations 
whatever,  as  a  compensation  for  their  sufferings,  but  that  every  per- 
sonal exertion  would  be  made  to  obtain  a  confirmation  of  the  arrange- 
ments about  to  be  made,  and  to  obtain  the  liberal  attention  of  the 
Government  of  the  United  States  to  their  distresses. 

A  town  was  accordingly  surveyed  and  laid  out,  and  the  want  of 
authority  to  impart  any  regular  tide,  without  the  subsequent  sanction  of 
Congress,  being  fiirst  impressed  and  clearly  understood,  the  lots  were 
exposed  to  sale  under  that  reservation.  Where  the  purchaser  of  a  lot 
was  a  proprietor  in  the  old  town,  he  was  at  liberty  to  extinguish  his 
former  property  in  his  new  acquisition,  foot  for  foot,  and  was  expected 
lo  pay  only  for  the  surplus,  at  the  rate  expressed  in  his  bid.  A  consider- 
able part  of  the  inhabitants  were  only  tenants  in  the  old  town,  there 
being  no  means  of  acquiring  any  new  titles.  The  sale  of  course  could 
not  be  confined  merely  to  former  proprietors,  but,  as  far  as  possible,  was 
contined  to  former  inhabitants.  After  the  sale  of  a  considerable  part, 
by  auction,  the  remainder  was  disposed  of  by  private  contract,  deduct- 
ing from  the  previous  sales  the  basis  of  the  terms.  As  soon  as  the 
necessities  of  the  immediate  inhabitants  were  aLcommodaled,  the  sales 
were  entirely  stopped,  until  the  pleasure  of  Government  could  be  con- 
sulted. As  no  tide  could  be  made,  or  was  pretended  to  be  made,  no 
payments  were  required,  or  any  moneys  permitted  to  be  received,  until 
ihe  expiration  of  one  year,  to  afford  time  for  Congress  to  interpose. 
The  remaining  part  was  stipulated  to  be  paid  in  four  successive  annual 


492 


Tcrumthe  and  his  brother  appear. 


1S05. 


iiistalinpiils.  The  liitrlirst  sum  rcsulliii'r  from  tlic  bids  was  seven  crnls 
for  a  s(iuaro  foot,  and  iho  wliole  avcrajrod  at  least  four  cents.  In  lliis 
way  the  inluiMlanls  were  fully  satisfied  to  eoninience  llieir  buildiiigii, 
and  the  ini('rf(;ring  pretensions  of  all  individuals  were  eventually 
reconciled.* 

Ill  (ills  sanu!  report  atlention  was  railed  to  tlie  unsettled  souIIkih 
boundary  of  JMiclii^an,  to  the  state  of  the  land  titles  generally,! 
and  other  important  points. 

While  in  Miehitrau  the  territorial  government  was  taking  shnpo, 
In('iana:j:  passed  to  the  second  grade  of  the  same,  as  provided  hy 
the  ordinance,  and  ol)tained  lu-r  General  Assembly;  while  various 
treaties  with  the  northern  tribes  were  transferring  to  the  Uniti  il 
States  the  Indian  title  to  large  and  valuable  tracts  of  country.  On 
the  4th  of  July,  the  Wyandots  and  others,  ai  Fort  Industiy,  on 
the  Maumee,  ceded  all  their  huids  as  far  west  as  the  western 
boundary  of  the  Connecticut  Reserve  ;|1  upon  the  21st  of  Aufi;uM, 
Governor  Harrison,  at  Vincennes,  received  from  the  Miamies  a 
region  containing  two  million  acres§  within  what  is  now  Indiana  ;*" 
and  upon  the  30th  of  December,  at  the  same  place  purchased  of 
the  Piankeshaws  a  tract  eighty  or  ninety  miles  wide,  extending 
from  the  Wabash  west  to  the  cession  by  the  Kaskaskias  in  1803.** 
At  this  time,  although  some  murders  by  the  red  men  had  taken 
place  in  the  far  west,  the  body  of  natives  seemed  bent  on  peace. ff 
But  mischief  was  gathering.  Tecumthe,  his  brother  the  prophet 
and  other  leading  men,  had  formed  at  Greenville  the  germ  of  that 
union  of  tribes  by  which  the  whites  w^ere  to  be  restrained  in  thiii 
invasions.  We  are  by  no  means  satisfied  that  the  Great  Indian  of 
later  days  used  any  concealment,  or  meditated  any  treachory 
toward  the  United  States,  for  many  years  after  this  time.  The 
efforts  of  himself  and  his  brother  were  directed  to  two  points : 
first,  the  reformation  of  the  savages,  whose  habits  unfitted  them  for 
continuous  and  heroic  effort;  and  second,  such  a  union  as  would 
make  the  purchase  of  land  by  the  United  States  impossible,  and 


•  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  247. 

+  Only  six  regular  titles  were  found  in  Michigan;  (American  State  Papers,  xvi.  305;) 
in  same  volume,  \>.  2G3,  they  are  erroneously  said  to  be  eight ;  see  American  State  Paper;, 
xvi.  2C3  to  284,  30a  to  557,  592. 

:j;  Dawson's  Harrison,  71  to  78.  H  American  State  Papers,  v.  C95.  702. 

§  Harrison's  Letter,  American  State  Papers,  v.  701.  1 1bid,  v.  696 

**  American  State  Papers,  v.  704. 

tt  See  Harrison's  Letter,  American  State  Papers,  v.  705. 


1S05. 

i  was  sevon  crnts 

if  cents.     Ill  this 

s  their  buililingsi, 

were   cveiiluiillv 


iscltluil  snulli('i[i 
itles  generally,! 

as  takincf  shnpo, 
,  as  provided  hy 
y ;  wliile  variniis 
g  to  the  United 
of  country.  On 
""ort  Industry,  on 

as  the   \V(>st(Tn 

21st  of  Au«i;u>t, 
I  the  Miamit'S  a 
s  now  Indiana  ;*" 
ice  purchased  of 
wide,  extendin;^' 
iskias  in  1803." 

men  had  taken 
jent  on  peace,  [j 
thcr  the  j)ropiii't 
the  germ  of  that 
estrained  in  tlieir 

Great  Indian  of 
1  any  treachery 
this  time.     The 

to  two  points: 
unfitted  them  for 

union  as   wouhl 

impossible,  and 


1805. 


Burr''s  Movements. 


403 


give  lo  llic  aborigines  a  strength  that  might  h«'  dreaded,  l^otli 
these  objects  were  avowed,  and  both  were  pursued  willi  woiuh-r- 
fiil  energy,  perseverance  and  success  ;  in  tlu'  wh(de  country  bor- 
dering upon  the  lakes,  the  power  of  the  Prophet  was  felt,  and  the 
work  of  reformation  went  on  rapidly.* 

It  was  during  this  year  that  liurr  paid  his  first  visit  to  the  West. 
On  the  11th  of  July,  1804,  he  had  shot  General  Hamilton,  an 
event  which  he  felt  would  "  ostracise"  him  ;t  would  fi)rce  liim  to 
Aoek  elsewhere  fi)r  power,  money,  and  fame.  On  the  2n(l  of 
March,  1805,  the  Vice  President  took  his  celebrated  leave  of  the 
Senate,  and  upon  the  2r)th  of  April  was  at  Pittsbm-gh.  llis  pur- 
pose in  going  westward  was  not  the  gratification  of  curiosity 
merely  ;J  and  from  Wilkinson, |1  we  learn  that  he  was  concerned 
with  Dayton  and  others  in  the  projected  canal  round  the  Falls,  at 
Louisville  ;  a  proposal  which  had  been  before  the  United  States 
Senate  in  January. §  From  Pittsburgh  he  proceeded  down  the 
Ohio  to  Louisville,  thence  went  to  Lexington  and  Nashville  by 
land,  and  from  the  latter  place  passed  down  the  Cumberland,  and 
upon  the  Gth  of  June  retched  Fort  Massac. •!  During  his  visit  to 
Tennessee  he  was  treated  with  great  attention,  and  both  Ihen  and 
previously  had  some  conversation  relative  to  a  residence  in  that 
state,  with  a  view  to  political  advancement.**  His  intention.'-, 
however,  seem  to  have  been  entirely  vague  :  among  other  plans, 
he  had  some  thought  of  trying  to  displace  Governor  Claiborne  of 
the  OrLans  territory,  and  took  from  Wilkinson, ff  whom  he  met  at 
Fort  Massac,  a  letter  to  Daniel  Clark,  the  Governor's  most  violent 
too.  On  the  25th  of  June,  Burr  reached  the  capital  of  the  south- 
west, where  he  remained  until  the  10th  of  July,  when  he  crossed 
by  land  to  Nashville,  and  spent  a  week  with  General  Jackson — a 
man,  he  says,  in  many  points  after  his  own  heart  ;j|  and  upon  the 
■20tli  of  August,  was  at  Lexington  again  :  from  Lexington,  he  went 
id  I  by  the  Falls,  Vincennes,  and  Kaskaskia  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  met 
General  Wilkinson  about  the  middle    f  September.     By  this  time. 


iitc  Papers,  xvi.  303;) 
Vmcricaii  State  Papers, 

■rs,  V.  095.  702. 
)id,  V.  G96 


*  Drake's  Tccumseh,  SS.  93.  103.  t  Davis'  Memoirs  of  Burr,  ii.  327.  3G7. 

t  Burr's  Letter  in  Davis,  ii.  359.  ]!  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  274  to  278. 

§  American  State  Papers,  xx.  419  and  470.  f  His  Journal  in  Davis  ii.  368  to  370. 

**  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  appendix,  Ixviii.    Colonel  Lyon's  Deposition. 

tt  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  281. — Claiborne  was  made  Governor  of  Mississippi,'Jannary 
"i,  1S02  ;  and  transferred  to  Orleans  Territory,  December  10,  1804.  (Executive  Journals, 
1.401.476.) 

\\  His  Journal  in  Davis,  ii.  372. 


491  Burr'' s  plans  mature,  1800, 

all  his  plans  appoar  to  have  uiidiTgoiu;  a  change  again.  Al  New 
Oilcans  hi'  hatl  hcen  nuidc  aware  of  the  cxislcncc  ol'  an  assorjii- 
lion  lornu'd  Id  invade  Mexico  and  wrest  it  from  Spain  ;*  he  \v;h 
asked  to  join  it,  hut  rctused.  He  saw,  however,  at  that  time,  ii 
not  hclore,  that,  should  the  disputes  relative  to  Ixiundariesf  tlicfi 
existing  hetween  the  Unit(>d  States  result  in  \var,t  an  opj)ortMriit\ 
would  be  given  to  men  of  spirit  to  concjuer  and  rule  Mexico,  am! 
this  idea  thenceforth  hecaine  his  leading  one.||  But  in  connection 
with  this  plan  of  invasion,  in  case  of  war,  there  arose  whispers  in 
relation  lo  eflecting  a  separation  of  the  western  from  tlie  Alhuiti( 
states ;  of  this  we  iiave  knowledge  by  a  letter  from  Daniel  Clark 
to  (Jeneral  Wilkinson,  wiitten  September 7th. §  What  l>urr's  con- 
versations with  the  commander  at  St.  Louis  were,  we  are  nm 
particularly  told,  but  we  learn  that  he  suggested  the  Mexican  jihiii, 
and  also  intimated  that  the  Union  was  rotten  and  the  western 
people  dissatisfied. H  Such  was  the  eflect  of  his  talk  that  soon  after 
he  li'fl,  Wilkinson  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  advisirit,' thr 
government;  to  have  an  eye  on  Burr,  as  he  was  "  about  somethini:, 
but  v.'hether  internal  or  external,"  he  could  not  learn.**  Tlnb', 
during  1805,  the  idea  of  a  separation  of  the  western  states  from 
the  Union  by  Burr  ajid  Wilkinson,  had  become  familiar  to  iniitiy 
minds,  even  though  the  principals  themselves  may  have  had  w^ 
more  thought  of  such  a  thing  than  of  taking  possession  of  the 
moon,  and  dividing  her  among  their  friends. ff 

Upon  the  23d  of  September,  Lieutenant  Pike,  on  his  way  up  the 
Mississij)pi,  bought  of  the  Sioux  two  tracts,  one  at  the  mouth  of 
the  St.  Croix  river,  the  other  at  mouth  of  the  St.  Peters,  includiiiu 
the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony. |:|: 

In  the  bill  authorising  Ohio  to  become  a  State,  was  the  follow- 
ing provision: 


T 

wide 
ol'  .Tu 

[Tabic 
and  I 
Cong 
.shall 


*  Spencc's  deposition  in  Wilkinson,  ii.  2S3,  note, 
t  Amciicaii  Stat(!  PajxTs,  Ii.  GUO  to  CG9. 

\  Williinson  tlioii|^'lit  tlioy  would,  and  lie  in  a  great  measure  controlled  the  matter. — f'tx- 
his  memoirs,  ii.  300;  General  Adair  in  Davis,  ii.  3S0. 

B  Sec  General  Adair's  testimony  in  Davis,  ii.  379. 

§  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  Appendix,  xxxiii. — The  possibility  of  a  renewed  attempt  to 
diamcmbcr  the  Union  by  Wilkinson,  aided  by  Uurr,  had  been  suggested  in  i  wcstt  ru 
paper,  early  in  the  spring  of  1805.     (American  State  Papers,  xs.  .OTl.) 

5  American  State  Papers,  xx,  579, — Wilkinson's  Testimony  at  Burr's  Trial. 
•*  Deposition  of  Captain  Hughes,  in  Wilkinson,  ii.  Appendix,  Ixx. 
+t  See  Burr's  words  in  Davis,  ii,'378,  note, 

It  American  State  Papers,  v.  753,  754,  755.  See  account  of  Pike's  Expeditious  in  lS05j 
'6  and  '7 ;  published  at  Philadelphia,  1810. 


N( 


isoo. 

agnlii.  At  New 
;c  of  an  ussociu- 
Spain  ;•  lie  wa^ 
',  at  that  lime,  it 
)()iin(lari('sf  llicn 
4  an  oiiportiiriitv 
•iilc  Mexico,  iitnl 
Jul  iti  roniu'ction 
irosc  whispers  in 
Vom  the  Alhuitii 
)in  Daniel  Clark 
^Vhat  l>iirr's  con- 
'cre,  wc  arc  nut 
le  Mexican  plan, 
nnd  the  western 
Ik  that  soon  afler 
avy  advisinc;  tlic 
iibont  soinetluni:, 
learn.**  Thu^, 
'stern  stales  from 
familiar  to  many 
ay  liavc  had  no 
ossession  of  tlif 

1  his  way  up  (iif 
at  the  mouth  of 
^eters,  including 

was  the  follow- 


iSOfi. 


Lewis  and  Clark\s  Kj'jh'ilition. 


495 


illod  tlio  niatti-r.— ^i'^: 


I  rrncwpil  attompt  if 
fzgcstcd  ill    I  wustiru 
) 
r'8  Trial. 


Expeditions  in  lb05; 


Tliird,  th:\t  ono  twentieth  part  of  the  noit  procpods  of  the  JDnds  lying 
with'"  the  waid  Sliite,  Hold  liy  Congress,  from  and  after  the  thirlu'lli  dny 
ot' .luno  next,  after  dedueting  all  expenses  incident  to  the  same,  shall  he 
:i|)plied  to  thu  laying  out  and  making  pidilie  roads,  leading  from  the  navi- 
irublc  watcrH  emptying  intu  ihu  Atlantic,  to  the  Ohio,  to  the  .said  State, 
and  through  the  Humu ;  such  roads  to  be  laid  out  under  the  authority  ot 
Congresi),  with  the  cotuunt  of  the  tscvcral  Stales  through  which  the  roud 
sliall  pass.* 

In  coid'ormity  with  this  cdause,  steps  were  taken  (hiiin«;  1S05, 
which  rcsuhcd  in  tlte  making  of  the  Cumberland,  or  National  road. 


1806. 


During  this  year  the  ronviction  hcramo  more  and  more  strong 
that  the  north-western  tribes  .ere  meditatinyr  hostilities  against  the 
I'nited  States,  but  nothing  of  conse([uence  took  place  ;t  although 
Tccumthc  and  the  Prophet  constantly  extended  and  confuiued  thei; 
inlluence.| 

In  September,  180G,  Messrs.  Lewis  and  Clarke  returned  from 
their  exploration  of  the  Missouri  and  Oregon  rivers.  This  expedi- 
tion had  been  suggested  by  Mr.  Jefferson  in  January,  1803, ||  His 
views  being  sanctioned  by  Congress,  Captain  Lewis  aiul  Lieuten- 
ant Clarke  entered  the  Missouri,  May  14,  1804.  The  ensuing 
winter  they  spent  among  the  Mandans,  and  in  April,  1805,  again 
set  forward.  With  great  difficulty  the  mountains  were  passed  in  thf 
September  following,  and  the  Pacifu'  rea(died  upon  the  17th  of 
N(n'ember.  Here  the  winter  of  1805-6  was  passed.  On  the  27th 
f^fMarcli,  180h,  the  return  journey  was  begun,  and  the  mountains 
were  crossed  late  in  June.§ 

•  Land  Laws,  470. 

+  Marshall  (ii.  47D)  says  tliat  in  this  year  or  the  next,  the  first  attacks  ujion  the  Indian?* 
*ere  nrido,  by  the  whites,  and  some  of  tlie  former  killed  ;  the  red  men  being  innocent  o  f 

»l!  C!     (»C. 

t  Dav, «on's  Harrison,  83  to  90.    Drake's  Tccumseh,  89  to  91 . 

|Americ>n  Slate  Papers,  v.  684. 

^  Sec  Ame.  ican  State  Papers,  v.  705,  &c.    Lewis  and  Clarke's  Journal 


496 


Burr'^s  Movements. 


ISOG. 


The  clifFicultics  with  Spain  hegan  early  in  the  year  to  assume  a 
serious  appearance ;  in  February,  acts  of  a  semi-hostile  charartor 
took  place,*  and  in  August  Spanish  troops  crossed  the  Sabine  and 
took  possession  of  the  territory  east  of  that  river.  This  led  first  to 
a  correspondence  between  Governor  Claiborne  and  the  Spaniard 
in  command ;  and  next  to  a  movement  by  General  Wilkinson  and 
his  army  to  the  contested  border. f  While  his  troops  were  at 
Natchitoches,  in  immediate  expectation  of  an  engagement,  Samufl 
Swartwout  reached  Wilkinson's  camp,  with  letters  from  Burr  and 
Dayton,  of  such  a  character  as  to  bring  matters  in  relation  to  tho 
conquest  of  Mexico  almost  instantly  to  a  crisis. 

Burr,  from  January  to  August,  Mr.  Davis  tells  us,  was  most  of 
the  time  in  Washington  and  Philadelphia;:}:  but  not  idle,  for  in  n 
letter  to  Wilkinson,  dated  April  16th,  the  conspirator  says,  ''Burr 
will  be  throughout  the  United  States  this  summer;"  and  relVi'?  to 
"the  a-sociation,"  as  enlarged,  and  to  the  "project"  as  postponed 
till  December.  II  In  July,  Commodore  Truxton  learned  from  Burr 
that  he  was  interested  largely  in  lands  upon  the  W^'^Nhita,  which 
he  proposed  to  settle  if  his  Mexican  project  failed  ;§  and  in 
August  we  find  that  he  left  for  the  west.  On  the  21st  of  that 
month  he  was  in  Pittsbrro;,  and  there  suo-jjested  to  Colonel  Gcoriio 
Morgan  and  his  son  the  probable  disunion  of  the  States,  growing 
out  of  the  extreme  weakness  of  the  Federal  Government;*!  a 
suggestion  similar  to  that  said  to  have  been  made,  though  in  a 
much  more  distinct  and  strong  form,  to  General  Eaton,  in  the 
March  preceding.**  His  plans,  indeed,  whatever  their  extent, 
were  before  this  time  fixed  and  perfected,  for  it  Avas  upon  the  29th 
of  July  that  he  wrote  from  Philadelphia  to  General  Wilkinson  the 
letter  confided  to  Swartwout,  which  led  to  the  developement  of  the 
whole  business ;  this  letter  've  extract,  together  with  Wilkinson's 
deposition  of  Dfcember  26th,  explanatory  of  Burr's  plans. 

[Yours,  post-marked   13th  of  May,  is  received.]*     I,  Aaron  Burr, 
have  obtained  funds,  and  have  actually  commenced  the  enterprise.    De- 

•  American  State  Papers,  ii.  798. 

+  American  State  Papers,  ii,  801  to  804.  See  for  documents  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  li. 
appendix  l.\.  Ixxxvii,  to  xciii.    Also,  American  State  Papers,  xx.  561  to  563.  5G."). 

^  Memoirs,  ii.  375.  He  had  not  entirely  given  up  Eastern  politics ;  see  Adair's  letter 
in  Wilkinson,  ii.  appendix  Ixxvii. 

H  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  appendix  Ixxxiii.  §  American  State  Papers,  xx.  497. 

%  American  State  Papers,  xx.  501  to  504.        **  American  State  Papers,  493  ;o  ."506.537. 

*  The  parts  in  brackets  were  omitted  in  the  copy  which  Wilkinson  used,  in  causing  the 
arrest  of  Bollman  and  others.  (See  American  State  Papers,  xx.  471,  472.)  This  omission 
was  the  ground  of  the  accusation  hereafter  referred  to« 


1806. 


1S06. 


Burros  Letter  to  Wilkinson. 


497 


'ar  to  assume  :\ 

lostile  charartor 

1  the  Sabine  and 

This  led  first  to 

id  the  Spaniard 

Wilkinson  and 

troops  were  at 

LfTomcnt,  SaiTHU'l 

;  from  Burr  and 

1  relation  to  tho 

us,  was  most  of 
ot  idle,  for  in  n 
ator  says,  "Burr 
;"  and  relVrs  to 
:t"  as  postponed 
earned  from  Burr 
W^'^hita,  ^vhidl 
failed  ;§    and  in 
the  21st  of  that 
3  Colonel  Gcor^rc 
States,  growing 
Government ; "  a 
de,  though  in  a 
Eaton,  in  the 
^er   their   extent, 
as  upon  the  29th 
Wilkinson  the 
elopement  of  the 
ith  Wilkinson's 
s  plans. 


kV 


I,  Aaron  Burr, 
e  enterprise.    De- 


Ikinson's  Memoirs,  n- 

31  to  5G3,   5G.'). 

cs  ;   sec  Adair's  Icttrr 

te  Tapers,  xx.  497. 
Papers,  493  ;o5P().. '■'37. 
jnusedjinoaiisingthc 
1    472.)    This  omission 


tachmenls  from  difTcrcnt  poiuls,  and  under  dinercnt  prclciices,  will  ren- 
dezvous   on   Ohio,    Irit  November — every   iliiiig   internal   and   external 

f;ivors  views  :  protcclion  of  Engl-uid   is  secured  .   T is  going  to 

Jamaica,  to  arrange  with  the  Admiral  on  that  station  ;  it  will  meet  on  the 
Mississippi. — England. — Navy  of  the  United  Slates  arc  ready  to  join, 
and  final  orders  are  given  to  my  friends  and  followers  :  it  will  be  a  host 
of  choice  spirits.  Wilkinson  shall  be  second  to  Burr  only  :  Wilkinson 
shall  dictate  the  rank  and  promotion  of  his  ofhccrs.  Burr  will  proceed 
westward  1st.  August,  never  to  return  :  with  him  go  his  daughter;  the 
ihe  husband  will  follow  in  October,  with  a  corps  of  worthies. 

Send  forth  an  intelligent  and  confidential  friend  with  whom  Burr  may 
confer;  he  shall  return  immediately  with  further  interesting  details:  this 
is  essential  to  concert  and  harmony  of  movement ;  send  a  list  of  all  per- 
sons known  to  Wilkinson,  west  of  the   mountains,  who  may  be  useful, 
with  a  note  delineating  their  characters.     By  your  messenger  send  me 
four  or  five  commissions  of  your  officers,  which  you  can  borrow  under 
any  pretence   you   please  ;  they  shall  be  returned  faithfully.     Already 
3re  orders  to  the  contractor   given,  to  forward  six  months  provisions  to 
points  Wilkinson   may  name;  this  shall  not  be  used  until  the  last  mo- 
ment, and  then  under  proper  injunctions:  the  project  is  brought  to  the 
point  so  long  desired.     Burr  guarantees   the   result  widi  his   life  and 
lionor,  with  the  lives,  the  honor  and  fortune  of  hundreds,  the  best  blood 
of  our  country.     Burr's  plan  of  operations  is,  to  move  down  rapidly 
from  the  Falls  on  the  15th  November,  with  the  first  500,  or  1000  men 
in  light  boats  now  constructing  for  that  purpose,  to  be  at  Natchez  be- 
uveen  the  5ih  and  15ih  of  December;  there  to  meet  Wilkinson  :  there 
to  determine  whether  it  will  be  expedient  in  the  first  instance  to  seize 
on  or  pass  by  Baton  Rouge  :  on  receipt  of  this  send  an  answer ;  draw 
on  Burr  for  all  expenses,  &c.     The  people  of  the  coinitry  to  which  wc 
are  going,  arc  prepared  to  receive  us  :   their  agents  now  wilh  Burr  say, 
.hat  if  we  will  protect  the'r  religion  and  will  not  subject  thc»r.   to  a 
foreign  power,  that  in  tlivee  weeks  all  will  be  settled.     The  gods  invite 
to  glory  and  fortune  :   it  remains  to  be   seen  whether  we  deserve  t'lc 
boon  :  the  bearer  of  this  goes   express  to  you  ;  he  will  hand  a  formal 
letter  of  introduction  to  you  from  Burr:  lie  is  a  man  of  inviolable  bono.- 
inJ  perfect  discretion  ;  formed  to  oxofutc  rather  than  to  project;  capable 
if  relating  facts  with  fidelity,  and  incapable  of  relating  them  otherwise; 
tie  is  thoroughly  informed  of  tlie  plans  and   intentions   of  [Burr,]  mid 
«'ill  disclose   to  you   as  far  as  you  inquire,  and   no  further:   he  has  im- 
Mbcd  a  reverence  for  your  character,  and  may  be  embarrassed  in  your 
pre.<?ence  :  put  him  at  ease  and  he  will  satisfy  you.* 
July  29. 

*  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  li.  316. 

32 


498 


Wilhhison^s  affidavit. 


180G, 


I  instantly  resolved — says  Wilkinson  in  his  afildavit — to  avail  myeclf 
of  the  reference  made  to   the   bearer,  "nd,  in   the  course  of  some  day?, 
drew  from  him  (the  said  Swartwoiit)  the  following  disclosure :  "That 
he  had  been  despatched  by  Colonel  Burr  from  Philadelphia  ;  had  passed 
through  the  States  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  and  proceeded  from  Louis- 
villt,  for  St.  Louis,  where  he  expected  to  find  me  ;  hut  discovering  at 
Kaskaskias  that  I  had  desended  the  river,  he  procured  a  skiff,  hired 
hands,  and  followed  me  down  the  Mississippi  to  Fort  Adams;  and  fr  m 
thciice  set  out  for  Natchitoches,   in  company  with  Captains  Sparks  and 
Ilookc,  under  the  pretence  of  a  disposition  to  take  part  in  the  campaign 
against  the  Spaniards,  then  depending.     That  Colonel  Burr,  with  the 
support  of  a  powerful  association  extending  from   New  York  to  New 
Orleans,  was  levying  an  armed  body  of  seven  thousand  men  from  the 
State  of  New  York  and  the  western  States  and  territories,  with  a  view- 
to  carry  an  expedition  against  the  Mexican  provinces ;  and  that  five 
hundred  men,  under  Colonel  Swartwout  and  a  Colonel  or  Major  Tyler, 
were  to  descend  the  Alleghany,  for  whose  accommodation  light  boats 
had  been   built   and  were   ready."     I    inquired    what   would    be   their 
fourse  ;   he   said,  "  this  territory  would  be  revolutionized,  where  the 
people  were  ready  to  join  them  ;  and  that  thc.e  would  be  some  seizing, 
he  supposed,  at  New  Orleans  ;  that  they  expected  to  be  ready  to  embark 
about  the  1st  of  February  ;  and  intended  to  land  at  Vera  Cruz,  and  to 
march  from  thence  to  Mexico."     I  observed  that  there  were  several 
millions  of  dollars  in  the  bank  of  this  place  ;  to  which  he  replied,  "we 
know  it  full  well;"  and,  on  my  remarking  that  they  certainly  did  not 
mean  to  violate  private  property,  he  said,  "they  meant  to  borrow,  and 
would  return  it;  that  they  nust  equip  themselves  in  New  Orleans  ;  that 
they  expected  naval  protection  from  Great  Britain  ;  that  the  captains  and 
the  officers  of  our  navy  were  so  disgusted  with  the  Goverment  that  they 
were  ready  to  join;  that  similar  disgusts  prevailed  throughout  the  wes- 
tern country,  where  the  people  were  zealous  in  favor  of  the  enterprise; 
and   that   pilot-boat    built    schooners    were   contracted   for  along  our 
southern  coast  for  their  pcrv^ce;  that  he  had  been  accompanied  from 
the  falls  of  Ohio  to   Kaskaskias,  and  from  thence  to  Fort  Adams  by  a 
Mr.  Ogden,  who  had  proceeded  on   to   New  Orleans  with  letters  from 
Colonel  Burr  to  his   friends  there."     Swartwout  asked  me  whether  1 
had  heard  from  Dr.  Bollman  ;  and,  on  my  answering  in  the  negative, 
he  expressed  great  surprise,  and  observed,  "  that  the  Doctor  and  a  Mr. 
Alexander  had  left  Philadelphia  before  him  with  despatches  for  nic ; 
and  that  they  were  lO  proceed  by  sea   to   New  Orleans,  where  he  said 
they  must  have  arrived. 

Though  determined  to  deceive  him,  if  possible,  I  could  not  refrain 
telling  Mr.  Swartwout  it  was  impossible  that  I  could  ever  dishonor  my 
commission  ;  and  I  believe  1  duped  him  by  my  admiration  of  the  plan 


isof).  I  me. 


Suspicions  as  to  Burr'^s  Plans. 


499 


, — to  avail  myfclf 
rse  of  some  days, 
isclosure  :  "  Th:it 
Iphia ;  had  passed 
cded  from  Louis- 
3Ut  discovering  al 
red  a  skiff,  hired 
Adams;  and  fr  m 
iptains  Sparks  and 
rt  in  the  campaign 
el  Burr,  with  the 
e\v  York  to  New 
land  men  from  the 
ories,  with  a  view 
;es  ;  and   that  five 
el  or  Major  Tyler, 
idation  light  boats 
it  would   be  their 
onized,  where  (lie 
d  be  some  seizing, 
be  ready  to  embark 
Vera  Cruz,  and  to 
there  were  several 
h  he  replied,  "we 
y  certainly  did  not 
int  to  borrow,  and 
New  Orleans  ;  that 
lat  the  captains  and 
overment  that  they 
roughout  the  wes- 
of  the  enterprise; 
ted   for  along  our 
accompanied  from 
Fort  Adams  by  a 
is  with  letters  from 
ked  me  whether  I 
g  in  the  negative, 
Doctor  and  a  Mr. 
espatches  for  nie ; 
ans,  where  he  said 

I  could  not  refrain 
ever  dishonor  my 
■iiration  of  the  plan 


:nil  by  observing,  that  alihoiigh  I  could  not  join  in  the  expedition,  the 
engagements  whieli  the  Spaniards  had  prepared  for  me  in  my  front 
might  prevent  my  opposing  it.  Yet  I  did,  the  moment  I  liad  deciphered 
!he  letter,  put  it  into  the  hands  of  Colonel  Cushing,  my  adjutimt  and 
inspector;  making  the  declaration  that  I  should  oppose  the  laulcss  enter- 
prise with  my  utmost  force.  Mr.  Swartwoul  informed  me  that  he  was 
imder  engagements  to  meet  Colonel  Burr  at  Na&hville  on  the  20th  of 
November,  and  requested  of  me  to  write  to  him,  which  I  declined  ;  and 
on  his  leaving  Natchitoches  about  the  ISih  of  October,  I  immediately 
employed  Lieutenant  T.  A.  Smith  to  convey  the  information  in  sub- 
itance  to  the  President  without  the  commitment  of  names  ;  for  from  the 
extraordinary  nature  of  the  project  and  the  more  extraordinary  appeal  to 
me,  I  could  but  doubt  its  reality,  notwithstanding  the  testimony  before 
aie ;  and  I  did  not  attach  solid  belief  to  Mr.  Swartwoul's  reports  respect- 
ing their  intentions  on  this  Territory  and  city,  until  I  received  confirma- 
tory advice  from  St.  Louis.* 

After  leaving  Pittsburg,  Btirr  went  probably  direct  to  Blcnner- 
hassctt's  Island,  where  he  had  stopped  the  previous  summer, 
while  passing  down  the  Ohio,!  and  which  he  thenceforth  made 
!iis  head-quarters.  This  he  was  probably  led  to  do  by  the  fact 
iliat  Blennerhassett,  in  December,  1805,  had  written  him,  that  he 
should  like  to  take  part  in  any  western  speculations,  or  in  attack- 
ing Mexico,  should  a  Spanish  war  actually  occur. |  This  ofter, 
together  with  the  supposed  wealth  of  Blennerhassett,  and  the  ad- 
mirable position  of  his  island  for  Burr's  purposes,  made  that  place 
the  very  one  most  desirable  for  him  to  select  as  his  centre  of 
operations.  From  this  point  the  Chief  made  excursions  into  Ohio 
and  Kentucky,   obtaining    money,    men,   boats    and    provisions.  || 

Among  those  from  whoin  he  received  the  most  aid  was  Davis 
Floyd,  of  Jeffersonville,  a  member  of  the  Indiana  Assembly  ;§ 
his  gentleman,  Blennerhassett,  Comfort  Tyler  and  Israel  Smith, 
verc  Burr's  chiefs  of  division,  and  led  the  few  followers  that  at 
atst  went  down  the  river  in  his  company.  Meantime  the  rumor 
■vas  prevalent  "in  every  man's  mouth, "^  that  the  settlement  of 
lie  Washita  lands,**  for  which  the  men   were  nomiuilly  enlisted, 

'  American  State  Papers,  xx.  472. 

^Colonel  Lyon,  in  Wilkinson,  ii.  appenilix  Ixviii. 

t  Davis,  ii.  3'>'*. 

'  Davis  ii.  392,     Butler's  Kentucky,  ^12.     American  State  Paper?,  jx.  499,  &c 

^  American  State  Papers,  xx.  524.     Butler's  Kentucky,  313. 

*  David  C.  Wallace.  American  State  Papers,  xx.  535. 

"  Sec  as  to  these  lands  Lyncli's  evidence.     American  State  Papers,  xx.  599. 


500 


Daviess  makes  oath  agai7}st  Burr. 


180(j 


was  a  mere  pretence,  and  that  an  attack  on  Mexico,  if  not  some- 
thing worse,  was  in  contemplation.*  That  something  was  loDkii! 
for  beyond  a  conquest  of  the  Spanish  provinces  seemed  prob[\l)l( 
from  the  views  expressed  in  a  series  of  essays  called  tho  "Que- 
rist;"  these  were  published  in  September  in  the  Ohio  Gazette, 
(Marietta)  were  written  by  Blennerhassett,  immediately  after  Burr'- 
visit  to  his  island,  and  strongly  intimated  that  wisdom  called  nn 
the  western  people  to  leave  the  Union. f  At  this  time  Colont! 
Joseph  Daviess  was  attorney  for  the  United  States  in  Kentucky, 
and  he,  together  with  othcrs,|  felt  that  the  General  Governmcm 
ought  CO  ])e  informed  of  what  was  doing,  and  of  what  was  rumored: 
Mr.  Jefferson,  accordingly,  in  the  latter  part  of  September  reccivei! 
intimations  of  w-hat  was  going  forward,  but  as  nothing  definitf 
could  be  charged  there  was  no  point  of  attack,  and  the  Execu- 
tive and  his  friends  could  do  nothing  farther  than  watch  and  wait,]; 
At  length,  late  in  October,  notice  of  the  building  of  boats  and  col- 
lection of  provisions  having  reached  him,  the  President  sent  a  con- 
fideatial  agent§  into  the  west,  and  also  gave  orders  to  the  Gov- 
ernors and  commanders  to  be  upon  their  guard.  Daviess,  mean- 
time, had  gathered  a  mass  of  testimony  implicating  Burr,  which  K  J 
him  to  take  the  step  of  bringing  the  subject,  in  November,  btlon 
the  United  States  District  Court,  majang  oath,  "  that  he  was  in- 
formed, and  did  verily  believe,  that  Aaron  Burr  for  several  months 
past  had  been,  and  now  is  engaged,  in  preparing  and  setting  on 
foot,  and  in  providing  and  preparing  the  means  for  a  military  ex- 
pedition and  enterprize  within  t]  'j  district,  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
scending the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  therewith ;  and  making  war 
upon  the  subjects  of  the  king  of  Spain."  After  having  read  this 
affidavit,  the  attorney  added,  "I  have  information,  on  which 
I  can  rely,  that  all  the  western  territories  are  the  next  object  of  tht 
scheme — and  finally,  all  the  region  of  the  Ohio,  is  calculated,  ik 
falling  into  the  vortex  of  the  newly  proposed  revolution." 

Upon  this  affidavit  Daviess  asked  for  Burr's  arrest,  but  the  mo- 
tion was  overruled.  The  accused^  however,  who  saw  at  once  tiie 
most  politic  course,  came  into  court  and  demanded  an  investigation. 


*  IJurnct's  Ipttcru,  103.     Numerous  witnesses  at  Burr's  trial,  Richmond. 

t  American  State  Papers,  x\.  .027.  523.  53.').     .O^S  and  53G.     See  also  531,  532,  &• 

^  Sec  the  statements  and  papers  in  Marshall,  ii.  385  to  413^24  to  433. 

I  American  State  Papers,  xx.  468. 

§  Mr.  John  Graham,  secretary  of  the  Orleans  Territorj-.     Ilia  evidence  ia  in  AnieriCJ* 
State  Papers,  xx.  .528,  &c. 


1806 

CO,  if  not  somo- 
hing  was  lookti! 
seomc(!  probaLlf 
ailed  tho  "Quc- 
e    Ohio   Gaztttc, 
lately  after  Burr'- 
isdom  called  on 
bis  time   ColontI 
tes  in   Kcntuckv, 
eral   Govcrnmcii' 
bat  was  rumored: 
ptember  received 
nothing   (lefuiitc 
and  the  Execii- 
watch  and  wait.j[ 
of  boats  and  cnl- 
sidcnt  sent  a  con- 
Jers  to  the  Gov- 
Daviess,  mcan- 
5  Burr,  which  led 
S^ovember,  bel'oa 
"  that  he  was  iii- 
or  several  months 
Of  and  setting  on 
or  a  military  ex- 
le  purpose  of  dc- 
and  making  war 
havinsj  read  this 
lation,   on  which 
next  object  of  tin 
is  calculated,  as 
Dlution." 
rest,  but  the  rao- 
saw  at  once  l!ie 
an  investigation. 


1806. 


Irovernor 


Tiji 


n  set 


zes  B 


urr  s 


Boats 


501 


0 


Jimoiul. 

c  also  .")31,  •"'32,  i' 
to  433. 

vidence  \.i  iii  AniernMO 


vhich  could  not  be  had,  however,  in  consequence  of  the  inipossi- 
Ijility  of  obtaining  Davis  Floyd  as  a  witness.  Thus  far  the  public 
^'cnerally  sympathized  with  Burr,  whose  manners  secured  all 
iuffrages,  and  who  on  the  1st  of  December  was  able  to  write  to 
Henry  Clay,  his  attorney,  in  these  terms:  "I  liave  no  design,  nor 
liave  I  taken  any  measure  to  promote  a  dissolution  of  the  Union, 
nr  a  separation  of  any  one  or  more  States  from  the  residue.  I  have 
neither  published  a  line  on  this  subject,  nor  has  any  one  through 
my  agency  or  with  my  knowledge.  I  have  no  design  to  intermcd- 
llewith  the  government,  or  to  disturb  the  tranquillity  of  the  Lnited 
States,  nor  of  its  territories,  or  of  any  part  of  them.  I  have  neither 
nsued  nor  signed,  nor  promised  a  commission  to  any  person,  for 
ari)  purpose.  I  do  not  own  a  musket  nor  bayonet,  nor  any  single 
article  of  military  stores,  nor  does  any  person  for  me,  by  my  au- 
;!in,ity,  or  my  knowledge.  My  views  have  been  explained  to, 
and  approved  by,  several  of  the  principal  oflicers  of  government, 
uud,  I  believe,  are  well  understood  by  the  administration,  and  seen 
3y  it  with  complacency ;  they  are  such  as  every  man  of  honor  and 
iwy  good  citizen  must  approve.  Considering  the  high  station  you 
aow  fill  in  our  national  councils,  I  have  (bought  these  explanations 
proper,  as  well  to  counteract  the  chimerical  tales,  which  malevo- 
lent persons  have  industriously  circulated,  as  to  satisfy  you  that 
you  have  not  espoused  the  cause  of  a  man  in  any  way  unfriendly 
'0  the  law^s,  the  government  or  the  interests  of  his  country."* 

The  agent  from  government,  who  was  all  along  actively  engaged 
in  procuring  evidence  relative  to  Burr's  plans,  finding  abundant 
proof  of  his  Mexican  project,  and  learning  also  that  he  thought  the 
West  ought  to  separate  from  the  East,!  determined  in  December, 
!o  take  measures  to  ar'est  his  boats  and  provisions.  This  he 
(fleeted  by  an  application  to  the  Legislature  of  Ohio,  through  Gov- 
trnor  Tiffin.:}:  The  Legislature  authoiized  the  Governor  to  take 
lie  necessary  steps,  ||  and  before  the  14th  of  December,  ten  boats 
with  stores  were  arrested  on  the  Muskingum,  and  soon  after,  four 
more  were  seized  by  the  troops  at  Marietta. §  Blennerhassett, 
Tyler,  and  thirty  or  forty  men,  on  the  night   of   December  lOtli, 

'  Butler's  Kentucky,  313. 316.     See  JefTerson's  Message,  American  State  Papers,  xx.  469. 
*■  So  Blennerhassett  told  him.     American  State  Papers,  xx.  531. 
:  American  State  Papers,  xx.  .'•29. 
:  Journal  of  the  Senate,  p.  36. 

V  Set  Governor  TilRn's  Letters.    Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  i.  259.  2G0.     His  mcesagc 
'December  15th.   Journal  of  Senate,  36. 


502 


Swartwout  and  Bollman  arrested. 


180h. 


left  the  Island,  and  proceeded  down  the  river,* — barely  cscapinij 
an  arrest  by  General  Tapper,  on  behalf  of  the  State  of  Ohio.} 
On  the  16th,  this  party  united  with  that  of  Floyd  at  the  Falls  ;| 
and  on  the  26th,  the  whole,  together,  met  Burr  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Cumberland. II  On  the  20th,  the  company  passed  Fort  Massao.^ 
But  while  Daviess  and  Graham  were  laboring  to  put  a  stop  to 
Burr's  progress,  the  General  Government  had  received  information 
which  enabled  the  President  to  act  with  decision ;  this  was  tht.' 
message  of  Wilkinson,1I  bearing  an  account  of  Burr's  letter  already 
quoted.  This  Message  was  sent  from  Natchitoches  upon  the  2-2d  ot' 
October,**  and  reached  the  seat  of  Government,  November  25fli; 
on  the  27th,  a  proclamation  was  issued, ft  and  word  sent  westward 
to  arrest  all  concerned. ||  About  the  same  time,  (November  24tli 
or  25th,)||||  Wilkinson,  who  had  done,  unauthorized,  upon  the  1st 
of  Novcraber,§§  the  very  thing  he  had  been  ordered  on  the  8th  t(» 
do, — namely,  to  make  an  accommodation  with  the  Spanish  com- 
mander on  the  Sabine,  HU  and  fall  back  to  the  Mississippi,***  readi- 
ed New  Orleans,  and  prepared  to  resist  any  attack  thereon :  at  this 
city  he  arrested  Swartwout,  Peter  V.  Ogden,  who  was  discharged, 
however,  on  Habeas  Corpus^  and  Dr.  Erick  Bollman,  who  had  also 
borne  messages  from  Burr  and  Dayton. fff 

*  American  State  Papers,  xx.  500.   596.    At  former  reference  date  is  misstatcii,  sIiouIl 
be  "  Sunday,  7th."    See  other  depositions,  pp.  509.  596,  &c.,  &;c. 
+  American  State  Papers,  xx.  504.  505.    509.  523.   534. 
\  American  State  Papers,  xx.  524. 

II  American  State  Papers,  xx.  522.514.     Burr  went  down  the  Cumberland,  December  V, 
American  State  Papers,  xx,  469. 

§  American  State  Papers,  xx.473.  516. 

%  Given  in  Wilkinson,  ii.,  appendix  xcv. 

♦*  Colonel  Smith,  in  Wilkinson  ii.,  appendix  xciv. 

ft  Given  in  Wilkinson,  ii.,  appendix  xcvi. 

^\  Jefferson,  in  American  State  Papers,  xx.  468. 

III  American  State  Paper-,  xx.  469.  600. 

§§  Colonel  Burling,  in  Wilkinson,  ii.,  appendix  xcvii. 

It  Wilkinson  reached  Natchitoclies,  September  24 ;  be  at  once  requested  tlio  Spaiiu-l. 
commander  to  re-cross  the  Sabine  and  save  bloodshed;  the  Spaniard  did  as  rei|uestecl. 
aboutthe30th  of  September.  (American  State  Papers,  xx,  544.)  In  a  week  alter,  Swurt- 
wout  arrived.   (American  State  Papers,  xx.  557.) 

***  Jefferson,  in  American  State  Papers,  xx.  466. 

+tt  Wilkinson,  ii.  318.    American  State  Papers,  xx.  470.. 


Pien 


1807. 


te  is  misstated,  bIiouIg 


bcrland,  December  ii 


What  Burr  may  have  felt  or  intended  after  he  rnct  his  fugitive 
toll  )wers  at  the  mouth  of  Cumberland  river,  late  in  December, 
1806,  it  is  impossible  to  say,  but  it  is  certain  that  he  went  on 
openly  and  boldly,  protesting  against  the  acts  of  Ohio,  and  avow- 
ing his  innocence.  If  he  had  relied  on  Wilkinson,  he  was  as  yet 
undeceived  with  regard  to  him.  On  the  4th  of  January  he  was  at 
Fort  Pickeringj  Chickasaw  BlufTs  ;*  and  soon  after  at  Bayou 
Pierre.  From  this  point  he  wrote  to  the  authorities  below,  refer- 
ring to  the  rumors  respecting  him,  alledging  his  innocence,  and 
begging  them  to  avoid  the  horrors  of  civil  war.f  Word  had  just 
been  received  from  Jefferson,  however,  of  the  supposed  conspi- 
racy ;  the  militia  were  under  arms  ;  and  the  acting  Governor  of  the 
Mississippi  Territory,  Cowles  Mead,  on  the  16th  of  January,  sen* 
two  aids  to  meet  Colonel  Burr ;  one  of  these  was  George  Poindex- 
ter.  At  this  meeting,  an  interview  between  the  acting  Governor 
was  arranged,  which  took  place  on  the  17th :  at  which  time  Burr 
yielded  himself  to  the  civil  authority.  He  was  then  taken  to 
Washington,  the  capital  of  the  territo'-y,  and  legal  proceedings 
commenced.  Mr.  Poindexter  was  himself  Attorney-general,  and 
as  such  advised  that  Burr  had  been  guilty  of  no  crime  within  Mis- 
sissippi, and  wished  to  have  him  sent  to  the  seat  of  government  of 
the  United  States :  the  presiding  Judge,  however,  summoned  a 
Grand  Jury,  which,  upon  the  evidence  before  them,  presented — 
not  Burr  for  treason — but  the  acting  Governor  for  calling  out  the 
militia !  That  evening.  Colonel  Burr,  fearing  an  arrest  by  officei":' 
sent  by  Wilkinson,  forfeited  his  bonds  and  disappeared. |  A  pro- 
clamation being  issued  by  the  Governor  for  his  apprehension, ||  ht; 
was  seized  on  the  Tombigbee  river§  on  his  way  to  Florida,1I  and 
was  sent  at  once  to  Richmond,  where  he  arrived  March  26th. 
On  the  22d  of  May,  Burr's  examination  began  in  the  Circuit  Court 
of  the  United  States  at  Richmond,  before  Judge  Marshall;  two 
bills  were  found  against  him,  one  for  treason  against  the  United 

•  American  State  Papers,  xx.  567,  610.        f  Ibid,  477,  478. 

\  Poiiide.xtcr   in   American   State    Papers,  xx.   56S  to  570. — Wilkinson    in  do.  545,— - 

Graham  in  do.  530  to  531 Mead  in  do.  478. 

I!  American  State  Papers,  xx.  602.  §  Davis,  ii.  333.  f  Butler,  318. 


504 


7iu)'i\<i  (rial  and  purposes. 


1801 


Sfalos.  \hc  other  for  n  mi'^tlcinoanor  in  or^ni)izing  an  ontorpri>;( 
apjninst  Mexico,  while  at  peace  with  the  United  Slates:  hut  nn 
holh  these  cliart^es  the  Jury  found  him  "  nf)t  {guilty, *"  "  upon  llic 
principle  that  the  ofTence,  if  committed  anywhere,  was  commiltid 
out  of  the  jiirisdiction  of  the  Court."!  The  Chief  Justice,  however, 
upon  the  latter  charge,  suhsecpiently  ordered  his  commitment  fdr 
trial  within  the  proper  jurisdiction.^  This  commitment,  however, 
heing  impliedly  upon  tlie  s\ipposition  that  the  United  Slatr'^ 
wished,  under  the  circumstance's,  to  prosecute  the  accused,  and 
the  Attorney  for  the  governinevit  declining  to  do  so,]]  no  further 
steps  were  taken  to  hring  the  supposed  culprit  to  justice,  and  the 
details  of  his  doings  and  plans  have  never  yet  hecn  made  known. 

Although  a  mystery  still  hangs  about  Burr's  plans,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  discontinuance  of  the  suit  by  the  United  States,  wo 
think  it  has  been  clearly  proved  by  the  trial  at  Richmond  and 
other  evidences — 1st,  that  Burr  went  into  the  West  in  1805  with 
the  feeling  that  his  day  at  the  East  was  over ;  in  New  York  he 
feared  even  a  prosecution  if  he  remained  there  :§ 

2nd,  that  his  plans,  until  late  in  that  year,  were  undefined ; 
speculations  of  various  kinds,  a  residence  in  Tennessee,  an  ap- 
pointment in  the  Southwest,  were  under  consideration,  but  notliing 
was  determined : 

3d,  that  he  at  length  settled  upon  three  objects,  to  one  or 
the  other  of  which,  as  circumstances  might  dictate,  he  meant  to 
devote  his  energies:  these  were  — 

A  separation  of  the  West  from  the  East  under  himself  and  Wil- 
kinson : 

Should  this  be,  upon  further  examination,  deemed  impossible, 
then  an  invasion  of  Mexico  by  himself  and  Wilkinson,  with  or 
without  the  sanction  of  the  federal  government : 

And  in  case  of  disappointment  in  reference  to  Mexico,  then  the 
foundation  of  a  new  state  upon  the  Washita,  over  which  he  might 
preside  as  founder  and  patriarch. II 

*  Davis,  ii.  385.     t  Judge  Marshall's  language,  American  State  Papers,  xx.  641. 

I  American  State  Papers,  xx.  645.  The  verdicts  were  of  September  1st  and  15th;  ihe 
commitment  of  October  20th.  In  the  opinion  given  on  this  last  occasion,  the  whole  sub- 
ject and  evidence  is  reviewed  by  the  Chief  Justice.  (American  State  Papers,  xx.  G41  to 
C45.) 

I  Burr's  Journal  in  Davis,  ii.  412. 

§  Adairs'  letter  in  Wilkinson,  ii.  Apdendix,  Ixxvii. 

1  Sec  American  State  Papers,  xx.  530,  where  Burr  speaks  to  Graham  of  the  Washiia 
lands  and  "  a  separate  government." 


1807. 

g  an  ontorjiri^c 

Staffs :  l)iit  mi 

y,*"  "  upon  llir. 

was  foininittid 
isficc,  however, 
commitment  for 
ment,  liowevor, 

United  Statev 
e  accused,  and 
80,11  no  furtlicr 
justice,  and  the 
1  made  known. 
)lans,  in  eonse- 
litcd  States,  wo 
Richmond  and 
St  in  1805  with 
1  New  York  he 

'cre  undefined ; 
incssee,  an  ap- 
ion,  but  notliing 

cts,  to  one  or 
e,  he  meant  to 

mself  and  Wil- 
led impossible, 
anson,  with  or 

exico,  then  the 
diich  he  might 


icrs,  XX.  641. 
r  1st  and  15th  ;  the 
ion,  the  whole  sub- 
Papers,  XX.  6-11  to 


am  of  the  Washita 


1807. 


Burros  Purposes. 


505 


Tliat  tlic  Washita  sclieme  was  not  a  mere  pretence,  we  think 
ovident  from  the  fact  that  liurr  actually  paid  toward  the  purchase 
fnur  or  five  thousand  dollars  :*  that  it  was  not  the  only  object,  and 
that  the  concpiest  of  ]\re,\lc(),  if  it  could  be  efTected,  was  aniontf  his 
settled  determinations,  his  friends  all  acknowledged,!  but  said  this 
oontjuest  was  to  take  place  iij^on  the  supposition  of  a  war  wltli 
Spain,  and  in  no  other  ease  :  that  Burr  may  have  thought  tlie 
government  would  wink  at  his  proceedings,  is  very  possible  ;  and 
that  Wilkinson  either  meant  to  aid  him,  or  pretended  lie  would,  in 
irder  to  learn  his  plans,  is  certain  ;|  but  the  secrecy  of  his  move- 
ments, the  language  of  his  letter  to  Wilkinson  in  July,  1806,  and 
his  whole  character,  convince  us  that  he  would,  if  he  could,  have 
invaded  Mexico,  whether  the  United  States  were  at  war  or  peace 
with  Spain. § 

But  we  cannot  doubt  that,  going  beyond  a  violation  of  the  laws 
^fthe  Union,  he  was  di.sposed  to  seek  a  separation  of  that  Union 
itself.  During  his  visit  of  1805,  he  was  undoubtedly  made  fully 
acquainted  with  the  old  schemes  for  independence  entertained  in 
Kentucky,  and  was  led  to  question  the  real  attacliment  of  the 
western  people  to  the  federal  government.  So  long  as  he  thought 
there  was  a  probability  of  disunion,  it  would  naturally  be  his  first 
object  to  place  himself  at  the  head  of  the  republic  beyond  the 
moimtains,  and  .should  he  find  himself  deceived  as  to  the  extent  of 
iH.saflTection  in  the  Great  Vallcv,  all  his  means  could  be  brought  to 
bear  upon  Mexico.  His  conversations  witli  the  Morgans  at  Pitts- 
burgh ;§  the  views  of  the  "  Querist"  prepared  by  Blennerhasset 
under  Burr's  eye  ;1I  and  the  declarations  of  Blennerhasset  to  ITen- 
ilerson  and  Graham,**  seem  to  leave  no  room  for  doubting  the  fact 
that  a  dissolution  of  the  United  States  had  been  contemplated  by 
the  ex  Vice-President,  although  we  think  there  is  as  little  reason  to 
doubt  that  it  had  been  abandoned  as  hopeless,  long  before  his 
arrest. 

With  regard  to  Wilkinson,  it  is  not  easy  to  form  a  decided 

*  Lynch's  testimony,  American  State  Papers,  xx.  599. 

t  See  Davis,  ii.  chap.  xx. 

t  Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  311.  312. 

',  Sec  Uurr's  conversation  witli  Graham,  American  State  Papers,  xx.  530. 

§  American  States  Papers,  xx.  501.  503. 

^American  State  Papers,  xx.  526.  .')27.  52S. — Judge  Marshall  says,  (American  State 
Papers,  xx.  644,)  "  that  the  ol>ject  of  those  writings  was  to  prepare  the  western  states  for 
» dismemberment,  is  apparent  on  the  face  of  them." 

*•  American  State  Papers,  xx.  525.  526  531. 


rv'x 


50C 


Governor  Hull  buys  the  East  of  MkJdgan. 


1807. 


opinion  ;  the  stroi>;^ost  lacl,  in  his  favor  is  thai  he  informed  tlie  gov- 
ernment of  IJuii's  projects,  in  (he  fall  of  ISOj  ;*  tlie  .stron|^est  fad 
against  him  is,  that  if  innocent,  he  was  able  to  outwit  and  enlrap 
so  subtle  a  man  as  the  conspirator.  It  has  been  charged  against 
Wilkinson  thut  he  altered  the  letter  sent  him  by  Burr,  and  then 
swore  that  Hie  copy  was  a  true  copy  ;f  this  however  is  fully 
explained  by  'he  deposition  of  Mr.  Duncan,  Wilkinson's  Icjral 
adviser  at  New  Orleans,  by  whom  indeed  the  omission  was  suf- 
fered designedly  to  roinain,  in  opposition  lo  the  General's  repeated 
and  strong  expression  of  his  wish  that  it  should  be  supplied.^ 
Another  charge  has  been  brought  against  Wilkinson  since  his 
death,  that  he  claimed  of  Mexico  two  hundred  thousand  dolliirs  for 
stopping  liurr.  II  This  (diarge  seems  improbable,  and  it  seems 
ccpially  improbable  that  during  the  persecution  of  the  General  in 
1810,  no  knowledge  of  so  strange  an  att,  and  one  of  so  public  a 
nature,  should  have  been  reached  by  his  enemies.  As  it  was  nut 
brought  forward  till  183»),  eleven  years  after  his  death,  no  oppor- 
tunity has  occurred  for  explaining  or  disproving  it,  but  it  oui^ht 
not  to  weigh  against  his  memory  until  further  evidence  is  olfered 
in  its  support. 

On  the  27lh  o.  .January,  1807,  Governor  Hull,  of  Michigan  Ter- 
ritory, had  been  authorized  by  the  i'ederal  government,  to  enter 
into  a  treaty  with  the  no;  Ih western  Inilians,  for  the  lands  upon  the 
eastern  side  of  the  Peninsula,  and  for  those  west  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Reserve,  as  far  as  the  Auglaise.§  The  directions  then  given 
hpving  been  repeated  in  September,  a  council  was  held  at  Detroit, 
and  a  treaty  made  November  17th,^  with  the  Ottawas,  Cliippe- 
ways,  Wyandots  and  Pottawatamies,  by  which  the  country  from 
the  Mau.nee  to  Saginaw  bay,  on  the  eastern  side  of  Michigan,  was 
transferred,  with  certain  reservations,  to  the  United  States.** 

Congress  confirmed  the  old  French  claims  to  land  in  the  wc^t, 
during  this  year.ff 

A  stockade  was  built  round  the  new  town  of  Detroit. || 

During  this  year  was  brought  to  a  close  the  movement  in  favoi 


•  See  ante  p.  494.  +  Davis,  ii,  400. 

\  See  his  deposition,  American  State  Papers,  \\.  560. — Wilkinson's  Memoirs,  ii.  33"3 

I  Davis,  ii.  400  to  104.  §  American  State  Papers,  v.  748. 

1  Tlic  treaty,  (American  Stato  Papers  v.  747)  reads  7th;  JofTerson's  message  (sai"' 
page)  and  tlie  treaty  of  Drownstowii,  (p.  7.37)  say  the  17lh. 

*•  American  State  Papers,  v.  747.  745. 

tt  Lanman,  182.  {J  Ibid,  183. 


1. 


1807. 


)rmed  the  gov- 
:  strongest  fact 
vit  and  entrap 
liarged  against 
13mr,  and  tlu'ii 
wever  is  fully 
Ikinson's  legal 
ission  was  suf- 
leral's  repeated 

be  siipplie(14 
nson  since  his 
sand  dollars  for 

and  it  seems 
the  General  in 
;  of  so  public  a 
As  it  was  nut 
eath,  no  oppor- 
it,  but  it  ought 
lencc  is  ollered 

f  Michigan  Ter- 
nment,  to  mtcr 
lands  upon  the 
)f  the  Connecti- 
lons  then  given 
held  at  Detroit, 
tawas,  Chippe- 
le  country  from 

Michigan,  was 

States.** 
md  in  the  west, 

troit4t 
a-ment  in  favoi 


's  Memoirs,  ii.  33'-. 

rs,  V.  748. 

son's  message  (sani' 


IS08. 


Tecumthe  at  Tippicnnoe. 


507 


of  introducing  slavery  into   Indiana   territory.     It   began  with  tlie 
petition  of  four  men  in  the  Kaskaskia  region  in  HOG.* 

In  180.'^,  it  was  again  brought  before  Congress,  and  reported 
against  by  Mr.  Randolph. f  In  ISOI,  it  was  a  third  time  brought 
up,  and  the  following  resolution  olTered  in  the  House  of  Uejj)resen- 
tativcs : 

Resolved,  That  the  shxih  article  of  the  onlinanco  of  1787,  which  pro- 
hibited slavery  within  the  said  Territory,  be  suspended,  in  a  quulifitd 
manner,  for  ten  years,  so  as  to  pernut  the  introduction  of  slaves,  born 
within  the  United  Slates,  from  any  of  the  individual  Slates :  Provided, 
That  such  individual  Slate  does  not  permit  the  importation  of  slaves 
fron.  foreign  countries.  And  provided,  further,  That  die  descendants  of 
all  such  slaves  shall,  if  males,  be  free  at  die  age  of  twenty-live  years, 
and,  if  females,  at  die  'ge  of  twenty-one  years.]: 

In  1806,  the  Report  of  the  Committee  offering  this  resolution 
was  referred,  and  the  same  resolve  again  offered.  || 

In  1807,  the  subject  once  more  came  up  upon  a  representation 
by  the  House  of  Representatives  and  Legislative  Council  of  the 
Territory. §  The  National  Representatives  were  again  asked  by 
their  committee  to  approve  the  step,1I  but  in  the  Senate  a  diirerent 
view  was  taken,  and  it  was  declared  inexpedient  to  suspend  the 
Ordinance.** 


1808. 


During  this  year  Tecumthe  and  the  Prophet  still  continued  qui- 
etly to  extend  their  influence,  professing  no  other  end  than  a  re- 
formation of  the  Indians.  Before  the  month  of  Juneff  they  had 
removed  from  Greenville  to  the  banks  of  the  Tippecanoe,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Upper  Wabash,  where  a  tract  of  land  had  been  granted 
them  by  the  Pottawatamies  and  Kickapoos.  In  July  the  Prophet 
sent  to  General  Harrison  a  messenger  begging  him  not  to  believe 
the  tales  told  by  his  enemies,  and    promising  a  visit :  in    August 

•  American  State  Papers,  xvi.  GS— ante  p.  103.         t  Ibid,  160.         \  Ibid,  xx.  3S7. 
[  Ii)id,  XX.  450.  §  Ibid,  xx.  4ti7.  %  Ibid,  477.  ••  Ibid,  485. 

tt  Dawson,  106. 


nos 


Ilnsfilii  movements  among  the  Savages. 


If^OO. 


arronliiij^ly,  he  sprnt  two  weeks  af  V'mrennes,  ami  1))  his  worfl> 
and  promises  led  the  fiovenior  to  elian^e  very  much  liis  preximiv 
opinion,*  and  fo  Ihiidv  liis  inllucncc  niij^lit  be  beneficial  rather  tlian 
inisehievons.f 

On  Ihe  Oath  of  November,  Governor  Hull  met  at  Rrownstown 
the  Chippeways,  Ottawas,  Pottawalamies,  Wyandols,  and  Sjiawii- 
ncsc,  and  obtained  from  them  a  grant  of  a  strip  of  land  connect- 
ing  the  Maumee  with  the  Western  Reserve,  and  another  strip  eon- 
necting  TiOwer  Sandusky  with  the  country  south  of  the  line  agreed 
vjpon  in  1795.     These  strips  were  to  be  used  for  roads. | 

A  hemp  mill  company  was  incorporated  for  Madison  counlv, 
Kentucky.  II 


lSu9. 


Through  this  year  again  wc  find  Tecumthc  and  his  brothci 
strengthening  themselves  both  openly  and  secretly.  Harrison, 
however,  had  been  on<'e  more  led  to  suspect  their  ultimate  designs, 
and  was  preparing  to  meet  an  emergency  whenever  it  might  arise. 
The  proliability  of  its  being  at  hand  was  very  greatly  increased  li} 
the  news  received  from  the  Upper  Mississippi  of  hostile  movc- 
ments  there  among  the  savages.  In  reference  to  these  movements 
and  the  position  of  the  Shawanese  brothers,  Harrison  wrote  to  llic 
Secretary  of  War  on  the  5th  of  July  as  follows: 

The  Shawanese  prophet  and  about  40  followers  arrived  here  about  a 
week  ago.  He  denies  most  strenuously  any  participation  in  the  late 
combination  to  attack  our  settlements,  which  he  says  was  entirely  con- 
tined  to  the  tribes  of  the  Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivers  ;  and  lie  claims 
the  merit  of  having  prevaiiiiu  upon  them  to  relinquish  their  intentions. 

I  must  confess  that  my  suspicions  of  his  guilt  have  been  rather 
strengthened  than  diminished  at  every  interview  I  have  had  with  him 
since  his  r.rrival.  He  acknowl(;clges  that  he  received  an  invitation  M 
war  against  us,  from  the  British,  last  fall,  and  tliat  he  was  apprised  of 

•  Harrison  had  calloil  him  "  a  fool,"  one  who  spoke  "  tlic  words  of  the  devil,"  anil 
"an  impostcr." — (Dawson,  102.) 

t  Dawson,  107,  108.     Drake's  Tccumseh,  104  to  109. 

\  American  State  Papers,  v.  757.  [|  Marshall,  ii.  455. 


IROO. 

I  1))  his  wonK 
li  liis  prcNioii^ 
"ml  riithcr  tlmri 

t  Blow  1 1st  own 
s,  aial  Shawii- 
laiul  coimccl- 
)llii'r  .stiij)  con- 
he  liuc  agit'cil 

adisoii  couiitv, 


moo. 


Illinois   Territory  formcti. 


r>oi> 


nd  his  hrothcr 
lly.  Harrison, 
(iinato  designs, 
■  it  might  arisi'. 
ly  iiicreaseil  1)} 

hostile  move- 
ese  movenionts 

)n  wrote  to  llic 


;'cd  liere  about  a 
ition  in  tlie  late 
as  entirely  con- 
and  he  claims 
eir  intentions, 
ive  been  rather 
e  had  with  liim 
an  invitation  '>) 
was  apjn'iscd  of 

of  the  devil,"  ami 


llic  intention  of  the  Sacs,  Foxes,  iic.  early  in  the  spring,  and  warinl) 
solicited  to  join  in  their  league.  Hut  he  could  give  no  ."atisfuciory 
explanation  of  hin  negleriing  to  eonununieatc  to  me  einnituslancps  ho 
cxtretnrly  intercKtinj,'  to  iis,  and  towards  which,  I  had  a  few  inonlha 
before,  directed  Iiih  altrnlion,  and  received  a  solemn  assurance  u[  hi.-' 
plicerfnl  compliance  with  llic  injimctions  I  liad  impressed  upon  liim. 

The  rcsidt  of  all  my  enqtiiries  on  the  subject,  is,  that  the  late  combi- 
nation was  produced  by  Hritish  intrigue  and  inlhience,  in  anticipation  of 
war  between  ihem  and  the  United  States.  It  was,  however,  premature 
and  ill  jiidg(;d  and  the  event  8unici(>ntly  manifests  a  great  decline  in 
their  inducnce,  or  in  the  talents  and  addiess,  with  which  they  have 
been  accustomed  to  manage  their  Indian  relations. 

The  warlike  and  well  armed  tribes  of  the  I'otawalarnics,  Ottawas, 
Chippewas,  Dclawares  and  Miamis,  I  believe  neither  had,  nor  wot  Id 
have  joined  in  the  combination  ;  and  although  the  Kickapoos,  wliose 
warriors  are  better  than  those  of  any  otlicr  tribe,  the  remnant  of  the 
Wyandot  excepted,  are  much  under  llie  influence  of  the  prophet.  I  am 
persuaded  that  they  were  never  made  ac(iuainied  with  his  intentions,  if 
these  were  really  hostile  to  tiic  United  Stales.* 

In  lliis  same  letter  the  Governor  at  the  rc(iuest  of  (he  Secrelar) , 
Dr.  Euslis,  gives  his  views  of  (he  defeiiee  of  (lie  frontiers,  in 
which  portion  of  his  epistle  many  valuahle  hints  arc  given  in 
relation  to  the  course  proper  to  be  pursued  in  ease  of  a  war  with 
England. 

In  September,  October,  and  December,  the  (iovernor  of  Indiana 
succeeded  in  extinguishing  the  claims  of  the  Delawares,  Potta- 
watamies,  Miamies,  Eel  river  Indians,  Wcas,  and  Kickapoos,  to 
certain  lands  upon  the  Wabash  which  had  not  yet  been  purchased, 
and  which  were  believed  to  contain  copper  ore.f 

The  treaties  with  the  Delawares,  Pottavvatamies,  Miamies,  and 
Kel  river  Indians,  were  made  at  Fort  Wayne ;  the  others  at  Vin- 
cpnnes;  they  were  protested  against  l)y  Tecumthe  in  tlie  follow- 
ing year. 

In  iSOn  the  western  part  of  the  Indiana  Territory,  long  known 
as  "the  Illinois,"  was  made  a  separate  Territory  with  the  name 
of  the  great  Indian  nation  which  had  once  lived  there.:}: 

On  the  17th  of  February  the  Legislature  of  Ohio  passed  the 
charter  of  the  Miami  University.     With  regard  to  this  institution 

•  Dawson,  130. 

t  American  State  Papers,  v.  760,  to  763.     Dawson,  135  to  1)7 

\  Urown'B  Illinois,  272, — Land  Laws,  563. 


510 


Hostile  intentions  of  Tecumthc. 


1810. 


a  question  at  once  arose,  whether  It  shouhl  he  within  Synirrns' 
Purclmse,  as  it  had  been  originally  intended  it  should  be,  and  as 
the  eharter  required  ;  or  placed  upon  the  lands  with  which  it  was 
endowed, —  which  lands  it  had  been  found  necessary  to  select  oui 
of  the  Purcliase,  as  has  been  already  related.*  The  Legislature 
decided  that  the  University  should  be  upon  the  lands  which  had 
been  appropriated  to  its  support  in  the  township  of  Oxlbrd,t  and 
there  accordingly  it  was  placed. 


1810. 


During  this  year  the  hostile  intentions  of  Tecumthe  and  his  fol- 
lowers toward  the  United  States,  were  placed  beyond  a  doubt. 
The  exciting  causes  were — the  purchase  at  Fort  Wayne  in  1809, 
which  the  Shawanese  denounced  as  illegal  and  unjust;  and  Britisli 
influence.  And  here,  as  in  1790  to  1795,  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  learn  what  really  was  the  amount  of  British  influence,  and 
whence  it  proceeded ;  w^hether  from  the  agents  merely,  or  from 
higher  authority'.  On  the  one  hand  we  have  many  assertions  like 
the  following:  — 

Fort  Wayne,  August  7,  1818. 
Since  writing  you  on  the  25lh  ultimo,  aboui  one  hundred  men  of  the 
Saukies  have  returned  from  the  British  agent,  who  supplied  them  libe- 
rally with  every  thing  they  stood  in  want  of.  The  party  received  47 
rifles,  and  a  number  of  fusils,  with  plenty  of  powder  and  lead.  This  is 
sending  firebrands  into  the  Mississippi  country,  inasmuch  as  it  will 
draw  numbers  of  our  Ind'ins  to  the  British  side,  in  the  hope  of  being 
treated  with  the  same  liberality. 

JOHN  JOHNSON,  Indian  Agent. 

Vincennes,  September  17,  1811. 
states  that  almost  every  Indian  from  the  country  above  this 


had  been,  or  were  then  gone  to  Maiden,  on  a  visit  to  the  British  agent. 
We  shall  probably  gain  our  destined  point  at  the  moment  of  their  return. 
If  then  the  British  agents  are  really  endeavoring  to  instigate  the  Indians 


•  Antr-    p.  488. 

+  Burnet's  letters,  155,  1.56.— American  Pioneer,  i.  269. 


1810. 

yUIiIii  Syininis' 
lould  be,  and  as 
ith  which  it  was 
;ary  to  select  out 
The  Legislature 
ands  which  had 
of  Oxford,!  and 


1810. 


yQssistn)}CC  g^iven  the  Tndians  hy  England. 


511 


mthe  and  his  lol- 
beyond  a  doubt. 
Wayne  in  1809, 
njust;  and  British 
dmost  impossible 
sh  influence,  and 
i  merely,  or  from 
ly  assertions  like 

August  7,  1818. 
undred  men  of  the 
supplied  them  libe- 
party  received  47 
and  lead.  This  is 
lasmuch  as  it  will 
the  hope  of  being 

i,  Indian  Agent. 

ember  17,  1811. 
country  above  this 
the  British  agent, 
lent  of  their  return. 
istigate  the  Indians 


to  make  war  upon  us,  we  shall  be  in  their  noighborliood  at  the  very  mo- 
ment when  the  impressions  which  have  been  made  against  us  arc  most 
active  in  the  minds  of  the  savages. 
succeeded   in  getting  the  chiefs   together  at    Fort    Wayne, 


lliough  he  found  tliem  all  preparing  to  go  to  Maiden.  The  result  of  the 
council  discovered  that  the  whole  tribes  (including  die  Weas  and  Eel 
Rivers,  for  they  are  all  Miamies,)  were  about  equally  divided  in  favor  of 
the  Prophet,  and  the  United  Stales.  Lapousier  tin;  Wea  chief,  whom  I 
before  mentioned  to  you  as  being  seduced  by  the  Prophet,  was  repeated- 
ly asked  by what  land  it  was  that  he  was  determined  to  defend 

with  his  blood  ;  whether  it  was  that  which  was  ceded  by  the  late  treaty 
or  not,  but  he  would  give  no  answer. 

reports  Uiat  all  the  Indians  of  the  Wabash  have  been,  or  now 

are,  an  a  visit  to  the  British  agents  at  Maiden.  He  had  never  known 
one-fourth  as  many  goods  given  to  the  Indians  as  they  are  now  distril)u- 
ling.  He  examined  the  share  of  one  man  (not  a  chief,)  and  found  that 
he  had  received  an  elegant  rifle,  25  pounds  of  powder,  50  pounds  of 
lead,  3  blankets,  3  trouds  of  clodi,  10  shirts  and  several  other  articles. 
He  says  every  Indian  is  furnished  with  a  gun  (either  rifle  or  fusil)  and 
an  abundance  of  ammunition.  A  trader  of  this  country  was  lately  in 
the  king's  stores  at  Maiden,  and  was  told  that  the  quantity  of  goods  for 
the  Indian  department,  which  had  been  sent  out  this  year,  exceeded  that 
of  common  years  by  20,000  pounds  sterling.  It  is  impossible  to  ascribe 
this  profusion  to  any  other  motive  Uian  that  of  instigating  the  Indians  to 
lake  up  the  tomahawk.  It  cannot  be  to  secure  their  trade;  for  all  the 
peltry  collected  on  the  waters  of  the  Wabash  in  one  year,  if  sold  in  the 
London  market,  would  not  pay  the  freight  of  the  goods  which  have 
been  given  to  the  Indians.* 

On  the  other  hand  wc  know  that  Sir  James  Craig,  the  Governor 
of  Canada,  wrote  on  the  25th  of  November  1810  to  Mr.  JNIorier, 
the  British  Minister  at  Washington,  authorizing  him  to  inform  the 
United  States  Government  that  the  northern  savages  were  medi- 
tating hostilities ;  f  we  know  also  that  in  the  following  March  Sir 
James  wrote  to  Lord  Liverpool  in  relation  to  the  Indians,  and 
spoke  of  the  information  he  had  given  the  Americans,  and  that  his 
conduct  was  approved;  I  we  have  farther  the  repeated  denial  by 
the  English  Minister  at  Washington  of  any  influence  having  been 
exerted  over  the  frontier  tribes  adverse  to  the  States,  by  the 
authority,  or  with  the  knowledge  of  the  English  Ministry  or  the 

•  American  State  Papers,  v.  799.  801  to  804. 

■f  American  State  Papers,  ill.  453. — Gaston  in  Congress;  'juotcd  by  Dawson,  175, 

}  American  State  Papers,  iii.  402. 


512 


Council  at  which  Tccumlhe  declares  himself.  1810 


Governor  of  Canada.*  Those  tilings,  we  think,  must  lead  us  t^ 
acquit  the  rulers  of  Great  Britain,  but  they  do  not  show  who,  nor 
how  higli  in  authority  the  functioiuiries  were  who  tried,  as  Tlcuih- 
the  told  Harrison,  to  set  the  red  men,  as  dogs,  upon  the  whiles,  I 
But  however  we  may  think  the  evil  influence  originated,  cer- 
tain it  is  ^lat  the  determination  was  taken  by  "the  successor  oi 
Pontiac,"  to  unite  all  the  western  tribes  in  hostility  to  the  Uiiiud 
States,  in  case  that  Power  would  not  give  up  the  lands  bought  at 
Fort  Wayne,  and  undertake  to  recognize  the  principle,  that  no 
purchases  should  be  thereafter  made  unless  from  a  Council  repre- 
senting all  the  tribes  united  as  one  nation.  By  various  acts  the 
feelings  of  Tecumthe  became  more  and  more  evident,  but  in 
August,  he  having  visited  Vincennes  to  see  the  Governor,  a  council 
was  held  at  which,  and  at  a  subsequent  interview,  the  real  position 
of  affairs  was  clearly  ascertained  —  of  that  council  we  give  tlu 
account  contained  in  Mr.  Drake's  life  of  the  Great  Chieftain. 


Governor  Harrison  hail  made  arrangements  for  holding  the  council  on 
the  portico  of  his  own  house,  which  had  been  fitted  up  with  seats  for 
the  occasion.  Here,  on  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth,  he  awaited  the 
arrival  of  the  chief,  being  attended  by  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
some  ofTicers  of  the  army,  a  sergeant  and  twelve  men,  from  Fort  Knox, 
and  a  large  number  of  citizens.  At  the  appointed  hour  Tecumsch,  sup- 
ported by  forty  of  his  principal  warriors,  made  his  appearance,  the  re- 
mainder of  his  followers  being  encamped  in  the  village  and  its  environs, 
When  the  rhief  had  approached  within  thirty  or  forty  yards  of  the 
house,  he  suddenly  stopped,  as  if  awaiting  some  advances  from  the 
governor.  An  interpreter  was  sent  requesting  him  and  his  followers  to 
take  seats  on  the  portico.  To  this  Tecumsch  objected — he  did  not 
think  the  place  a  suitable  one  for  holding  the  conference,  but  preferred 
that  it  should  take  place  in  a  grove  of  trees — to  which  he  pointed- 
standing  a  short  distance  from  the  house.  The  governor  said  he  had 
no  objection  to  the  grove,  except  that  there  were  no  seats  in  in  it  for 
their  accommodation.  Tecumsch  replied,  that  constituted  no  objection 
to  the  grove,  the  earth  being  the  most  suitable  place  for  the  Indians,  who 
loved  to  repose  upon  the  bosom  of  their  mother.  The  governor  yielded 
the  point,  and  the  benches  and  chairs  having  been  removed  to  the  spot; 
the  conference  was  begun,  the  Indians  being  seated  on  the  grass. 

Tecumsch  opened  the  meeting  by  stating,  at  length,  his  objections  to 
the  Treaty  of  Fort  Wayne,  made  by  Governor  Harrison  in  the  previous 
year;  and  in  the  course  of  his  speech,  boldly  avowed  the  principle  ol 


•American  State  Papers,  453.  iii.  453,  462. 


t  Dawson,  159,  | 


self.  1810. 

must  lead  us  td 
show  ulio,  nor 
lied,  as  Tecum- 
)on  the  while  s.T 
originated,  cer- 
he  successor  (it 
,y  to  the  United 
lands  bought  at 
rinciple,  that  no 
I  Council  repro- 
.^arious  acts  the 
evident,  but  in 
('ernor,  a  council 
the  real  position 
;il  we  give  llu 
t  Chieftain. 

ing  the  council  on 

up  with  scats  for 

h,  he  awaited  the 

;  Supreme  Court, 

from  Fort  Knox, 

r  Tecumsch,sup- 

)pearance,  the  re- 

and  its  environs. 

irty  yards  of  the 

vanccs  from  the 

d  his  followers  to 

:ted — he  did  not 

ice,  but  preferred 

ch  he  pointed— 

rnor  said  he  had 

scats  in  in  it  for 

utcd  no  ohjcciion 

the  Indians,  who 

governor  yielded 

)ved  to  the  spot 

10  grass. 

his  ol)jeclions  to 

n  in  the  previou!* 

the  principle  ol 

1 


1810. 


Tecumthe  meets  Harrison  in  Council. 


513 


his  party  to  be,  that  of  resistance  to  every  cession  of  land,  unless  made 
by  all  the  tribes,  who,  he  contended,  formed  but  one  nation.  He  ad- 
mitted that  he  hat'  threatened  to  kill  the  chiefs  who  signed  the  troatv  of 
Fort  Wayne;  and  that  it  was  his  fixed  determination  not  to  permit  the 
village  chiefs,  in  future,  to  manage  their  affairs,  but  to  place  the  power 
with  which  they  had  been  heretofore  invested,  in  the  hands  of  the  war 
chicfj!.  The  Americans,  he  said,  had  driven  the  Indians  from  the  sea 
coast,  and  would  soon  push  them  into  the  lakes  ;  and,  while  he  disclaim- 
ed all  intention  of  making  war  upon  the  United  States,  he  declared  it  to 
be  his  unalterable  resolution  to  take  a  stand,  and  resolutely  oppose  the 
fiirtlicr  intrusion  of  the  whites  upon  the  Indian  lands.  He  concluded, 
by  making  a  brief  but  impassioned  recital  of  the  various  wrongs  and 
au^ressions  inflicted  by  the  white  men  upon  the  Indians,  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  revolutionary  war  down  to  the  period  of  that  council; 
nil  of  which  was  calculated  to  arouse  and  inflame  the  minds  of  such  of 
his  followers  as  were  present. 

To  him  the  Governor  replied,  and  having  taken  bis  seat,  the  interpre- 
ter commenced  explaining  the  speech  to  Tecumseb,  who,  after  listening 
to  a  portion  of  it,  sprung  to  his  feet  and  began  to  speak  with  great  ve- 
hemence of  manner. 

The  governor  was  surprised  at  his  violent  gestures,  but  as  he  did  not 
understand  him,  thought  he  was  making  some  explanation,  and  sulfered 
his  attention  to  be  drawn  towards  Winnemac,  a  friendly  Indian  lying  on 
the  grass  before  him,  who  was  renewing  the  priming  of  his  pistol,  which 
he  had  kept  concealed  from  the  other  Indians,  but  in  full  view  of  the 
jovernor.  His  attention,  however,  was  again  directed  towards  Tecum- 
>eh,  by  hearing  General  Gibson,  who  was  intimately  acquainted  with 
the  Shawanoe  language,  say  to  Lieutenant  Jennings,  '•  those  fellows 
intend  mischief;  you  had  better  bring  up  the  guard."  At  that  moment, 
;he  followers  of  Tecumseb  seized  their  tomahawks  and  war  clubs,  and 
sprung  upon  their  feet,  their  eyes  turned  upon  the  governor.  As  soon 
2S  he  could  disenffaffe  himself  from  the  arm  chair  in  which  he  sat,  he 
rose,  drew  a  small  sword  which  he  had  l)y  his  L-'ide,  and  stood  on  the 
defensive.  Captain  G.  E.  Floyd,  of  the  army,  who  stood  near  him, 
drew  a  dirk,  and  the  chief  Winnemac  cocked  his  pistol.  The  citizens 
present  were  more  numerous  than  the  Indians,  but  were  unarmed  ;  some 
of  them  procured  clubs  and  brick-bats,  and  also  stood  on  the  defensive. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Winans,  of  the  Methodist  church,  ran  to  the  governor's 
iinuse,  got  a  gun,  and  posted  himself  at  the  door  to  defend  the  Ainiiiy. 
During  this  singular  scene,  no  one  spoke,  until  the  guard  came  running 
ap,  and  appearing  to  be  in  the  act  of  firing,  the  governor  ordered  tliem 
not  to  do  so.  lie  then  demanded  of  the  interpreter,  an  explanation  of 
^hat  had  happened,  who  replied  that  Tecumseb  had  interrupted  liim, 


33 


514 


Harrison  prepares  for  Indian  hostilities. 


1811. 


declariniT  that  all  the  governor  had  said  was  false  ;    and  that  he  and  the 
Seventeen  Fires  liad  cheated  and  imposed  on  the  Indians.* 

The  governor  then  told  Tecumseh  that  he  was  a  had  mnn,  and  that  he 
would  hold  no  further  communication  with  him  ;  iha*  as  ho  had  come  to 
Vincenncs  under  the  protection  of  a  council-fire,  he  might  return  in 
safety,  but  that  he  must  immediately  leave  the  village.  Here  the  coun- 
cil terminated.t 

The  now  undoubted  purposes  of  the  Brothers  being  of  a  char- 
acter necessarily  leading  to  war,  Governor  Harrison  proceeded  to 
strengthen  himself  for  the  contest  by  preparing  the  militia,  and 
posting  the  regular  troops  that  were  with  him,  under  Captains 
Posey  and  Cross  at  Vincennes.l 


1811. 


During  the  first  half  of  this  year,  while  the  diflficulties  with  Eng- 
land made  a  war  with  her  every  day  more  probable,  nolhiiig  took 
place  to  render  a  contest  with  the  Indians  any  the  less  certain.  In 
June  Harrison  sent  to  the  Shawanese  leaders  a  message  bidding 
them  beware  of  hostilities.  ||  To  this  Tecumthe  gave  a  brief  re- 
ply, promising  the  Governor  a  visit.  This  visit  he  paid  in  July, 
accompanied  by  three  hundred  followers;  —  but  as  the  American'' 
were  prepared  and  determined,  nothing  resulted  from  the  meeting; 
and  the  Chief  proceeded  to  the  South,  as  it  was  believed,  to  enlist 
the  Creeks  in  his  cause. § 

Harrison,  meanwhile,  had  taken  steps  lo  increase  his  regular 
troops,1f  and  had  received  the  promise  of  strong  reinforcements, 
with  orders,  however,  to  be  very  backward  in  employing  them** 
unless  in  case  of  absolute  need.  Under  these  circumstancs  his 
plan  as  given  to  the  Secretary  of  War  upon  the  1st  of  August  was 
to  again  warn  the  Indians  to  obey  the  treaty  of  Greenville,  but  at 

*  Dawson's  Historical  Narrative.  f  Drake's  Life  of  Tecumseh,  125. 

^  Dawson,  139,  160,  170,  17.?. 

II  Dawson,  180. 

§  Dawson,  179  to  187.— Drake,  134  to  145.    The  mother  of  Tecumthe  was  a  Creek. 

1  Dawson,  179.  ••  Dawi-an,  190  to  192. 


1811. 

Uiat  lie  and  the 
s.* 

man,  and  that  he 
3  hfi  had  come  to 
might  retvirn  in 

Here  the  coun- 


eing  of  a  char- 
)n  proceeded  to 
he  militia,  and 
.mder   Captains 


1811. 


Building  of  Fort  JLtrriaon. 


515 


ulties  with  Eng- 
0,  nothliig  took 
less  certain.  In 
lessage  hidding 
gave  a  brief  rc- 
e  paid  in  July, 

the  Americans 
)m  the  meeting;; 

ieved,  to  enlist 

ase  his  regular 
reinforcements, 
loying  them** 

rciimstanp  .'S  bis 
of  August  was 

reoiiville,  but  at 

umschj  125. 


nthe  was  a  Creek. 


the  same  time  to  prepare  to  break  up  the  Prophet's  establishment, 
if  necessary.* 

Messages  were  sent  out  as  proposed,  and  di-putations  from  the 
natives  followed,!  promising  peace  and  compliance,  but  the  Gov- 
ernor, having  received  his  reinforcementsj  commenceil  his  pro- 
posed progress.  On  the  5th  of  October  he  was  on  the  Wabash 
sixty  or  sixty-five  miles  above  Vincennes,  at  which  point  he  built 
"Fort  Harrison.":}:  Here  one  of  ids  sentinels  was  fired  upon, 
and  news  were  received  from  the  friendly  Delawares  which  made 
the  hostile  pur})oses  of  the  Prophet  plain.  ||  The  Governor  then 
determined  to  move  directly  upon  Tippecanoe,  still  oil'ering  peace, 
however.  L'pon  the  31st  of  October  he  was  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Vermillion  river,  where  he  built  a  block  house  for  the  protec- 
'ion  of  his  boats,  and  a  place  of  deposite  for  his  heavy  baggage ;  § 
from  that  point  he  advanced  without  interruption  into  the  imme- 
diate vicinity  of  the  Prophet's  town,  where  he  was  met  by  ambas- 
sadors; he  told  them  he  had  no  hostile  intentions  in  case  the  In- 
dians were  true  to  existing  treaties,  and  made  preparations  to 
encamp. 

In  a  few  moments  the  man  who  had  been  with  me  hefoiP  made  his 
appearance.  I  informed  him  tliat  my  object  for  the  present  was  to  pro- 
cure a  good  piece  of  ground  to  encamp  on,  where  we  could  iret  wood 
and  water;  lie  informed  me  that  there  was  a  creek  to  the  northwest 
which  he  thought  would  !^;;i«  our  purpose.  I  immediately  despatched 
two  officers  to  examine  it,  and  they  reported  that  the  situation  was  ex- 
cellent. I  then  took  leave  of  the  chief,  and  a  mutual  promise  was  again 
made  for  a  suspension  of  hoslilities  uiiiil  we  could  have  an  interview  on 
:he  following  day.  I  found  the  ground  destined  for  the  encampment 
not  altogedier  such  as  I  could  wish  it — it  was  indeed  admirably  calcula- 
ted for  tlie  enci'mpment  C){  regular  troops,  that  were  opposed  to  regu- 
lars, but  it  alTordcd  great  facility  to  the  approach  of  savages.  It  was  a 
pie<*c  of  drv  oaU  land,  rising  about  ten  fcot  above  the  level  of  a  marshy 
prairie  in  front  (toward-?  the  Indian  town)  and  nearly  twice  that  height 
above  a  similar  prairie  in  the  rear,  throuirh  whicli  and  near  to  this  banlc 
ran  a  small  stream  clothed  with  willows,  and  brushwood.  Towards 
the  left  flank  this  bench  of  high  land  widened  considerably,  but  became 
Gradually  narrower  in  the  opposite  direction,  and  at  the  distance  of  one 

*  Dawson,  192.  t  Dawson,  196. 

}  Dnwson,  197. — Dawson  says  65  miles  from  Vincennes;  Perkins  in  his  History  of  the 
\V:ir  of  1S12  (p.  91)  says  (iO  miles. 
I  Dawson,  197,  198.  199. 
§  D.iwson,  203. — Official  account,  American  State  Papers,  «.  776. 


61G 


BatlL  of  Tippecanoe. 


1811. 


hundred  and  Hfly  yards  from  ihe  right  (lank,  terminated  in  an  abrupt 
^(Oint.  The  two  columns  of  infantry  occupied  the  front  and  rear  of  tliis 
gro'.nd  at  the  distance  of  about  one  liundred  and  fifty  yards  from  each 
other  on  tiie  left,  and  something  more  tlian  half  that  distance  on  the 
right  (lank — these  Hanks  were  fdled  up,  the  first  liy  two  companies  of 
mounted  rificnien  amounting  to  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  mnn, 
under  the  command  of  Major-General  Wells,  of  the  Kentucky  miliiia, 
who  seived  as  a  •'^.ijor ;  the  other  by  Spencer's  company  of  mouinod 
riflemen,  which  amounted  to  eighty  men.  The  front  line  was  conipoocd 
of  one  battalion  of  United  States'  infantry  under  the  command  of  Major 
Floyd,  flanked  on  the  right  by  two  companies  of  militia,  and  on  the  left 
by  one  company.  The  rear  line  was  composed  )f  a  battalion  of  UniicJ 
States'  troops  under  the  comniand  of  Captain  Baen,  acting  as  major,  anJ 
four  companies  of  militia  infantry  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Decker. 
The  regular  troops  of  this  line  joined  the  mounted  riflemen  under  Gene- 
ral Wells  on  the  left  flank,  and  Colonel  Decker's  battalion  formed  an 
angle  with  Spencer's  company  on  the  left. 

Two  troops  of  Dragoons,  amounting  to  in  the  aggregate  about  sixty 
men,  were  encamped  in  the  rear  of  the  left  flank,  and  Captain  Parke's 
troop,  which  was  larger  than  the  other  two,  in  the  rear  of  the  front 
line.  Our  order  of  encampment  varied  little  from  that  above  described, 
excepting  when  some  peculiarity  of  the  ground  made  it  necessary.  For 
a  night  attack  the  order  of  encampment  was  the  order  of  batdu,  aiu! 
each  man  slept  immediately  opposite  to  his  post  in  the  line.  In  tlie  for- 
mation of  my  troops  I  used  a  single  rank,  or  what  is  called  Indian  file— 
because  in  Indian  warfare,  where  there  is  no  shock  to  resist,  one  rank  is 
nearly  as  good  as  two,  and  in  that  kind  of  warfare  the  extension  of  line 
is  of  the  first  importance.  Raw  troops  also  manctuvre  with  much  more 
facility  in  single  than  in  double  ranks.  It  was  my  constant  custom  to 
assemble  all  the  field  oflicers  at  my  tent  every  evening  by  signal,  to  give 
them  the  watchword  and  their  instructions  for  the  night — those  given  for 
the  night  of  the  Gth  were,  that  each  corps  which  formed  a  part  of  the 
exterior  line  of  the  encampment,  ':!.uuld  hold  its  own  ground  until  ic- 
lieved.  The  dragoons  were  directed  to  parade  dismounted  in  case  of  a 
night  attack,  with  their  pistols  in  their  bells,  and  to  act  as  a  corps  de 
reserve.  Tiie  camp  was  defended  by  two  captains'  guards,  consisting 
each  of  four  non-commissioned  officers  and  forty-two  privates  ;  and  two 
subalterns'  guards  of  twenty  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates. 
The  whole  under  the  command  of  a  field  officer  of  the  day.  The  troops 
were  regularly  called  up  an  hour  before  day,  and  made  to  continue  under 
arms  until  it  was  quite  light.  On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  I  had  risen 
at  a  quarter  after  four  o'clock,  and  the  signal  for  calling  out  the  men 
would  have  been  given  in  two  minutes,  when  the  attack  commenced.  It 
began  on  our  left  flank — but  a  single  yun  was  fired  by  the  sentinels  or 


1811. 

led  in  an  abrupt 
I  and  rear  of  iliis 
y;irds  from  c;icli 
,  distance  on  the 
vo  companies  of 
ind  twenty  mnn, 
Conlncky  miliiia, 
lany  of  mounted 
le  was  composed 
)nimand  of  Major 
a,  and  on  the  left 
iUtalion  of  United 
:ing  as  major,  and 
Colonel  Ducker. 
I  men  under  Genc- 
ttalion  formed  an 

egate  about  sixty 
Captain  Parke's 
rear  of  the  front 
L  above  described, 
t  necessary.    For 
er  of  battlu,  ai'd 
line.     In  the  for- 
illed  Indian  file- 
resist,  one  raidi  is 
extension  of  line 
with  much  more 
nstanl  custom  to 
jy  signal,  to  give 
— iliose  given  for 
ed  a  part  of  the 
ground  until  ic- 
nted  in  case  of  a 
ct  as  a  corps  de 
Tuards,  consisting 
rivates  ;  and  two 
:rs   and   privates, 
day.   The  troops 
to  continue  under 
3  7th,  I  had  risen 
ing  out  the  men 
k  commenced.  It 
the  sentinels  or 


1811. 


Battle  of  Tippecanoe. 


517 


by  the  guard  in  that  direction,  which  inndo  not  the  least  rrsistnnce,  hut 
abandoned  their  officer  and  fled  into  cnmp,  and  the  first  noiico  which 
the  troops  of  that  n.'uik  had  of  the  daniicr,  was  from  the  yells  of  the 
savages  within  a  short  distance  of  the  lino — l)!it  even  under  those  cir- 
cumstances the  men  were  not  wantinjz  to  themselves  or  to  the  occasion. 
Such  of  them  as  were  awake,  or  were  easily  awakened,  seized  their 
nrms  and  took  their  stations;  others  which  were  more  tnnh',  had  to 
contend  with  the  enemy  in  the  doors  of  their  tents.  The  storm  first 
fill  upon  Captain  Barton's  company  of  the  1th  United  States'  regiment, 
and  Captain  Ceig  r'.s  company  of  mounted  riflemen,  which  formed  the 
left  angle  of  the  rear  line.  The  fire  upon  these  was  exceedingly  severe, 
and  they  snlTered  considerably  before  relief  could  be  brought  to  them. 
Some  few  Indians  passed  into  the  encampment  near  the  angle,  and  one 
or  two  penetrated  to  some  distance  before  they  were  killed.  I  believe 
all  the  other  companies  were  imder  arms  and  tolerably  formed  before 
they  were  flred  on.  The  morning  was  dark  and  cloudy  ;  our  firr s  af- 
forded a  partial  light,  which  if  it  gave  us  some  opportunity  of  taking 
nur  positions,  was  still  more  advantageous  to  the  enemy,  nfl^nrding  them 
the  means  of  taking  a  surer  aim  ;  they  were  therefore  extinguished  as 
soon  as  possible.  Under  all  these  discouraging  circumstances,  the 
lioops  (l0-20ths  of  whom  had  never  been  in  action  before)  behaved  in 
a  manner  that  can  never  be  too  much  applauded.  They  took  their  places 
widiout  noise  and  with  less  confusion  than  could  have  lieen  expected 
from  veterans  placed  in  a  sinular  situation.  As  soon  as  I  could  mount 
my  horse,  I  rode  to  the  angle  that  was  attacked — I  found  that  Barton's 
company  had  sufl[*ered  severely  and  the  left  of  Geiger's  entiiely  broken. 
1  imm.nliately  ordered  Cook's  company  and  the  late  Capt.  Wentworth's, 
under  Lieut.  Peters,  to  be  brought  up  from  the  centre  of  the  rear  line, 
where  the  ground  was  much  more  defensible,  and  formed  across  the 
angle  in  support  of  Barton's  and  Geiger's.  i\Iy  attention  was  then 
engaged  by  a  heavy  firing  upon  the  left  of  the  front  lino,  where  were 
stationed  the  small  company  of  United  States'  riflemen  (then  however 
armed  with  muskets)  and  the  companies  of  Baen,  Snclling,  and  Pres- 
cott  of  the  4th  regiment.  I  found  Major  Daviess  forming  the  dragoons 
in  the  rear  of  those  companies,  and  understanding  that  the  heaviest  part 
of  the  eneiny's  fire  proceeded  from  some  trees  about  fifteen  or  twenty 
paces  in  front  of  those  companies,  I  directed  the  major  to  dislodge  them 
with  a  part  of  the  dragoons.  Unfortunately  the  major's  gallantry  deter- 
mined him  to  execute  the  order  with  a  smaller  force  than  was  sufficient, 
which  enabled  the  enemy  to  avoid  him  in  front  and  attack  his  flanks. 
The  major  was  mortally  wounded,  and  his  party  driven  back.  The 
Indians  were  however  immediately  and  gallantly  dislodged  from  their 
advantageous  position,  by  Captain  Snelling  at  the  head  of  his  company. 
Ill  the  course  of  a  few  minutes  after  the  commencement  of  the  attack, 


518 


Battle  of  Tippecanoe. 


1811. 


ihr  (Irf!  pxtcndrd  nloiiif  the  left  (link,  lliu  whole  of  llin  front,  tlic  li'dit 
fliiiik,  and  part  (if  ih(!  rear  line.  Upon  Spencer's  mounted  rillnncii, 
and  tlie  riijhtof  Warwick's  eompany,  wliieh  was  posted  on  tlic  right  of 
the  rear  line,  it  was  excessively  severe:  (Captain  Npeneer,  and  his  first 
and  seeond  lieutenants,  were  killed,  and  Captain  Warwick  was  mortally 
wounded — those  eom|)nnies  however  still  hnively  maintained  their  posts, 
but  Spencer  had  suH'ered  so  severely,  and  liavinj^  oriirinally  too  nuicli 
ground  to  occupy,  I  reinforced  them  with  Hohh's  company  of  riflemen, 
which  had  been  driven,  or  by  mistake  ordered  from  their  position  on  the 
left  Hank,  towards  the  centre  ol  tlie  camp,  and  filled  the  vacancy  that 
had  been  occupied  by  l{ol)b  with  Prescott's  company  ol  the  4lh  United 
Slates'  regiment.  iMy  great  object  was  to  keep  the  lines  entire,  to  pre- 
vent "  oir  ^  from  breaking  into  the  camp  until  daylight,  which  should 
enabl      .  make  a  general  and  elTectual  charge.     \Vith  this  view,  I 

had  rei,  ."<  very  part  of  the  line  that  had  suH'eied  much;  and  as 

soon  as  li.o  ajipr'  .  '•  of  morning  discovered  itself,  1  withdrew  from  the 
front  line,  Snelling's,  Posey's,  (under  Lieutenant  Albright,)  and  Scott's, 
and  from  the  r  ar  line,  Wilson's  companies,  and  drew  them  up  upon  tli.- 
left  flank,  and  at  the  same  time,  I  ordered  Cook's  and  IJaen's  companies, 
the  former  from  the  rear,  and  tlic  latter  from  the  front  line,  to  reiiiforrt 
the  right  flank  ;  foreseeing  that  at  these  points  the  enemy  would  make 
their  last  eflorts.  Major  Wells,  who  commanded  on  the  left  flank,  not 
knowing  my  intentions  precisely,  had  taken  the  command  of  these  com- 
panies, had  charged  the  enemy  before  I  had  formed  the  body  of  dragoons 
with  which  I  meant  to  support  the  infantry  ;  a  small  detachment  of  these 
were,  however,  ready,  and  proved  amply  suflicient  for  the  purpose. 
The  Indians  were  driven  by  the  infai.try,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
and  the  dragoons  pursued  and  forced  them  into  a  marsh,  where  they 
could  not  be  followed.  Captain  Cook,  and  Lieutenant  Larebee  li.id, 
agreeably  to  my  order,  marched  their  companies  to  the  right  fla  >k,  hud 
foimed  them  under  the  tire  of  the  enemy,  and  being  then  joined  by  the 
riflemen  of  that  flank,  had  charged  the  Lidians,  killed  a  number,  and 
put  the  rest  to  a  precipitati;  flight.  A  favorable  opportunity  was  here 
ofl!*ered.  to  pursue  the  enemy  with  dragoons,  but  being  engaged  at  tliat 
time  on  the  other  flank,  I  did  not  observe  it,  until  it  was  too  hte. 

I  have  thus,  sir,  given  you  the  particulars  of  an  action,  which  was 
certainly  maintained  with  the  greatest  obstinacy  and  perseverance,  by 
both  parties.  The  Indians,  manifested  a  ferocity  uncommon,  even  with 
them — to  their  savage  fury  our  troops  opposed  that  cool,  and  deliberate 
valor,  which  is  characteristic  of  the  Christian  soldier.* 

The  Americans  in  this  battle  had  not  more  than  700  clHeient 
Ricn,  —  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates;!  the  Indians  are 


•  American  State  Papers,  v.  77' 


+  Harrison  in  American  State  Papers,  v.  778. 


1811. 

10  front,  llic  rii;lit 
in\intc(l  rillrmcn, 
cil  on  llic  rij^lit  of 
icer,  iinil  liis  first 
k'ick  was  nu)i't:illy 
tiiinod  their  posis, 
ir'nuilly  too  nuicli 
paiiy  of  riflemen, 
!ir  position  on  llic 
llie  vacancy  that 
ol   the  4lh  United 
les  entire,  to  pre- 
ght,  which  should 
Witli  liiis  view,  I 
3(1  much  ;  and  as 
villidrew  from  ilic 
ight,)  and  Scoll'^ 
them  up  upon  tlu' 
liacn's  companic*, 
t  line,  to  reinrori'( 
leniy  would  make 
the  left  flank,  noi 
and  of  these  corn- 
body  of  dratjoons 
otachmentof  tiiese 
for  the  purpose. 
nt  of  the  bayonet, 
larsli,  where  they 
ant  Larebee  had, 
le  right  fla  '1;,  had 
len  joined  by  the 
ud  a  niiinber,  and 
ortunity  was  here 
g  engaged  at  that 
IS  loo  late, 
iction,  which  was 
perseverance,  by 
inmon,  even  with 
)ol,  and  deliberate 

III   700   cflicicnt 
the  Indians  are 

tatc  Papers,  v.  77S. 


1811. 


Battle  of  Tippecanoe, 


519 


lu'licved  lo  liavo  liad  SOO  lo  1000  warriors.*  Tli.  loss  of  the 
American  army  was  37  killed  on  tlu"  fu'Id,  25  mortal!)  wounded, 
and  12()   wounded,!  that  of  llic    Indians   ahont    10   killed   on  the 


spot,  tl 


le  nuinner  oi  woiiii 


f 


ded  1 


)einir  uiikiiowii 


4 


Governor  Harrison,  allliotit^li  \  cry  generally  popular,  had  ene- 
mies, and  after  the  battle  of  Tijipeeanoe  llu-y  deiioiiiieed  hiui,  1st 
for  sullering  the  Indians  to  point  out  his  eampin|^  (^lound  ;  -2(1,  for 
allowiiifT  himself  to  he  surprised  by  his  enemy;  and  iJd,  because 
hi  saerillced  either  Daviess  or  Owen,  (aeeouuts  dillered)  by  plac- 
ing one  or  the  other  on  a  favorite  while  horse  of  his  own,  which 
caused  the  savages  to  make  the  rider  an  especial  mark.  To  these 
charges  elaborate  leplies  have  been  inade;||  we  cannot  do  more 
than  s'ly,  to  the  Is!,  that  ahhougli  as  Harrison  relates,  the  Indians 
poiated  out  the  creek  upon  which  was  the  site  of  his  encampment, 
his  own  officers  found,  examined,  and  ap[)roved  thai  j)i"'icular 
site,  and  other  military  men  have  since  approved  their  st'l  ii-  § 
to  the  2d  the  only  reply  needed  is,  that  the  facts  were  j'  '  as  •- 
ted  in  the  despatch  we  liave  quoted  ;1I  and  to  the  3d,  t'l.  '  i  aviess 
was  killed  on  fool,  and  Owen  on  a  horse  not  General  xli.  lioji's: 
the  last  story  probably  arose  from  the  fact  that  Taylor,  v  fellow  aid 
of  Owen,  was  mounted  on  a  horse  of  the  (iovernor's,  .'  I'aylur 
was  not  killed,  though  the  horse  he  rode  was.** 

The  battle  of  Tippecanoe  was  fought  upon  the  7th  of  Novem- 
ber, and  upon  the  4th  of  the  following  month  Harrison  writes  that 
the  frontiers  never  enjoyed  more  perfect  repose; ff  though  it  seems 
to  be  clear  that  the  dis])osition  to  do  mischief  was  by  no  means 
extinguished  among  the  savages. || 

During  this  year  two  events  took  place,  beside  the  battle  of 
Tippecanoe,  which  make  it  especially  noticeable  in  the  history  of 
the  West;  the  one  was,  the  building  of  the  steamer  New  Orleans, 
the  first  boat  built  beyond  the  Alleghanies;  the  other  was  the 
series  of  Earthquakes  which  destroyed  New  Madrid,  and  aflected 


*  Dawson,  216. — Drake's  T(;cunis(?h,  152.  Harrison  estimated  the   savages  at  GOO  at 
least. — American  State  I'apers,  v.  778. 

t  American  State  Papers,  v.  779.  t  Dawson,  216, 

II  See  especially  Dawson,  201  to  250.  §  Tavjor  in  Dawson,  208,  226.— McAfee, 

f  Todd  and  Drake,  '^■i  to  36.— Dawson,  212.  220.  &c  ,  216,  &c. 
*'  Harrison  in  Todd  and  Drake  37.  tt  American  State  Papers,  v.  779. 

\\  Dawson,  258  to  268. — Marshall,   ii.   480,  Sec. — John  .Tohn.ston  of  Piipia  thinks  the 
Indians  might  have  been  attached  to  the  Americans. — (Cist's  Miscellany,  ii.  298.) 


520 


(ireal  Eait/iqun/ie. 


1811. 


the   Nvliolc  valley. — Of   llit!   latlcr  event  wo   give    the    following 
deserijttiou  iVoiii  llie  pen  ol'  Dr.  Ilildri'ili :  *' 

The  cenlri!  of  its  violciici;  was  llioiijihl  to  be  near  the  liitllo  Prairie, 
tweiiiy-liv(!  or  tliiity  miles  Ix  low  New  Madrid  ;  the  viI)ratioiis  from 
which  were  fell  all  over  the  valley  of  llie  Ohio,  as  high  up  as  Pitts- 
binjjli.  'I'lie  first  shock  was  fell  in  the  iii^hl  of  the  UUh  of  Dcecml)pr. 
1811,  and  was  repealed  at  intervals,  with  decreasing  viitlenee,  into 
February  following.  New  Madrid,  having  suffered  more  than  any  othor 
town  on  the  ^lississippi  from  its  cfTecis,  was  considered  as  situated  ncnr 
the  foeus  from  whence  the  undulations  proceeded. 

From  an  eye-witness,  who  was  tlien  about  forty  miles  below  tint 
town,  ill  a  flat  boat,  on  his  way  to  New  Orleans  with  a  load  of  produrp, 
and  who  narrated  the  scene  to  me,  the  agitation  which  convulsed  ihr 
earth  and  the  waters  of  tlu;  mighty  Mississipjii  fdlcd  every  living  cm- 
turc  with  horror.  The  first  shock  took  place  in  the  night,  while  the  Iiont 
wa.v  l}ing  at  the  shore  in  company  with  several  others.  At  this  period 
there  was  danger  apprehended  from  die  soiithern  Indians,  it  being  snon 
after  die  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  and  for  safety  several  boats  kepi  in  mm- 
pany,  for  mutual  defence  in  case  of  an  attack.  In  the  middle  of  the 
night  tlicre  was  a  terril)le  shock  and  jarring  of  the  boats,  so  that  the 
crews  were  all  awakened  and  hurried  on  deck  with  their  weapon-  of 
defence  in  their  hands,  thinking  the  Indians  were  rushing  on  hoanl, 
The  ducks,  geese,  swans,  and  various  odier  aquatic  birds,  whose  num- 
berless flocks  were  quietly  resting  in  the  eddies  of  the  river,  were 
thrown  into  the  greatest  tumult,  and  with  loud  screams  expressed  their 
alarm  in  accents  of  terror.  The  noise  and  commotion  soon  bcorimo 
hushed,  and  nothing  could  be  discovered  to  excite  apprehension,  so  that 
the  boatmen  eonchided  that  the  shock  was  occasioned  by  the  falling  in 
of  a  larg(!  mass  of  the  bank  of  the  river  near  them.  As  soon  as  it  was 
light  enough  to  distinguish  objects,  the  crews  were  all  up  making  ready 
to  depart.  Directly  a  loud  roaring  and  hissing  was  heard,  like  the  escape 
of  steam  from  a  boiler,  accompanied  by  Uie  most  violent  agitation  of  the 
shores  and  tremendous  boiling  up  of  the  waters  of  the  Mississippi  in 
huge  swells,  rolling  the  waters  below  b..ck  on  the  descending  slrenin, 
and  tossing  the  boats  about  so  violently  that  die  men  wdth  difficulty 
could  keep  on  tiieir  feet.  The  sandbars  and  points  of  the  islands  gave 
way,  swallowed  up  in  the  tumultuous  bosom  of  the  river;  carrying 
down  with  them  the  eottonwood  trees,  cracking  and  crashing,  tossing 
their  arms  to  and  fro,  as  if  sensible  of  their  danger,  while  they  disap- 
peared beneath  the  flood.     The  water  of  the  river,  which  the  day  before 

*  III  (";ir('v'N-  INTiispiiin  lor  Aiirii  17S9,  p.  Tifi.^,  in  an  account  of  the  Great  Earthquake 
of  17i7. — On  tliosd  of  ISll,  see  also  Senator  Linn's  letter  in  VVetniore's  Missouri  (!a/.t't- 
tcer,  (St.  Louis,  1S37,)  131  to  lli. — Drake's  I'icliirc  of  Cincinnati. — Flint's  IlecollcctioiiJ. 


181 

was 

bcca 
las  he 
foam 


tliL'    following 


llic  Tjilllc  Priiirin, 
!  vil)nilioiis  from 
ligli  up  as  Pitts- 
M\\  of  Dccciiil)cr. 
ig  violence,  into 
ire  than  any  otlirr 
(I  as  sitiKitf'd  nrnr 

miles   below  tint 

[»  load  of  prodiirp, 

lieh  convulsed  ilip 

every  living  rrea- 

111,  while  the  hnnt 

.     At  this  pcrind 

ins,  it  being  snon 

loats  kepi  in  cnm- 

he  middle  of  tlio 

)oats,  so  that  the 

their  weapon^  of 

nshing   on  lio.inl, 

irds,  whose  niim- 

the  river,  were 

s  expressed  their 

ion   soon   hccriiiio 

rchension,  so  that 

1  by  the  falling  in 

Vs  soon  as  it  was 

up  making  rc:iily 

,  like  the  escape 

it  agitation  of  the 

e  Mississippi  in 

scending  stream, 

n  with  difTii'iilty 

the  islands  gave 

river ;  carrying 

crashing,  tossing 

vhile  they  disap- 

ch  the  day  before 

e  firrat  Kartluinakc 
re's  Missouri  (lazct- 
[•"liiit's  Rccollcctioiu. 


1811. 


Great  E(trth<iwih\ 


521 


was  tolerably  clear,  being  rather  low,  change  d  to  a  nildish  hue,  and 
became  thick  with  mud  ihruwn  up  from  Wa  bottom;  while  the  surface, 
lashed  violently  !)y  the  agitation  of  the  ca'Mi  beneath,  was  covered  with 
foam,  wiiich,  gathering  into  masses  the  si/e  of  a  barrel,  lloaled  along 
on  the  irumbling  surl'ace.  'i'he  tarili  on  the  shores  opened  in  wide 
fissures,  and  closing  again,  threw  the  water,  sund  and  muil,  in  huge  jets, 
higher  than  the  tops  of  the  trees.  The  atmosphere  was  lillcd  with  a 
thick  vapor  or  gas,  to  which  the  ligiil  imparted  a  purple  tinge,  altoge- 
ther dillerent  in  appearance  from  the  autumnal  haze  of  Indian  summer, 
or  tiiat  of  smoke.  Trom  the  temporary  check  to  the  current,  by  iho 
heaving  up  of  the  bottom,  the  siidving  of  the  iianks  and  sandbars  into 
the  bed  of  the  stream,  the  river  rose  in  a  few  miiuites  five  or  six  feet; 
and,  impatient  of  the  restraint,  again  rushed  forward  with  redoid)led 
impetuosity,  hurrying  along  the  boats,  now  set  loose  by  the  horror- 
struck  boatmen,  as  in  less  danger  on  the  water  than  at  the  shore,  where 
the  banks  threatened  every  moment  to  destroy  them  by  the  falling  earth, 
or  carry  thcuj  down  in  the  vortices  of  the  sinking  masses.  Many  boats 
were  overwhelmed  in  this  manner,  and  their  crews  perished  with  them. 
It  reijuircd  the  utmost  exertions  of  the  men  to  keep  the  boat,  of  which 
my  inforiuant  was  the  owner,  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  as  far  from  tiic 
shores,  sandbars  and  i>lands,  as  they  could.  Numerous  boats  were 
wrecked  on  the  snags  and  old  trees  thrown  up  from  the  bottom  of  the 
Missisfeipj>i,  where  they  had  quietly  rested  for  ages,  while  others  were 
sunk  or  stranded  on  the  sandbars  and  Islands.  At  New  Madrid  several 
boats  were  carried  by  the  reflux  of  the  current  into  a  small  stre.im  that 
puts  into  the  river  just  above  the  town,  and  left  on  the  ground  by  the 
returning  water  a  considerable  distance  from  the  Mississippi.  A  man 
who  belonged  to  one  of  the  company  boats  was  left  for  several  hours  on 
the  upright  t'.unk  of  an  old  snag  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  against 
which  his  boat  was  wrecked  and  sunk.  It  stood  with  the  roots  a  few 
feet  above  the  water,  and  to  these  he  contrived  to  attach  himself,  while 
every  fresh  shock  threw  the  agitated  waves  against  him,  and  kept 
gradually  settling  the  tree  deeper  into  the  mud  at  the  bottom,  briiiijing 
him  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  deep  muddy  waters,  which,  to  his  territied 
imagination,  seemed  desirous  of  swallowing  him  up.  While  hanging 
here,  calling  with  piteous  shouts  for  aid,  several  boats  passed  by  without 
being  able  to  relieve  him,  until  finally  a  skill"  was  well  manned,  rowed 
a  short  distance  above  him,  and  dropped  down  stream  close  to  the  snag, 
from  which  he  tumbled  into  the  boat  as  she  floated  by.  The  scenes 
which  occurred  for  several  days,  during  the  repeated  shocks  were  hor- 
rible. The  most  destructive  took  place  in  the  beginning,  although  they 
were  repeated  for  many  weeks,  becoming  lighter  and  lighter  untd  they 
died  away  in  slight  vibrations,  like  the  jarring  of  steam  in  an  immense 
boiler.     The  sulphurated  gases  that  were  discharged  during  the  shocks 


522 


FUch''s  Steam-bodt. 


ISII. 


luiiiicd  the  air  wilU  lliiir  noxiouii  cllliivia,  uiiil  ho  Nlroii^My  iinprcgnittnl 
llic  water  of  tlie  rivcT,  to  the  distaiici!  til'  diu;  Iiuiidrcil  mil  lifty  milcH 
below,  that  it  could  hardly  hi- ii.icil  for  any  |)iir|)OM'  lor  a  iuiiid)i  i  of  days. 
New  .Madriil,  whicli  stood  on  a  iihill'  liank,  til'tccn  or  twenty  fec^t  al)iivc 
the  Slimmer  (looda,  Kiink  so  hjw  lliatthc;  next  rJHt!  covered  it  to  the  depth 
of  I'lvt'  feet.  The  hottomH  of  several  fine  lakes  in  the  vicinity  were 
elevated  so  aw  to  heeoiiie  dry  land,  and  have  sinee  been  planted  widi 
corn  !* 

Til  the  midst  oi"  tliis  terrible  coiiviilsion  llie  first  of  ^vesl('rll  steam- 
ers WHS  piirsniiiif  lu'i-  way  toward  the  south.  Hul  before  we  <j;ive 
a  sketeli  of  jier  proL^ress,  let  us  riM'all  to  the  iiiiiids  of  our  readers 
llie  previous  steps  taken  in  rci^anl  to  steam  naviifation. 

In  I7S1  the  invention  of  Watt's  double-acting  engine  was  made 
publie;  and  in  1781  it  was  perfected;!  previous  to  this  time  many 
attempts  hwd  been  made  to  a[)p1y  steam  to  navigation,  but,  rmui 
want  of  a  proper  engine  all  had  Ijeen  failures;  and  the  first  eiforts 
to  ai)i)ly  the  new  ma(  hine  to  boats  were  made  in  America  by  John 
Fitcii  and  James  Ruinsey.  'i'he  concej)ti()n  by  Fit(di,  if  we  may 
trust  the  statement  made  by  Kobert  \\'ickllire,|  was  emhd  as 
early  as  June  17S0,  anterior  to  the  announcement  of  Watt's  dis- 
covery of  the  double-acting  engine,  tiiough  many  years  after  his 
single  engine  had  been  patented.  || 

This  conception  Fitch  said  he  communicated  to  Rumsey.  The 
latter  gentleman,  however,  proposed  a  plan  so  entirely  dillerent 
from  that  of  his  fellow  countryiiu'u,  (a  plan  which  lie  is  said  to 
have  originated  in  178-2, §)  that  we  cannot  think  him  a  jilagiarist. 
The  idea  of  sleam  navigation  was  not  new;  it  was  aie  (piestion, — 
How  shall  we  use  the  steam?  which  was  to  be  so  answ-ered  as  to 
immortalixe  the  successful  respondent:  —  and  to  this  (pieslioii 
Fitch  replied.  By  using  Watt's  engine  so  as  to  propel  a  system  of 
paddles  at  the  sides  of  the  boat;  while  Rumsey  said,  By  applying 


n 

f 

( 

\ 


Amcricaii  Pioneer,  i.  12f). 


t  Renwicli  on  steam  engine,  200. 


\  American  Pioneer,  i.  33. — Wictilifre  says  l'"ileli  ac(iiiircil  a  |)re-em|ition  rij^lit  in  Ken- 
tiiclvy  liefort;  1778.  Wliittlesey,  in  liisliti;  of  the  inventor,  (Sparks'  American  Hioi,'rai)liy, 
vol.  xvi. — or  New  Series,  vol.  vi.  p.  104.)  tells  us  lie  did  not  go  west  till  17S0.  Whittlcsry 
further  says  (pp.  9:2,  111)  that  the  first  idea  of  using  steam  occurred  to  Fitcli  in  17SJ,  aiui 
yet  a  controversy  existed  between  him  and  Iluuisey  as  to  priority  of  invention.  (Ameri- 
can liiography.  New  ."Tories,  vi.  \\b. — American  Pioneer,  3(),)  altiiough  Uuinsey  Irul 
exhibited  his  boat  in  17S4.  (American  Biography,  New  Series,  vi.  {)(). — Sparks'  Wash- 
ington, ix.  6S,  104.)     There  is  an  error  here  somewhere  but  we  cannot  say  where. 

H  It  was  patented  in  1709. — See  Rcnwick,  209. 

§  Cincinnati  Directory,  for  isii),  p.  (34.  Others  say  in  1783  ;  see  WliiUlescy  in  .Vmeri- 
can  iJiography,  New  Series,  vi.  90, 


k 


IHll. 

1,'ly  iinpn'iriiiitiil 
iiirl  lifiy  iiiilrs 
inmil)»i  III'  (lavs. 
^•(Miiy  Tcct  al)iive 
■il  it  to  llic  ill  pth 
10  vifuiiiy  Were 
en  pluntcd  with 

wt'slrrii  steam- 
Ix'fdiT  \vc  i^ivc 

(»r  (MM'  iT;i(|i'rs 
tioii. 

igine  was  made 
I  this  lime  many 
itioii,  hill,  t'lnia 
I  the  first  cH'orts 
lUUTicii  Ijy  Jdlin 
'ilch,  if  wc  may 

^vas  ciidctl  as 

of  Watt's  (lis- 
Y  years  aftiu'  his 

Uumscy.     The 
ntiix'ly  (liti'rrciit 

lu;  is  said  to 
ill!  a  plagiarist, 
iiie  (juostioii,— 
answered  as  lu 

this    question 
pel  a  .system  of 
id,  IJy  api)lyiiig 

[iiiP,  2()0. 
i|iti()n  rii,'lit  in  Kcn- 
\iiicricnii   liiiiu'nipliy, 
till  17S0.    \Vliittlcs(7 

t(.  Fitcli  in  nSJ,  aiid 

invention.    (Aiiirri- 
ltliout;li  Uumscy  iiui 

()().— Sp.irks'   Wasli- 
not  say  wln'ro. 

iViattlcscy  in  Anicri- 


1811. 


First  Wt'stern  Stntiner. 


r,. 


•23 


the  old  atinosplierie  eii;;iue  In  pump  up  water  at  the  how  and  l<»ree 
it  out  at  th»'  stern  of  your  vessel,  and  so  »lrive  her  h\  water  acting; 
upon  water. — Ilefenini^  our  reatk-rs  tlierelore  to  the  authorities 
quoted  h(  low  relalivi'  to  Kileli  and  others,*  we  must  he  eoiitent 
with  saying'  that  all  failed  until  l-'ulton,  in  1S07,  launehetl  his  ves- 
.sel  upon  the  Hudson. —  l-'iteliVs  iaihire,  however,  was  not  from  any 
fault  in  his  principle,  and  had  his  knowledge  of  meehanies  e(|ualled 
Fulton's,  or  had  his  means  heeii  more  amiile,  or  had  lie  tried  his 
boat  on  the  Hudson  where  coaches  could  not  competi'  with  him, 
as  they  did  on  the  level  hanks  of  the  Delaware,!  we  cannot  doiihl 
he  woidd  have  entirely  succeeded  twenty  years  hefore  his  plans 
were  realized  hy  the  genius  of  another.:}: 

When  Fulton  had  al  length  attaint  <!,  hy  slow  degrees,  success 
upon  the  Hudson,  he  hegan  to  look  elsewhere  for  other  fields  of 
action,  and  the  west  which  hail  allractetl  the  attention  of  hoth  of  his 
American  predecessors  could  not  fail  to  catch  his  eye.  Mr. 
Latrohe,  who  .spoke  as  will  he  seen  hy  authority,  says, — 

Tho  complete  success  attending  the  experiments  in  steam  navigation 
maileon  iho  Hudson  and  the  adjoining  waters  previous  to  the  year  IHO'J, 
turned  llic  attention  of  the  principal  projectors  to  the  idea  of  its  ajipli- 
calion  on  the  western  rivers  ;  and  in  the  month  of  April  of  that  year, 
Mr.  liooscvelf.  of  New  York,  pursuant  to  an  agreement  with  Chancellor 
Livingston  and  Mr.  Fulton,  visited  those  rivers,  with  the  purpose  of 
fonning  an  opinion  whether  they  admitted  of  steam  navigation  or  not. 
Al  diis  time  two  boats,  the  North  River  and  the  Clermont,  were  run- 
ning on  the  Hudson.  Mr.  K.  surveyed  the  rivers  from  Pilishurgh  to 
New  Oileans,  and  as  his  report  was  favorable,  it  was  decided  to  build  a 
boat  at  the  former  town.  This  was  done  under  his  direction,  and  in  the 
ro\!rs(;  of  1811  the  first  heat  was  launched  on  the  waters  of  the  Ohio. 
Il  was  called  the  '  Ne  v  Orleans,'  and  inleiided  to  ply  hetween  Natchez 
ill  the  State  of  Mississippi,  and  tlie  city  whoso  name  il  l)ore.  In  Octo- 
ber it  left  Piltshurgh  for  i's  experimental  voyage.  On  this  occasion  no 
freight  or  passengers  were  taken,  the  object  being  merely  to  bring  the 
boat  to  her  slaf  ui.  Mr.  R.,  his  young  wife  and  family,  Mr.  Raker  the 
engineer,  Andrew  Jack  the  pilot,  and  six  hands,  wilh  a  few  domestics, 
formed  her  whole  burden.     There  were  no  wood-yards  at  that  time,  and 

*  Ren\vicl{  on  the  .Steani-cngino,  2')1  to  2(>n. — Life  of  I'ltcli  hy  Cliarlcs  Wliittlosey. 
Sjiarlts'  American  Biograpliy.     New  Scries,  vi.  S't  to  l(i(^     American  I'lonccr,  i.  ;i'2  t  .  37. 

+  Tliia  sii^'fjestioii  is  madi:  hy  Wlutliesey,  ^[.ife  ut"  Fitcli,  Id,)  anil  is  the  key  wt  'liink 
to  the  problem  of  Fitch's  failure. 

\  Mr.  WiclilitiV,  (Aniericau  I'ioneor,  i.  31  to  37,)  gives  some  curious  anecdotes  ulativc 
to  Fitch. 


524 


First  W('stcr7i  Stcfuiier. 


1811. 


constant  (Icliiys  wore  untivoidiihlo.  Wlioii,  as  related,  Mr.  R.  had  gone 
down  t!i(!  river  to  rcroiiuoilre,  he  had  discovered  two  beds  of  coal,  alunit 
one  hundred  and  twenty  niih>s  below  the  Ra^tids  at  Louisville,  and  now 
took  tools  to  work  them,  intending  to  load  the  vessel  with  the  coal,  and 
to  cnijdoy  it  as  fuel,  instead  of  constantly  dctainin;f  the  boat  whih.'  wood 
WHS  i)rocurcd  from  the  banks. 

Tiale  at  ni^rbl  on  the  fmirlli  day  after  quitting  Pittsburgh,  they  arrived 
in  safety  at  T.nuisville,  liaving  been  but  seventy  liours  desecmthng  up- 
M'afds  of  seven  l.uudred  miles.  'I'he  novel  appearance  of  the  vissrl, 
and  the  fearful  rtipiiiity  with  whii  h  It  made  its  passage  over  tlic  broad 
reaehcs  of  tlic  river,  excited  a  mixture  of  terror  and  surprise  auioiig 
many  of  tlie  settlers  on  the  I)anks,  whom  the  rumor  of  such  an  iuvcn- 
tion  had  never  reached  ;  and  it  is  related  that  on  the  unexpected  arrival 
of  the  boat  before  fiouisville,  in  the  course  of  a  fine  still  niooidiijht 
niglit,  the  extraordinary  sound  wjiich  filled  the  air  as  the  pent-up  i«lc;im 
was  suflTered  to  escape  from  the  valves  on  rounding  to,  produced  a  gene- 
ral alarm,  and  muliitudcs  in  the  town  rose  from  their  beds  to  ascertain 
the  cause.  I  have  heard  that  the  general  impression  among  tlie  good 
Kentuckiaiis  was,  that  the  comet  had  fallen  into  tlie  Ohio  ;  but  tliis  docs 
not  r(;st  upon  the  same  foundation  as  the  other  facts  which  I  lay  Ijcfure 
yon,  and  which,  I  ma)  at  once  s.;y,  1  had  directly  from  the  lips  of  the 
parties  themselves.  'I'he  small  dcp<b  of  water  in  the  Rapids  prevenlcd 
the  boat  from  purs'.iing  her  voyage  immediately  ;  and  during  the  (oii- 
seqnenl  detention  of  three  weeks  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Ohio,  scvor.d 
trips  were  successfully  made  between  liouisville  and  Cincinnati.  In 
fine,  tlu^  waters  rose,  and  in  the  course  of  the  last  week  in  November, 
the  voyage  was  resumed,  the  depth  of  water  barely  admitting  their 
passage.* 

'I'his  steamer,  after  hcinijj  nearly  overwiichned  by  Hie  eari'i- 
qiiakcs,  reached  Natchez  at  fjio  close  of  the  first  week  of  .Jan- 
uary, 1812. 


•  Uambler  in  Nwrth  America,  vol.  i.  87. 


1811. 


[r.  R.  hm\  fjonc 
s  of  conl,  ahout 
sville,  and  now 
ill  llie  I'oal,  and 
lUiit  while  wood 

5I1,  they  arrived 
descMMuling  up- 
:;  of  the  vessel, 

over  the  broad 
surprise  among 

such  an  inveii- 
cxpected  arrival 

still  moonlight 
c  pent-up  sleain 
roducod  a  geiic- 
icds  to  a.«cortaiii 
iiniong  tlu;  good 
:)  ;  hilt  this  dues 
lich  I  lay  liefore 
1  the  lips  of  the 
Japids  prevented 
during  tin'  roii- 
ic  Ohio,  several 
f'inciniiati.  In 
in  Novendicr, 

Khnilling  ilicir 

)y  tlu'  •"arth- 
AV('(dc    of  .Ian- 


1812. 


& 


Wo  have  already  refcrrod  to  Ihoso  rauscs  of  complainf  011  thr 
part  of  the  Ciiitcd  States  against  Eiighmd,  whicli  at  lcii<j;tli  led  to 
the  war  of  ISlC:  they  were,  the  interfere'iice  witli  Aiiicricau  trade 
enforced  by  the  blockade  system;  the  inipressinent  of  Anicricaii 
seamen  ;  the  encouragement  of  the  Indians  in  their  barbarities  ;  and 
tilt'  attcmjit  to  tlisineniber  the  Union  by  the  mission  of  Ili'iiry.* 
Through  tiie  winter  of  1811-12,  these  causes  of  ]iro\()eation  were 
discussed  in  Congress  and  tiie  public  jjritits,  and  a  war  with  (Jreat 
Britai  1  openly  threatened  :  e\'en  in  December,  181 1,  the  proposal 
to  in',  .ide  C mada  in  the  following  spring  before  the  ice  broke  up, 
was  debated  in  the  House  of  Represen!atives;t  and  in  j)articular 
was  urged  the  necessity  of  such  operations  at  tiie  outset  of  the 
anticipated  contest,  as  should  wrest  from  tiie  enemy  the  command 
of  the  upjier  lakes,  and  secure  the  neutrality  or  favor  of  the  Indian 
tribes  by  the  conquest  of  I'i)])er  Canada.:):  While,  therefore, 
measures  were  taken  to  seize  the  TiOwer  province,  other  steps  were 
arranged  for  the  defence  of  the  northwest  frontier  against  Indian 
hostility,  and  wliich,  in  the  event  of  a  rupture  witli  Great  lirilain, 
would  enable  the  United  States  to  obtain  the  command  of  Lake 
Krie.||  These  stejj.s,  however,  were  by  no  means  suitable  to  the 
allainiiieiit  of  tiie  object  last  named  ;  in  place  of  a  naval  Ibrce  upon 
lake  Erie,  the  necessity  of  which  had  been  presseil  upon  liie  exec- 
ulivt'  l)y  Ciovernor  Hull  of  Michigan  Territory,  in  three  memori- 
als,^ one  of  tiiem  as  early  as  the  year  ISO!),  a  second  dated  Marcli 
(jtli,  and  a  third  on  or  about  April  llth,  1812;  and  although  the 
same  j)olicy  was  pointedly  urged  upon  the  Secretary  of  War  by 
(leiieral  yXrmstrong,  in  a  private  letter  of  January  2n(l,f —  yet  the 
Covernment   proposed   to  i!se   no  other   than   military  m«'ans,  and 

*  Sec  tho  Spii;ito'8  Manitrsti)  orjiiiu!  3(1,  ISl?.     American  Stale  I'aprr.«,  iii.  .')(J7. 

t  Mies'  Uegister,  i.  4.")!),  8cr. 

\  Niles-  KpRister,  i.  72.  31 1  ;  ii.  5.  86.  2.i9. 

f  MatlisoirH  Messajje,  Novcinljor  4,  1S12.    American  State  Papers,  i,  80. 

§  Hull's  Defence,  :4.  :.')  to  32  .\:  3!. 

1  See  this  letter,  which  is  a  Icssuii  on  war,  given  to  Kuslis  by  iiid  succet..  ur,  in  Arin- 
sirong'a  Notices,  i.  appendix,  No.  2.',  p.  234 


526  //////  sends  his  papers,  ^r.,  hij  timter  to  Detroit.         1S12. 

hoped  by  llio  prcsenoc  of  two  Ihfxisatid  soldiers,  to  v{Vvr\  llic  rnp- 

turc  or   doslniction  of  the    British  fleet.*     Nay,  so   hiiiid  was  the 

War  T)ej)artineiil,  that  it  refused  to  increase  ihe  number  of  Irnnjis 

to  three  thousand,  althouj^h  informed  by  General  Hull,  that  that  was 

the   least  ininiljer  from  which  success  could  be  liojied-f     \Vlnii, 

llicrefore,  Governor,  now  General    Hull  (to   whom,  in  considna- 

tion  of  his  revolutionary  services,  and  his  supposed  knowlech^c  of 

the  country  and  the  natives,  the  command  f)f  the  army  destined  for 

the  concpicst  of  the  Canadas  had  been  confided)  commenced  his 

march    from   Dayton  on  the  1st  of  June,  it  was  with  means  wjiich 

he  himself  ref^arded  as  utterly  inadecpiate  to  the  object  aimed  at, 

a  fact  which   sufficiently  explains  the   conduct  of  his  vacillaiiir^r, 

nerveless    conduct. |     Through    that    whole    month,  he    and    his 

troops    toiled    on   toward    the    Maumee,   busy  with    their   roads, 

bridges  and  blockhouses. ||     On  the  24lh,  advices  from  the  Secic- 

tary  of  War,  dated  on   the   ISth,  came  to  hand,  but  not  a  wnnl 

contained  in  them  made   it  probable  that  the  long-expected  war 

would  be  immediately  declared, §  although  Col.  McArthur  al  the 

same  time  received  word  from  Chillicothe  warning  him,  on  ihc 

authority  of  Thomas  Worthington,  tlien  Senator  from  Ohio,  thai 

before  the  letter  reached  him,  the  declaration  would    have   lu'cii 

made   public. 11     Tliis  information  McArthur  laid  before  (iciu'ial 

Hull  ;  and  when,  upon  reaching  the    Maumee,  that  Connuaiuhr 

proposed  to  j)lace  his  baggage,  stores,  and  sick  on  boaril  a  vessil, 

andsend  them  by  water  to  Detroit,  the  backwoodsman  warned  hiiiint 

the  danger,  and  refused  to  tr"st  his  own  property  on  board.*  *  llull, 

however,  tri-ated  the  report  of  war  as  the  olil  story  which  had  Incii 

current  through  all  the  spring,  and  refused  to  believe  it  ])()>vihh.' 

that  the  government  would  not  give  him  information  at  the  earlii.>l 

moment  that  the  measure  was  resolved   on.     He,  accordingly,  mi 

the  1st  of  July,  embarked  his  disabled  men  ami  most  of  his  g(.)(ls 

on  bo.ird  the  Cuyahoga  Packet,  sullering  his  aid-de-cainp  ii;  his 

carelessness  to  send   by  her  even  his  instructions  and   army-ri'll, 

and  then  proceeded  upon  his  way.ff     The  next  day,  July  2ih1,  a 


•  Mailison's  Message,  November  4,  1SI2. 

+  Hull's  trial,    (lencial  Portnr's  tcstiinoiiy — (iiKitrd  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  .00. 

^  III  rilatioii  to   Hull's  appointment,  sec  the  statement  l)y  John  Julinstuii  of  I'l  lUi. 
(Cist'H  Miscellany,  ii.  298.) 

[  McAfee's  History,  50  to  .OG.    McDonald's  Life  of  McArtluir. 

^  Hull's  Oefenco,  7. 

f  Hull's  Defence,  1".  ••Ibid,  II.  +t  Ibid,  16. 


nif. 


1S12. 


clU'Ct  llic  rnp- 
1)1111(1  was  till' 
inbcr  of  Irniijis 

I,  Ihcit  that  \v;is 
pcd.j  When, 
,  in   consitli  ra- 

knowled'^c  of 
ny  (lestiiK'd  lor 
omiiK'nccd  his 
li  means  which 
)j«.-cl  ainu'd  at, 
his  vacilla'i!i;i, 

II,  he  and  his 
h  their  rf)ails, 
from  the  Secit'- 
)ut  not  a  word 
'•-expected  war 
IcArlhur  at  the 
n^  him,  on  llio 
from  Ohio,  thai 
idd  have  hi'tii 
before  (iciural 
lal   ConuuaiultT 

board  a  vessil, 
1  warned  hiiiiot 
hoard.**  Hull, 
vhich  had  hecii 
t'Ve  i!  pn.>sil)l(.' 
n  at  the  earliest 
|aecordini;i},  on 
)>t  of  his  n(,,Hls 
|de-eani[»  in  hi^ 
and  army-roll, 
lay,  July  •2nd,  a 


[uliccs,  i.  .00. 
Julinstuii  (if  I'l'iii'- 


IZ. 


Blunders  of  the  Government . 


527 


imo. 


letter  of  tlio  same  date  with  that  received  upon  the  ■31tli  of  .In 
reached  him,  and  apprised  him  tliat  the  declaration  was  indeed  on 
that  day  iriadc  ;*  and  before  his  astonishment  was  over,  word  was 
brought  of  the  capture  of  Ids  packet  off  Maiden,  with  all  his  odieial 
papers.  The  conduct  of  the  executive  at  this  time  was  certaiidy 
most  remarkable  ;  havint(  sent  an  itisuflicient  force  to  ellecl  a  most 
imjiortant  object,  it  next  did  all  in  its  power  to  ensure  the  destruc- 
tion of  that  force.  On  the  1st  of  June,  Mr.  Madison  recommended 
war  to  the  Senate;!  on  the  3d  of  Jime,  Mr.  Calhoun  reported  in 
favor  of  it,  and  in  an  able  manifesto  set  forth  the  reasons  \\  and  on 
the  19th  pro(damation  of  the  contest  was  made.||  I'pon  the  day 
precedin[f,  Comj^ress  liavin-f  passed  the  needful  act,  the  Secretary 
of  War  wrote  to  General  Hull  one  letter  sayin<jf  nothinf^  of  the 
matter,  and  sent  it  by  a  special  messenger, — and  a  second  contain- 
inc;  tlie  vital  news,  which  he  confided  to  a  half  organixed  post  as 
far  as  Cleveland,  and  thence  literally  to  accident. §  Nor  is  this 
all :  while  the  General  of  the  northwestern  army  was  thus,  not 
uninformed  merely,  but  actually  misled,  letters  franked  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States  bore  the  notice  of  what 
had  been  done  to  the  British  post  of  St.  Josepli,  near  the  north- 
western shore  of  lake  Huron  ;  ami  also  to  Mahleii,  which  place  it 
reached  upon  the  '2Sth  of  June. ^I  And  as  if  to  complete  the  circle 
if  folly,  the  misled  (iencral,  through  neglect,**  suffered  liis  oHicial 
papers,  wldch  he  owned  ought  never  to  have  bt-eii  out  of  his  pos- 
session, to  pass  in*o  that  of  the  foe,  and  tlius  informed  them  of  his 
purposes  and  his  strength. 

That  strength,  however,  was  such,  compared  with  their  own, 
that  no  .'flbrt  was  mach?  to  prevent  tlio  march  of  the  Americans  to 
Detroit,  nor  to  interfere  with  their  passage  across  tjie  river  to 
Sandwich,  where  they  established  themselves  on  the  12th  of  July, 
prej-aratory  to  attacking  Maiden  itself,  and  commencing  the  con- 
'picst  and  conversion  of  Upper  Canada. ff  Ami  here,  at  on<'c,  tin; 
Mieapacity  of  Hull  showed  itself;  by  iiis  own  confession  he  took 
I'vory  step  under  the  inlluence  of  two  sets  of  fears ;  lie  dared  not, 


'  Hull's  Dt'lcnce,  II,  l2.  t  Atnorican  Stale  Papers,  iii.  4o5. 

;  .Viiiorican  State  Papers,  iii.  567.  INilcs  Register,  ii.  27  J. 

§  Armstr.iiig's  Notices,  i,  4S.— HiiIlN  llofencr,  11.  14,  '5. 

f  ArTiMtronff'g  Notices,  i.  appen'iix,  No.  fi,  p.  19.'j. 

••  Ilu'la  Dcrciirc,  17.    There  i«  no  reason  to  think  that  Hull  knew  these  papers  were 
icnt :  h(   exproaaly  denies  it. 

n  .McAfee,  60. 


528 


Hull  retires  to  Detroit. 


1812. 


on  llie  ono  liand,  act  boldly  for  frar  that  his  incompotont  force 
would  1)0  all  destroyed  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  hi;  dared  not 
r(!fiise  to  act,  for  fear  his  militia,  already  uneasy,  would  ntteii^ 
desert  him.*  Thus  embarrassed,  he  proclaimed  freedom  and  the 
need  of  submission  to  the  Canadians  ;I^  held  out  inducements  to 
the  British  militia  to  desert,  and  to  the  Indians  to  keep  quiet,  and 
sat  still  at  Sandwich,  striving  to  pacify  his  bloodthirsty  back- 
woodsmen, who  itched  to  be  at  Maiden.  To  amuse  his  own 
army,  and  keep  them  from  trying  dangerous  experiments,  he  fonntl 
cannon  needful  to  the  assault  of  the  British  posts,  and  spent  three 
weeks  making  carriages  for  five  gnns.|  While  these  were  under 
way,  rnlonel  Cass  and  Colonel  Miller,  by  an  attack  ujioii  tlio 
advanced  parties  of  the  enemy,  demonstrated  the  willingness  and 
power  of  their  men  to  push  their  conijuests,  if  the  chance  were 
given,  but  Hull  refused  the  opportimity  :||  and  whcM  at  length  the 
cannf)n  were  prepared,  the  ammunition  placed  in  wigons,  and  the 
moment  for  assault  agreed  on,  the  General,  upon  hearing  that  a 
proposed  attack  on  the  Niagara  frontier  had  not  been  mad* ,  and 
that  troops  from  that  quarter  were  moving  weM':  rd,  suddenly 
abandoned  the  enterprise,  and  with  most  of  his  arm;  "n  the  niirht 
of  the  7th  of  August,  returned  to  Detroit, §  having  ttlected  nothing 
except  the  destruction  of  all  confiden.ie  in  him^  If  on  the  part  of 
the  whole  force  under  his  control,  olTjecrs  and  |i>-  "ates. 

Meantime,  upon  the  29th  of  July,  Colonel  l''r(>>  <<  r  had  reached 
Maiden,  and  perceiving  instantly  the  povver  whicu  tne  position  o| 
that  post  gave  hi'r  over  H.-  supplies  of  the  army  of  the  United 
States,  he  cnmmen.i.i  a  >■  i"f\s  of  ojn'rations  the  object  of  whirh 
was  to  mi  off' 'be  comMir.nic  ;  •  is  of  Hull  with  Oliio,  and  Ihusnot 
merely  neutralize  all  ac'.i;  operations  on  liis  part,  but  "Starve  him 
into  surrender  or  force  him  to  detail  his  whole  army  in  order  to 
keep  oj)en  his  way  to  tiie  only  point  from  which  su|;plii's  co-dd 
reach  him.U  A  proper  force  on  lake  Erie,  or  the  capture  ol 
Maiden,  would  have  prevented  tliis  annoying  and  fatal  mode  ol 
warfare,  but  the  imbecility  of  the  government  and  that  of  the 
General,  combined  to  favor  the  plans  of  Proctor.  Having  by  iii-< 
measures  stojiped  the  stores  on  their  way  to  Detroit,  at  the  rivir 
Raisin,  he  next  defeated  the  insufficient  band  of  two  hundred  men 

*  Hull's  Dclbiico,  42.  -19,  50.  +  Sec  tiic  Proclamation,  McACte,  (Jl. 

^  llull'8  Dclci  00,  .59,  60.    Sco  McAfee,  60,  &c. 

«.  McAli'",  f; ',  ^c.     Sec  Cass'  Letter  o(Mul)'  17,  l<i2,  in  Nilcs'  Ppgistcr,  ii.  383. 
H  Hull's  Defence,  70,  71.    McAfee,  76,  77.    f  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  24, 25. 


1812. 

mpetont  foire 
he  dared   not 
would  \itterl) 
edom  and  the 
iducemenls  to 
2cp  quiet,  and 
dthirsly  l)ack- 
muse  his   own 
icnts,  he  found 
nd  spent  three 
ese  were  under 
tark  upon  tho 
.villiniTness  and 
c   chance  were 
•t  at  UMigth  the 
k-\<Xons,  and  the 
hearing  that  a 
jeen  made,  and 
■-v:  i-d,  sviddenly 
T,    (in  the  ni;i;ht 
trieoted  nothing 
f  on  the  part  of 
ates, 

.;  r  had  reached 
the  position  nl 
of  the  United 
lohject  of  which 
lio,  and  thus  not 
l)ut  ".tarvc  him 
my  in  orcU'r  to 
su].plies  co'dd 
the    capture  of 
ll  fatal   mode  of 
Ind  that   of  tiie 
HaviniJj  by  l"^ 
)it,  at  the  river 
to  hundred  men 

lMcAttc,Gl. 

register,  ii.  ;^S3. 
9,  i.  34, 25. 


1812. 


IIuWs  Surrcnth')'. 


i-29 


under  Van  TTorne,  s^Mit  hy  ITull  to  escort  them  ;*  and  so  fi'.r  witli- 
stood  that  of  five  hundred  under  Miller,!  as  to  cause  TTull  t 


ll)  reca 


11 


the  remnant  of  that  victorious  and   <;allant  band,  thouLih   it    had 
eonipletely    routed    the   British   and    Indians. :j:     By   these    means 


'roctor    amusec 


1     the     A 


mericans    ui 


itil    (, 


enera 


1    1 


)I()C 


rea< 


■lied 


Maiden,  \vhi<'li  he  did   upon  the   I'Jth  of  AuL;'ust,  and  j)repared  to 
;ittemi)t  the  concpies*"  of  Detroit  itself.||      And  here  ai;ain  occurred  a 

on  the    part  of  the  Americans.      In 


most   singular  want   of  skil 

■nler  to  prevent  the  forces  in  Upper  Canada  fr(un  being  combined 

against  Hull,  Giuieral  Dearborn  bad  been  ordered  to  make  a  diver- 

qon  in  his  favor  at  Niagara  and  Kingston  ;§  but  in  place  of  doing 

his,  he   made  an   armistice  with  the   British  commandiTS,  which 

enabled  them  to  turn   their   attention  entirely  to  the    more  distant 

west,  and  left  Ilidl  to  shift  for  himself.*^     On  tlu-  11th  of  Aui^ust, 

therefore,  wliile   a  third    party,  under  Mc Arthur,  was   (lcsp;i(c!i<'ii 

h\  Hull,  to  open  his  communications  with  the  ri\er  Rai  mi,  though 

!iy  a  new   and   impracticable   road,   fJenerai    lirock   api)eared    at 

Sandwich,  and  began  to  erect  batteries  to  protect  bis  farther  oj-e- 

rations.**     These  batteries  Hull  would  not  suffer  .uiy  to  molest, 

saying  that  if  the   enemy  would  not  fire  on  liim  be  would   not  on 

tliem;tt  and  thougli,  when  summoru'd  to  surrender  upon  thi'  IfMh, 

he  absolutely  refused, jij  yet  ui)on  the  IHth,  witb.out  a  blow  struck, 

'he  Governor  and  General  crowned  his  course   of  indecision  ami 

anman^y  fear,  by  surrendering  the  town  r)f  Detroit  and  territory  of 

Michigan,  together  with    fourteen  hundred  brave  men  longing  for 

lattle,  to  three   hundred  English  soldiers,  four  humlred   Canad'^.n 

militia  disguised  in  red  coats,  and  a  band  of  Indian  allies.  |||[ 

For  this  conduct  be  was  accused  of  (reason  and  cowardir.',  ;ind 

lund  guilty  of  the  latter. §§     Nor  cim  we  doubt   llic  justit  <      f  tlie 

■ntence.     However  brave  be  may  have  been  personally  ,  was 

<  a  commander  a  cowanl ;  and  nu»reover,  be  was  influei.      .,con- 


•  McAfee,  7.}  to  75.  t  McAfee,  77  to  82. 

J  Sic  oil  this  rNpi'tlitiiiii,  AriiistroiigV  Notict's,  i.  20  tn  30;  a.iil  rs|j>  ..iy  Dallilja's 
■^  rnitivc.  Hull  s(Mit  ;i  written  orilcr  to  return,  while  MiHcr  ;uul  ]m  \i\>  n  thoUL'ht  cuily 
i'advancing.     (I)alliba,  35.) 

i  (Vriiislroiig's  Notices,  i.  31,  note.  §  Ihiii,  i.  !ii)i)pn(lix.  No.  10,  p.  20ti. 

1 1hi(i,  i.  97.  207.  ♦•  McAfee,  SI,  S5. 

^*-  Oalliha'.s  testimony,  Hull's  Trial,  iiuotod  in  Armstrong's  Notiers,  i.  3!.  iK.ti' 

;i  Soo  his  answer,  McAfee.  S6.  f,  See  terms  of  capitulation,  Mc  \fce,  f)0. 

5^  Sec  charges  and  sentence  in  Hull's  Trial :  the  char^'cs  are  in  Hull's  ndl         al.su. 

34 


530 


Markinnc  and  Fort  Dearborn  lost. 


ISl'J. 


fcsscdly,  by  liis  ('< m-r  as  a  fatlior,  lest  lii>;  daiiglitir  and  hor  childrtTi 
should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians.*  In  truth  his  farullii'« 
scfin  to  have  hccn  pai'ahxt'd  by  fear  ;t  fear  that  ho  sliould  f:ii!j 
fear  that  his  troops  would  be  untrue  to  him,  fear  that  the  sava'^fcs 
would  span'  no  one  if  opposed  with  vigor,  fear  of  some  undefnicd 
and  horrid  evil  impending.  IMc'Afee  areusrs  him  of  intempc. 
ranee,]:  but  no  effort  was  made  on  his  trial  to  jirove  this,  and  we 
have  no  reason  to  thiid<  it  a  true  charge  ;  but  his  roiuluet  was  like 
that  of  a  drunken  man,  without  sense  or  spirit. || 

l^ut  the  fall  of  Detroit,  thouu;h  the  leading  misfortun(!  of  iliiv 
unfortunate  summer,  was  not  the  oidy  one.  "Word,  as  we  liavf 
stated,  had  been  sent  through  the  kindness  of  some  friend  under  a 
fraidc  from  the  American  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  informing  tlir 
British  commander  at  St.  Joseph,  a  port  about  forty  mile^  Wmu 
Mackinac,  of  the  declaration  of  war;  while  Lt.  Hanks,  conunaiitl- 
ing  the  American  fortress  itself,  received  no  notice  from  any 
source.  The  consetpiencc  was  an  attack  upon  the  key  of  tliP 
north(>rn  lakes  on  the  17tli  of  July  by  a  force  of  British,  Canadians 
and  savai2;es,  numberinji^  in  all  1021  :  the  G;arrison  amountinfj  In  lint 
fifty-seven  effective  men,  felt  unable  to  withstand  so  formidalilc  n 
body,  and  to  avoid  the  constai.-K-  threatened  Indian  massacre,  sur- 
rendered as  prisoners  of  war  and  were  dismissed  on  parole. § 

Le^s  fortunate  in  its  fate  "vas  tlu'  garrison  of  Vod  Dearborn  at 
Cliicago.  (ieneral  Hull  sent  word  to  tiie  commander  at  that  f()rtrt's.>, 
(Cai)lain  Ileald,)  of  the  loss  of  Maiddnac,  and  directed  him  to  di>lri- 
bute  his  stores  among  the  Indians,  and  retire  to  Tort  Wayne.  Ihald 
proceeded  to  (.lo  this,  but  it  was  soon  evident  that  the  neighi)(iriiu: 
savar.>  s  were  not  to  be  trusted,  and  he  in  conserpience  detennin'  d 
n(»t  to  give  them,  what  they  most  of  all  wanted,  the  spirit  and  tlie 
powder  in  the  forti'css.  Tins  they  learned,  and  this  it  was  ^'^ 
I?l;r  khawdc  assert(Ml,  Avhich  led  to  the  catastrophe.  On  the  l.''l: 
of  August,  all  being  r(>^dy,  the  tr'^nps  leff  tlie  fort,  but  before  '!:  v 
had  p'-oceeded  more  than  a  mile  and  and  a  half,  they  were  attach;- 


xh 


•  Hull's  Dpfnncp,  101. 

t  Sco  tlifi  ovicleiice  of  many  olliccrs  (luotPil  in  his  cvidoncp,  17f)  to  210. 

4  McAfi-e,  bJ. 

li  Tin;  Brilinli  ;u'coiiiit  ol' Hull's  (iiirrLMiilcr  ni;iy  lie  loiind  iu  Nilcft's  Rcgistir,  iii,  11,. '3,  '^'' 
to  2ii7.  Cass'  accDUut  do.  37  tu  30.  IhilTs  do.  .03  lo  57.  Artich  s  of  C'ajiiluialioii,  ilu. 
13.     Various  anocdot<-s,  do.  11. 

§  Sto  roporl  of  LicutPiiant  Hanks,  Mc.\foo  71,  72.  Aioo,  British  account,  which  iiiaki; 
the  assailiiiij  i.>arty  ic»f,  iii  Nilcs"  ilcyislcr,  ii.  -113,  1*0. 


Ill  luT  cliihlrcn 
Ih  bis  farullU'H 
lio  should  f;\i!, 
lat  llic  savnirt's 
some  uiKlcfiiu'd 
iin  of  liiti'iiipi'- 
ve  tills,  niid  \V(> 
onducl  \va>  lik(' 

sforluno  of  lli'b- 
)rd,  as  AVL'  liavc 
(•  fiifiid  imdor  a 


h 


1S12.      1      1812.         Cfiptdin  Z.  Tinj}or''s  dcfnicc  uj  Fort  ILirrison.  531 

cd  !))■  the   Tndlaiis,  and  two-thirds  o[  them   (from  50  to  GO)  mas- 
sacred at  once* 

Tims,  ])y  the  middle  of  Aa«^ust  (ho  wliolo  norlliwest  wllh  the 
exception  of  Foit  Wajne  and  Fort  Harrison  was  a<^ain  in  the 
liands  of  the  British  and  their  red  allies.  Early  in  September 
these  two  posts  were  also  attacked,  and  the  latter,  had  it  not  been 
defended  with  the  gn^atest  vigor,  would  have  been  taken.  Its 
defender  was  Captain  Taylor,  now  Gem-ral  Taylor,  the  comman- 
der of  tlif  army  in  Mexico,  and  at  present  the  most  eminent  of 
Ameiican  ntililaiy  men;  anrl  that  his  present  position  is  derived 
from  the  possession  of  true  merit  was  proved  by  his  conduct  at 
Fort  ITn.rrlson  no  less  than  by  his  behavior  at  Palo  Alto,  Resaca 
de  Palma,  and  Monl.rey,  as  the  following  account  will  show. 


informin''  tin- 


forty  mik  ^  from 
auks,  conunaiid- 
aotice   from  any 
the  key  of  tlr 
ritish,  Canaili;uis 
amoimtingln  Is'it 
I  so  formidahU'  n 
an  massacre,  sur- 
[on  parole. § 
•'ort  Dearborn  at 
■r  at  that  for1rt's>, 
■ted  him  todi>lri- 
r(  Wavne.  Ihal.! 
the  neighl)orir.'.r 
eiice  detenniri' '! 
he  spirit  and  tlu^ 
Ibis  it  was  "'^ 
,i(>.     On  the  1''': 
but  bef  ire  '1;  ;. 
Ibey  were  athii'-:- 


Ito  210. 

|U'L,'isl(r,  lii,  M,.'3,'>" 
H  of  I'iiiiitulaUuii,  C'j- 

ac^;ouiiN  wluch  make  J 


^.eUcr  from  Captain  Z.Taylor,  commanding  fort  Harrison,  Indiana  Territory,  to  Gfincral 
liaj  rison. 

Fori  Harrison,  September  lOlli. 

Dear  Sir — On  Thursday  evening,  the  Uiird  instant,  after  retreat  beat- 
ing, four  guns  were  heard  to  fire  in  the  direction  where  two  young  men 
(citizens  who  resided  here)  were  making  liay,  about  four  hundred  yards 
distance  from  the  fort.  I  was  imuiediaioly  impressed  with  the  idea  tliat 
tb^y  wore  killed  by  the  Indians,  as  the  Propliet's  par'y  would  soon  be 
here  for  the  purpose  of  eonmienoing  hostilities,  nnc,  t''  .t  they  had  been 
directed  to  leave  this  place,  as  we  were  about  to  do.  I  did  not  think  it 
prudent  to  send  out  at  that  late  hour  of  the  nif^ht  to  see  what  had  beeome 
of  them;  and  their  not  comintr  i.'  convinced  mo  that  I  was  rijjht  in  my 
conjecture.  I  waited  imtil  ciglit  o'clock  next  morning,  wlien  I  sent  out 
a  corporal  with  a  small  party  to  lind  them  if  it  couki  be  done  without 
running  too  much  risk  of  being  drawn  into  an  ambuscade,  lie  soon 
sent  back  to  inform  luu  that  he  had  ibund  tlieni  both  killed,  and  wished 
to  know  my  further  orders  ;  I  sent  the  earl  and  oxen,  had  them  brought 
in  and  huricid  ;  diey  had  been  .^hol  with  two  balls,  scalped,  and  cut  ill 
the  most  simcking  manner.  Lale  in  ihi)  eveaiug  of  the  fouilh  instant, 
old  .Joseph  Lcnar  and  between  ?.0  au.l  10  Indians  arrived  from  the  Pro- 
phet's town,  v.-ith  a  white  fl>g;  among  wliom  wore  about  ten  women, 
and  tlie  men  v.'cre  eomposed  of  chiefs  of  the  difTerent  tribes  that  com- 
pose tlie  Prophet's  parfy.  A  Shawanee  man,  'bat  spoke  gnod  Euglisli, 
informed  me  that  old  I.ennr  intended  to  speak  to  me  next  morning,  and 
try  to  get  something  to  eat. 

At  retreat  beating  I  examinevl  the  men's  arms,  and  found  them  all  in 
good  order,  and  completed   their  cartridges  to  fifteen  rounds  per  man. 

*  (';if)t:im  Ilpald'^  ncroiiiit  may  lio  lound  ii  N'iles'  RctJi^■t''r,  lii.  I'l") — nid  ,i  Irttor  from 
Wiiltf^r  Jordan  wlio  was  present,  in  same  woriij  vol.  iv,  100.  Sec  alvo,  Urowu'a  lllinoifj 
306  to  316. 


532 


Captain  Z.  Taylor^s  Letter. 


1812. 


As  1  had  not  been  aMc  to  mount  a  guard  of  more  than  six  piivatos  and 
two  non-coniniissioiu'd  olhcrrs  for  s>nnio  tinio  past,  and  pomrlinips  part 
of  them  every  other  day,  from  the  nnheahliincss  of  the  rompany;  I 
had  not  conceived  my  force  adcMpiatc  to  the  defence  of  this  post  &lioul(l 
it  be  vigorously  attacked,  for  some  time  past. 

As  I  had  just  recovered  from  a  very  severe  attack  of  the  fever,  I  was 
not  able  to  be  up  much  through  the  night.  After  latoo,  I  cautioned  the 
guard  to  be  vigilent,  and  ordered  one  of  the  non-commissioned  ofllccrs, 
as  the  sentinels  could  not  see  every  part  of  the  garrison,  to  walk  round 
on  the  inside  during  the  whole  night,  to  prevent  the  Indians  taking  any 
advantage  of  us,  provided  they  had  any  intention  of  attacking  us. 
About  11  o'clock  I  was  awakened  by  the  tiring  of  one  of  the  sentinels; 
I  sprang  up,  ran  out,  and  ordered  the  men  to  their  posts  ;  when  my 
orderly  sergeant,  who  had  charge  of  the  upper  block-house,  called  out 
that  the  Indians  had  fired  the  lower  block-house,  (which  contained  tlic 
properly  of  the  contiaotor,  which  was  deposited  in  the  lower  part,  tlie 
upper  having  been  assigned  to  a  (U)rporal  and  ten  privates  as  an  alarm 
post.)  The  guns  had  began  to  fire  pretty  smartly  from  both  sides.  I 
directed  the  buckets  to  be  got  ready  and  water  brought  from  the  well, 
and  the  fire  extinguished  immediately,  as  it  was  perceivable  at  that 
that  time ;  but  from  debility  or  some  other  cause,  the  men  were  very 
slow  in  executing  my  orders — the  word  fire  appeared  to  throw  the 
whole  of  them  into  confusion  ;  and  by  the  time  they  had  got  the  water 
and  broken  open  the  door,  the  fire  had  unfortunately  communicated  to  a 
quantity  of  whiskey  (the  stock  having  licked  several  holes  through  the 
lower  part  of  the  building,  after  the  salt  that  was  stored  there,  through 
which  they  had  introduced  the  fire  without  being  discovered,  as  the 
night  was  very  dark)  and  in  spile  of  every  exertion  we  could  make  use 
of,  in  less  than  a  moment  il  ascended  to  the  roof  and  baflled  every  elTorl 
we  could  make  to  extinguish  it.  As  that  block-house  adjoined  the  bar- 
racks that  make  part  of  the  fortifications  most  of  the  men  immcdiiiti'ly 
gave  themselves  up  for  lost,  and  I  had  the  greatest  difficulty  in  getting 
my  orders  executed — and,  sir,  what  from  tlio  raging  of  the  fire — the 
yelling  and  howling  of  several  hundred  Indians — the  cries  of  nine 
women  and  children  (a  part  soldiers'  and  a  part  citizens'  wives,  who 
had  taken  shelter  in  the  fort)  and  the  desponding  of  so  many  of  the 
men,  which  was  worse  than  all — I  can  assure  that  my  feelings  were 
unpleasant— and  indeed  there  were  not  more  than  ten  or  fifteen  men 
able  to  do  a  great  deal,  the  others  being  sick  or  convalescent — and  to 
add  to  our  other  misfortunes,  two  of  the  strongest  men  in  the  fort,  and 
that  I  had  every  confidence  in  jumped  the  picket  and  left  us.  But  my 
presence  of  mind  did  not  for  a  moment  forsake  me.  I  saw,  by  throwing 
olTa  part  of  the  roof  that  joined  the  block-house  that  was  on  fire,  anu 
keeping  the  end  perfectly  wet,  the  whole  row  of  building*  might  ')c 


1812. 


1S12. 


Ciipfdin  Z.  Ttnjlnr^s  Letter. 


533 


ix  ptivalps  and 
somotimcs  part 
le  oompany ;  I 
his  post  &l)oul(l 

lie  fever,  I  was 
I  cautioned  the 
isioned  ofl'iccrs, 
to  walk  round 
ians  taking  any 
r   attacking   us. 
f  the  sentinels; 
)sts  ;  when  my 
ouse,  called  out 
li  contained  ihc 
lower  part,  the 
ates  as  an  alarm 
n  both  sides.    I 
,  from  the  well, 
ccivablc  at  that 
men  were  very 
d  to  throw  the 
id  got  the  water 
nmunicated  to  a 
olcs  throijgli  the 
d  there,  through 
covered,  aa  llic 
could  make  use 
led  every  efforl 
Ijoincd  the  bar- 
en   immediately 
cully  in  getting 
f  the  fire— the 
cries   of   nine 
is'   wives,  who 
so  many  of  the 
V  feelings  were 
or  fifteen  men 
.esceiil — and  to 
in  the  fort,  and 
\  us.     But  my 
Iw,  by  throwing 
ps  on  fire,  anu 
ing..  might  ')C 


^aved,  and  leave  only  an  entrance  of  eighteen  or  twenty  fret  for  tho 
cntranro  of  the  Indians  after  the  house  was  consumed;  and  that  n 
temporary  breast-work  might  be  executed  to  prevent  their  even  entering 
there — I  convinced  the  men  that  this  might  be  accomplished  and  it  ap- 
peared to  inspire  them  with  new  life,  and  never  did  men  act  with  more 
firmness  and  desperation.  TiioHe  that  were  able  (while  the  otiiers  kept 
up  a  constant  fire  from  the  other  block-house  and  the  two  bastions) 
mounted  the  roofs  of  the  houses,  with  Dr.  Clark  at  tlieir  head,  who 
acted  with  the  greatest  firmness  and  presence  of  mind  the  whole  time 
the  attack  lasted,  which  was  seven  hours,  under  a  shower  of  bullets, 
and  in  less  than  a  moment  threw  olT  as  much  of  the  roof  as  was  neces- 
sary. This  was  done  only  with  a  loss  of  one  man  and  two  wounded, 
and  I  am  in  hopes  neither  of  them  dangerously  ;  the  man  that  was 
killed  was  a  little  deranged,  and  did  not  rrel  off  the  house  as  soon  as 
directed,  or  he  would  not  have  been  hurl — and  although  the  barracks 
were  several  times  in  a  blaze,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  fire  against 
them,  the  men  used  such  exertions  that  they  kept  it  under  and  before 
day  raised  a  temporary  breast-work  as  high  as  a  man's  head,  although 
the  Indians  continued  to  pour  in  a  heavy  fire  of  ball  and  an  innumerable 
quantity  of  arrows  during  the  whole  time  tho  attack  lasted,  in  every  part 
of  the  parade.  I  had  but  one  other  man  killed,  nor  any  other  wounded 
inside  the  fort,  and  he  lost  his  life  by  being  too  anxious — he  got  into 
one  of  the  gallics  in  the  bastions,  and  fired  over  the  pickets,  and  called 
out  to  his  comrades  that  he  had  killed  an  Indian,  and  neglecting  to  stoop 
down  in  an  instant  he  was  shot  dead.  One  of  the  men  that  jumped  the 
pickets,  returned  an  hour  before  day,  and  running  up  towards  the  gate, 
begged  for  God's  sake  for  it  to  be  opened.  I  suspected  it  to  be  a  strata- 
gem of  the  Indians  to  get  in,  as  I  did  not  recollect  the  voice.  I  directed 
the  men  in  the  bastion,  where  I  happened  to  be,  to  shoot  him  let  him  bo 
who  he  would,  and  one  of  them  fired  at  him,  but  fortunately  he  ran  up 
to  the  other  bastion,  where  they  knew  his  voice,  and  Dr.  Clarke  direct- 
ed him  to  lie  down  close  to  the  pickets  behind  an  empty  barrel  that 
happened  to  be  there,  and  at  day-light  I  had  him  let  in.  His  arm  was 
broke  in  a  most  shocking  manner;  which  he  says  was  done  by  the 
Indians-— which  I  suppose,  was  the  cause  of  his  returning — I  tliink  it 
probable  that  he  will  not  recover.  The  other  they  caught  about  130 
yards  from  the  garrison,  and  cut  him  all  to  pieces.  After  keeping  up  a 
constant  fire  until  about  six  o'clock  the  next  morning,  which  we  began 
to  reiurn  with  some  elTv.'ct  after  day-light,  they  removed  out  of  the  reach 
of  our  guns.  A  party  of  them  drove  up  the  horses  that  belonged  to  the 
citizens  here,  and  as  they  could  not  catch  them  very  readily,  shot  the 
whole  of  them  in  our  sight,  as  well  as  a  number  of  their  hogs.  'J'liey 
drove  off  the  whole  of  the  cattle,  which  amounted  to  65  head,  as  well 
as  the  public  oxen.     I  had  the  vacancy  tilled  up  before  night,  (which 


534 


Capfnin  Z.  TnyWs  Lvffi'r. 


1P12. 


wns  made  Iiy  llir  Inirnlng  of  \hc  Morli-housr)  with  a  strong  row  of 
pirl<rls,  wliicli  T  got  l>y  pulling  down  tlip  guanl-lunipr.  Wr  lofl  the 
wlioln  of  onr  provisions,  hut  must  m.ikr  out  to  livr  npon  pfr^rn  porn 
until  wr  ran  gpt  a  snpply,  which  T  am  in  hopos  will  not  he  long.  I 
believe  the  whole  of  the  Minmios  or  Wcas,  were  among  the  Prophet's 
parly,  as  one  chief  gave  his  order'i  in  that  language,  which  resembled 
Stone  Eater's  voice,  and  I  believe  Nej^ro  liCgs  was  there  likewise.  A 
Frenrhman  hero  understands  their  different  languages,  and  several  of  the 
Miamies  or  Weas,  that  have  been  frequently  here,  were  recognized  by 
the  Frenchman  and  .soldiers,  next  mornirjg.  'I'he  Indians  sulTj-red  .smart- 
ly, but  wcri!  so  numerous  as  to  lake  oil'  all  that  were  shot.  They  con- 
tinued with  us  until  the  next  morning,  but  made  no  further  attempt  upon 
the  fort,  nor  have  we  seen  any  thing  more  of  them  since.  I  have  de- 
layed informing  you  of  my  .situation,  as  I  did  not  like  to  weaken  the 
garrison,  and  I  looked  for  some  person  from  Vincennes,  and  none  of  my 
men  were  a/qnainted  with  the  woods,  and  therefore  I  would  either  have 
to  take  the  road  or  the  river,  which  I  was  fearful  was  guarded  by  small 
parties  of  Indians  that  would  not  dare  attack  a  company  of  rangers  that 
was  on  a  scout;  but  being  disappointed,  I  have  at  length  determined  to 
Bend  a  couple  of  my  men  by  water,  and  am  in  hopes  they  will  arrive 
safe.  I  think  it  would  be  best  to  send  the  provisions  under  a  pretty 
strong  escort,  as  the  Indians  may  attempt  to  prevent  their  coming.  If 
you  carry  on  an  expedition  against  the  Prophet  this  fall,  you  ought  to 
be  well  provided  with  every  thing,  as  you  may  calculate  on  having 
every  inch  of  ground  disputed  between  this  and  tiiere  that  they  can 
defend  with  advantage.  Z.  TAYLUK. 

His  Excellency  Gov.  Harrison. 

Fort  Harrison,  September  13,  1812. 

Dear  Sir — I  wrote  you  on  the  lOlh  instant,  giving  you  an  account  of 
the  attack  on  this  place,  as  well  as  my  situation,  which  account  I  at- 
tempted to  send  by  water,  but  the  two  men  whom  I  dispatched  in  a 
canoe  after  night,  found  the  river  so  well  guarded,  that  they  were  obliiied 
to  return.  The  Indians  had  built  afire  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  a  short 
distance  below  the  garrison,  which  gave  them  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
any  craft  that  might  attempt  to  pass,  and  were  waiting  with  a  canoe 
ready  to  intercept  it.  I  expect  the  fort,  as  well  as  the  road  to  Vincennes, 
is  as  well  or  better  watched  than  the  river.  But  my  situation  compels 
me  to  make  one  other  attempt  by  land,  and  my  orderly  sergeant,  with 
one  other  man,  sets  out  to  night  with  strict  orders  to  avoid  the  road  in 
the  day  time,  and  depend  entirely  on  the  woods,  although  neither  of 
them  have  ever  been  in  Vincennes  by  land,  nor  do  they  know  any 
tiling  of  the  country,  but  I  am  in  hopes  they  will  reach  you  in  safety. 
I  send  them  with  great  reluctance  from  their  ignorance  of  the  woods.    I 


1S12. 

strong  row  of 

Wo  1of>l  the 

ion  »rccn  corn 

nt  ho  lonjT.     I 

thp  PropliPt's 
liich  resembled 
c  likewise.  A 
il  several  of  the 

recognized  by 
sunVred  smart- 
ji.  They  con- 
!r  attempt  upon 
ce.  I  have  dc- 
!  to  wcnkcM  the 
ind  none  of  my 
>ul(l  either  have 
larded  by  small 
of  rangers  that 
1  determined  to 
they  will  arrive 
under  a  pretty 
leir  coming.  If 
1,  you  ought  to 
laic  on  having 
I  that  they  can 
TAYLOR. 


)er  13,  1812. 

an  account  of 
1  account  I  at- 
dispatched  in  a 

r  were  obliged 
e  river,  a  short 
unity  of  seeing 

with  a  canoe 

to  Vincennes, 
nation  compels 
sergeant,  with 
oitl  the  road  in 
(Ugh  neither  of 
hey  know  any 

you  in  safety. 

the  woods.    I 


1812. 


ir.  //.  Harrison  Commnnder-iii'ChiiJ'. 


535 


lliink  it  very  probable  lliero  is  a  laijjc  patty  of  Indians  waylaying  the 
road  between  this  and  Vinccnncs,  likily  about  the  Narrr  -  s,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  intercepting  any  party  that  may  be  coming  to  this  [)l.ico,  .h  ihe 
cattle  tliey  got  Iiere  will  sujiply  them  plcniifully  with  provisions  for 
Bomc  lime  to  come. 

Z.  TAYLOU.» 
His  Excellency  Gov.  IlAnRisor. 

But  ])i'fnro  t]u>  siirrcndiT  of  Hull  took  plafc,  i'xtonsive  prepara- 
tions had  Ix'i'M  made  in  Oliio,  Kt'iilucky,  N'ir^inia,  and  Pi'unsyl- 
vania,  to  bring  into  service  a  large  and  ellicieiit  aruiy.f  Three 
points  needed  dcfenee,  Fort  Wayne  and  the  iMauniee,  the  Wahash, 
and  the  Illinois  Kiver:  the  troops  destined  lor  liie  first  point  were 
to  he  under  tlie  conuiiand  of  (Jeneral  Winchester,  a  revolutionary 
ofliccr  resident  in  Tennessee  and  hut  little  known  to  the  frontier 
nu'U  ;f  tliose  for  the  Wahasji  were  to  hi;  undiT  Harrison,  whose 
name  since  tlie  battle  of  Ti[)[)ecanoe  was  familiar  eve.ywhere  ; 
while  (Governor  Edwards  of  the  Illinois  Territory,  was  to  com- 
mand the  expedition  ui)on  the  river  of  the  same  name.  Such  were 
the  intentions  of  the  Government,  but  the  wishes  of  tlie  people 
frustrated  them,  and  led,  first,  to  the  appointment  of  Harrison  to 
tlie  command  of  the  Kentucky  voUmteers,  destined  to  assist  I  lull's 
army, II  and  next  to  Ids  elevation  to  the  post  of  commander-in- 
chief  over  all  the  forces  of  the  west  and  north-west:  this  last  ap- 
pointment was  made  September  17th,  and  was  notified  to  the 
Gcntral  upon  the  2llh  of  that  mont}i.§  Meantime  Port  Wayne 
had  b(>en  relieved,  and  the  line  of  the  .Maumee  secured  ;1I  so  that 
when  Harrison  found  himself  placed  at  the  head  of  military  affairs 
in  the  west,  his  main  objects  were,  first,  to  drive  the  Indians  from 
tlie  western  side  of  the  Detroit  Kiver;  second,  to  take  Maiden; 
and  third,  having  thus  secured  his  communications,  to  re(;apture 
the  Michigan  Territory  and  its  dependencies.**  To  do  all  this 
before  winter,  and  thus  be  prepared  to  coiniuer  Upper  Canada, 
Harrison  proposed  to  take  possession  of  the  Rapids  of  the  Maumee 

•  Nilcs'  Register,  iii.  90.    McAfee,  U)3, 

t  McAfee,  102  to  110. 

\  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  ry2  to  tJ6.     Aiipendix,  No.  S.  p.  203.     McAtVe,  1,31. 

[  Tlie  propriety  of  tliis  step  w;i>  much  (luestioncd  ,  sue  McAfee,  107,  kc.    Armstrong's 
.Notices,  i.  .08. 

?  McAfee  140.— Also,  Letter  of  Secretary  of  War,  McAfee  118. 

1  Sec  the  details  in  McAfee,  120  to  139. 

*•  Armstro;  g'8  Notices,  i.  59.     McAfee,  145. 


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« 


Expeditions  of  General  Hopkins.  1812. 

and  there  to  concentrate  his  forces  and  his  stores  ;  in  moving  upon 
tliis  point  he  divided  his  troops  into  three  columns,  the  right  to 
inarch  from  Wooster  tlirough  Upper  Sandusky,  the  centre  from 
Urbana  by  Fort  McArthur  on  the  heads  of  the  Scioto,  and  the;  left 
from  St.  Mary's  by  the  Au-Glaize  and  Maumee, — all  meeting,  of 
course,  at  the  Rapids.*  This  plan,  however,  failed :  the  troops  of 
the  left  column  under  Winchester,  worn  out  and  starved,  were 
found  on  the  verge  of  mutiny,  and  the  mounted  men  of  the  centre 
under  General  Tupper  were  unable  to  do  any  thing,  partly  from 
their  own  want  of  subordination,  but  still  more  from  the  shiftless- 
ncss  of  their  commander;!  this  condition  of  the  troops,  and  the 
prevalence  of  disease  among  them,  together  with  the  increasing 
difFiculty  of  transportation  after  the  autumnal  rains  set  in,  forced 
upon  the  commander  the  conviction  that  he  must  wait  until  the 
winter  had  bridged  the  streams  and  morasses  with  ice,|  and  even 
when  that  had  taken  place  he  was  doubtful  as  to  the  wisdom  of  an 
attempt  to  conquer  without  vessels  on  Lake  Erie.|| 

Thus,  <  t  the  close  of  the  year  1812,  nothing  effectual  had  been 
done  towards  the  reconquest  of  Michigan :  Winchester,  with  the 
left  wing  of  the  arniy  was  on  his  way  to  the  Rapids,  hib  men 
enfeebled  by  sickness,  want  of  clothes,  and  want  of  food ;  the 
right  wing  approaching  Sandusky ;  and  the  centre  resting  at  Fort 
McArthur.  § 

Several  smaller  operations,  however,  had  taken  place  since  the 
1st  of  October,  with  various  success.  Early  in  that  month  Gene- 
ral Hopkins  led  a  corps  of  2000  mounted  volunteers  from  Vin- 
cennes  against  the  Kickapoo  villages  upon  the  Illinois;  but  being 
misled  by  the  guides,  after  W'andering  in  the  prairies  for  some  days 
to  no  purpose,  the  party  returned  to  the  capital  of  Indiana  not- 
withstanding the  wishes  and  commands  of  their  general  officers.^ 
Chagrined  at  the  result  of  this  attempt,  the  same  commander  in 
November  led  a  band  of  infantry  up  the  Wabash,  and  succeeded 
in  destroying  several  deserted  villages,  and  losing  several  men  in 
an  ambuscade.  His  enemy,  declining  a  combat,  and  the  cold 
proving  severe,  hfi  was  forced  to  retire  to  Vincennes  again.** 
Governor  Edwards,  meanwhile,  had  marched  against  the  natives 

•  McAfee,  142,  &c.  192,  &c.  at  the  latter  reference  Harrison's  letter  is  gi\i!n. 

+  McAfee,  14C  to  151.    General  Tuppcr's  account  is  in  Niles'  Register,  iii.  167. 

I  McAfee,  164,  165.  |1  McAfee,  187.  196  to  199.    Dawson,  333  to  341. 

§  McAfee,  201,  199,  168. 

%  McAfee,  158.    General  Hopkins'  account  is  in  Niles'  Register,  iii.  204. 

••  McAfee,  160. — Hopkins'  account  ia  in  Niles'  Register,  iii.  264. 


^ 


1812. 

oviiig  upon 
he  ii|^hl  to 
centre  from 
;ind  lilt!  It'll 
meeting,  of 
he  troops  of 
irved,  were 
f  the  centr(! 
,  partly  from 
he  shiflless- 
)ps,  and  the 
e  increasing 
ct  in,  forced 
ait  until  die. 
:,:j:  and  even 
asdoni  of  an 


1813. 


Winchester'' s  movements. 


537 


at  the  head  of  Peoria  Lake,  and  killed  twenty  of  them  without  loss 
to  liiinself.*  Still  later,  in  Decendjer,  CJeneral  Harrison  tlespatch- 
ed  a  party  of  GOO  men  against  the  Miami  villages  upon  the  Mis- 
sissinneway,  a  hranch  of  the  Wabash.  This  body,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lieutenant  Colonel  Campbell,  destroyed  several  villages, 
and  fought  a  severe  battle  with  the  Indians,  who  were  defeated  ; 
but  the  severity  of  the  weather,  the  number  of  his  wounded  (forty- 
eight,)  the  scarcity  of  provisions,  and  the  fear  of  being  attacked 
by  Tccumthc,  at  the  head  of  600  fresh  savages,  led  Colonel 
Campbell  to  retreat  immediately  after  the  battle,  without  destroy- 
ing the  principal  town  of  the  enemy.  The  expedition,  however, 
was  not  without  results,  as  it  induced  some  of  the  tribes  to  come 
openly  and  wholly  under  the  protection  and  within  the  borders  of 
the  Republic. f 


lal  had  been 
ter,  with  the 
ids,  hib  men 
of  food ;  the 
Bstins  at  Fort 

ice  since  the 
month  Gone-    _^ 
rs  from  Yin-   | 

but  being 
br  some  days 
ndiana  not- 
■al  officers.^ 
ommander  in  | 
id  succeeded 
iveral  men  in 
md  the  cold 
nes  again.** 
the  natives 

,8  gi\en. 
r,  iii.  167. 
333  to  341. 

04. 


1813. 


On  the  10th  of  January,  Winchester  with  his  troops  reached 
the  Rapids,  General  Harrison  with  the  right  wdng  of  the  army 
being  still  at  Upper  Sandusky,  and  Tuppcr  with  the  centre  at 
Fort  Mc Arthur.^  From  the  13th  to  the  16th  messengers  arrived 
at  Winchester's  camp  from  the  inhabitants  of  Frenchtown  on  the 
river  Raisin,  representing  the  danger  to  which  that  place  was 
exposed  from  the  hostility  of  the  British  and  Indians,  and  begging 
for  protection.  ||  These  representations  and  petitions  excited  the 
feelings  of  the  Americans,  and  led  them,  forgetful  of  the  main 
objects  of  the  campaign,  and  of  military  caution,  to  determine 
upon  the  step  of  sending  a  strong  party  to  the  aid  of  the  sufferers. § 
On  the  17th,  accordingly.  Colonel  Lewis  was  despatched  with 
550  men  to  the  river  Raisin,  and  soon  after  Colonel  Allen  followed 
with  110  more.  Marching  along  the  frozen  borders  of  the  Bay 
and  Lak?,  on  the   afternoon  of  the   18th  the    Americans  reached 

•  McAfee,  162. 

+  McAfee,  176  to  182. — Campbell's  and  Harrison's  accounts  arc  in  Niles'  Register,  iii. 
316,331. 
i,  McAfee,  202,  203.  0  McAfee,  204. 

§  Sec  Colonel  Allen's  speech  in  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  67. 


538  Defeat  at  FrencMown.  1813. 

and  attacked  the  enemy  wlio  were  posted  in  the  village,  and  aficr 
a  severe  contest  defeated  them.  Having  gained  possession  of  Ihe 
town,  Colonel  Lewis  wrote  for  reinforcements  and  prepared  himself 
to  defend  the  position  he  had  gained.*  And  it  was  evident  that  all 
his  means  of  defence  would  be  needed,  as  the  place  was  but  eighteen 
miles  from  Maiden  where  the  whole  British  force  was  collected 
under  Procter.  Winchester,  on  the  19th,  having  heard  of  the 
action  of  the  previous  day,  marched  with  250  men,  whieh  was 
the  most  he  dared  detach  from  the  Rapids,  to  the  aid  of  the  captor 
of  Frenchtown,  which  place  he  reached  on  the  next  evening. 
But  instead  of  placing  his  men  in  a  secure  position,  and  taking 
measures  to  prevent  the  secret  approach  of  the  enemy,  Winchester 
sufTered  the  troops  he  had  brought  with  him  to  remain  in  the  open 
ground,  and  took  no  efficient  measures  to  protect  himself  from 
surprise,  although  informed  that  an  attack  might  be  expected  at 
any  moment. f  The  conse([uence  was  that  during  the  night  of  the 
21st  the  whole  British  force  approached  undiscovered,  and  erected 
a  battery  within  300  yards  of  the  American  camp.  From  this, 
before  the  troops  were  fairly  under  arms  in  the  morning,  a  dis- 
charge of  bombs,  balls,  and  grape-shot,  informed  the  devoted 
soldiers  of  Winchester  of  the  folly  of  their  commander,  and  in  a 
moment  more  the  dreaded  Indian  yell  sounded  on  every  side. 
The  troops  under  Lewis  were  protected  by  the  garden  pickets 
behind  which  their  commander,  who  alone  seems  to  have  been 
upon  his  guard,  had  stationed  them ;  those  last  arrived  were,  as 
we  have  said,  in  the  open  field,  and  against  them  the  main  effort 
of  the  enemy  was  directed.  Nor  was  it  long  so  directed  without 
terrible  results ;  the  troops  yielded,  broke  and  fled,  but  fled  under 
a  fire  which  mowed  diem  down  like  grass :  Winchester  and  Lewis, 
(who  had  left  his  pickets  to  aid  his  superior  officer,)  were  taken 
prisoners.  Upon  the  party  who  fought  from  behind  their  slight 
defences,  however,  no  impression  could  be  made,  and  it  was  not 
till  Winchester  was  induced  to  send  them  what  was  deemed  an 
order  to  surrender  |  that  they  dreamed  of  doing  so.  This  Procter 
persuaded  him  to  do  by  the  old  story  of  an  Indian  massacre  in 
case  of  continued  resistance ,  to  which  he  added  a  promise  of  help 
and  protection  for  'he  wounded,  and  of  a  removal  at  the  earliest 

•  Lewis'  account  may  be  fuund  in  Nilcs'  Register,  iv.  49. 

•f  McAfee,  211. — Winchester  in  his  own  account  owns  that  he  entirely  disregarded  the 
warning  given  liim. 
\  lie  says  he  did  not  mean  it  for  an  order,  but  merely  for  advice. 


i 


le 
( 

V 

n 
ti 


1813. 

aorncnt 
!a  yield 
even  if 
ihe  suc( 
ui  habit  a 
a  descri] 

Sir:— 
respeciini 
lured,  sir 
lorecoun 
after  the 
when  I  tl 

On  ih 
tame  to  t 
ffitli  Maj 
Ken  or  t 
Jiolest  a 
about  un 
at  which  t 
and  the  m 
iliat  was 
!rom  the  I 
inanded  b} 
there,  I  sa 
with  sevei 
i  general  m 
about  one 
ki  on  mj 
rounded  b^ 
to  the  unfc 
Tawa  tribe 
adblanke 
had  just  b 
up  and  mai 
aliawk  as  i 
jood  frien( 
started  fror 
'vards  saw 
ped  of  thai 
iMessrs. 

•  McAfee, 


1813. 

je,  and  aficr 
cssloii  of  Ihe 
)tircd  himself 
'ident  that  all 
i  but  eighteen 
was  collected 
heard   of  the 
,   which  was 
of  the  captor 
ext   evening. 
I,  and   taking 
^,  Winchester     f 
n  in  the  open 
himself  from 
2  expected  at    ^ 
2  night  of  the     ■ 
1,  and  erected 
,     From  this, 
orning,  a  dis- 
the    devoted 
ider,  and  in  a 
n  every  side.     I 
irden   pickets 
0  have  been 
ived  were,  as 
le  main  effort 
ected  without 
ut  fled  under 
r  and  Lewis,    i 
,)  were  taken 
their   slight 
nd  it  was  not    \ 
IS  deemed  an 
This  Procter 
massacre  in 
■oraise  of  help 
it  the  earliest  | 


ly  disregarded  the 


1813.  Massacre  of  the  Wounded.  539 

amnent;  without  wliich  last  promise  (he  trcops  of  Lewis  refused 
:o  yie.'ld  even  when  rctjuired  by  their  General.*  But  the  promise, 
even  if  given  in  good  faith,  was  not  redeemed,  and  the  horrors  of 
the  succeeding  night  and  day  will  long  be  remend)ered  by  the 
uihabitants  of  the  frontier.  Of  a  portion  of  those  horrors  we  give 
a  description  in  the  words  of  an  eye-witness. 

Nicholasville,  Kentucky,  April  24lh,  1813. 

Sir : — Yours  of  the  5ih  instant,  requesting  me  to  give  you  a  statement 
respecting  the  late  disaster  at  Frenchtown,  was  duly  received.  Rest  as- 
sured, sir,  tiiat  il  is  with  sensations  the  most  unpleasant  that  I  undertake 
10 recount  the  infamous  and  barbarous  conduct  of  the  British  and  Indiana 
after  the  battle  of  the  22d  January.  The  blood  runs  cold  in  my  veins 
when  I  think  of  it. 

On  the  morning  of  the  23d,  shordy  after  light,  six  or  eight  Indiana 
came  to  the  house  of  Jean  Baptiste  Jereaume,  where  I  was,  in  company 
ffith  Major  Graves,  Captains  Hart  and  Hickman,  Doctor  Todd,  and  fif- 
£en  or  twenty  volunteers,  belonging  to  different  corps.  They  did  not 
3)olest  any  person  or  thing  on  their  first  approach,  but  kept  sauntering 
sbout  until  tliere  was  a  large  number  collected,  (say  one  or  two  hundred) 
at  which  time  tliey  commenced  plundering  the  houses  of  the  inhabitants, 
and  the  massacre  of  the  wounded  prisoners.  I  was  one  amongst  the  first 
ihat  was  taken  prisoner,  and  was  taken  to  a  horse  about  twenty  paces 
from  the  liouse,  after  being  divested  of  part  of  my  clothing,  and  com- 
manded by  signs  there  to  remain  for  further  orders.  Shordy  after  being 
there,  I  saw  them  knock  down  Captain  Hickman  at  the  door,  together 
with  several  others  with  whom  I  was  not  acquainted.  Supposing  a 
jeneral  massacre  had  commenced,  I  made  an  effort  to  get  to  a  house 
about  one  hundred  yards  distant,  which  contained  a  number  of  wounded, 
iut  on  my  reaching  the  house,  to  my  great  mortification,  found  it  sur- 
rounded by  Indians,  which  precluded  the  possibility  of  my  giving  notice 
to  the  unfortunate  victims  of  savage  barbarity.  An  Indian  chief  of  tlie 
Tawa  tribe  of  Uie  name  of  M'Carty,  gave  me  possession  of  his  horse 
md  blanket,  telling  me  by  signs,  to  lead  the  horse  to  the  house  which  I 
bd  just  before  left.  The  Indian  tliat  first  took  me,  by  this  time  camo 
Dp  and  manifested  a  hostile  disposition  towards  me,  by  raising  his  tom- 
aliawk  as  if  to  give  me  the  fatal  blow,  which  was  prevented  by  my  very 
jood  friend  M'Carty.  On  my  reaching  the  house  which  I  had  first 
started  from,  I  saw  the  Indians  take  off  several  prisoners,  which  I  after- 
wards saw  in  the  road,  in  a  most  mangled  condition,  and  entirely  strip- 
ped of  their  clothing. 

Messrs.  Bradford,  Searls,  Turner  and  Blythe,  were  collected  round  a 


•  McAfee,  215. 


540 


Massacre  of  the  Wouiided  at  FrencJitown. 


carryall,  wliich  contained  articles  taken  by  the  Indians  from  the  citizens. 
V^c  had  all  been  placed  there,  by  our  respective  captors,  except  151ythe, 
who  came  where  we  were  entreating  an  Indian  to  convey  him  to  Maiden, 
promising  to  give  him  forty  or  fifty  dollars,  and  whilst  in  the  act  of  plead- 
ing for  mercy,  an  Indian  more  savage  than  the  other,  stepped  up  behind, 
tomahawked,  stripped  and  scalped  him.  The  next  that  attracted  my  at- 
tention, was  the  houses  on  fire  that  contained  several  wounded,  whom  I 
knew  were  not  able  to  get  out.  After  the  houses  were  nearly  consumed, 
we  received  marching  orders,  and  after  arriving  at  Sandy  Creek,  the  In- 
dians called  a  halt  and  commenced  cooking  ;  after  preparing  and  eating 
a  little  sweetened  gruel,  Messrs.  Bradford,  Searls,  Turner  and  myself, 
received  some,  and  were  eating,  when  an  Indian  came  up  and  proposed 
exchanging  his  moccasins  for  Mr.  Searls'  shoes,  which  he  readily  com- 
plied with.  They  then  exchanged  hats,  after  which  the  Indian  inquired 
bow  many  men    Harrison  had  with  him,  and,  at  the  same  time,  calling 


Of  111 
[were  kil 
I  but  33  c 

Genc'i 
jwhcn  \\ 
word  cai 
and  of  s< 
all  spee( 
sent  for\ 
On  the 
mcdifale( 
?tant]y  fo 
30th;  he 
nad  start* 


Searls  a  Washington  or  Madison,  then  raised  his  tomahawk  and  struck  i  ing  of  th 
him  on  the  shoulder,  which  cut  into  the  cavity  of  the  body.  Searls  then 
caught  hold  of  the  tomahawk  and  appeared  to  resist,  and  upon  my  tell- 
ing him  his  fate  was  inevitable,  he  closed  his  eyes  and  received  the 
savage  blow  which  terminated  his  existence.  I  was  near  enough  to 
him  to  receive  the  brains  and  blood,  after  the  fatal  blow,  on  my  blanket. 
A  short  time  after  the  death  of  Searls,  I  saw  three  others  share  a  similar 
fate.  We  then  set  out  for  Brownstown,  which  place  we  reached  about 
12  or  1  o'clock  at  night.  After  being  exposed  to  several  hours  inces- 
sant rain  in  reaching  that  place,  we  were  put  into  the  council  house,  tlio 
floor  of  which  was  partly  covered  with  water,  at  which  place  we  ro- 
mained  until  next  morning,  when  we  again  received  marching  ordera 
for  their  village  on  the  river  Rouge,  which  place  we  made  thai  day, 
where  I  was  kept  six  days,  then  taken  to  Detroit  and  sold.  For  a  more  \  Mrefore, 
detailed  account  of  the  proceedings,  I  take  the  liberty  of  referring  you 
to  a  publication  which  appeared  in  the  public  prints,  signed  by  Ensign 
J.  L.  Baker,  and  to  the  publication  of  Judge  Woodward,  both  of  which 
T  have  particularly  examined,  and  find  them  to  be  literally  correct,  so  far 
as  came  under  my  notice. 

I  am,  sir,  with  due  regard,  your  fellow-citizen, 

GUSTAVUS  M.  BOWER, 
Surgeon's  Mate  5th  Regiment  Kentucky  Volunteers 
Jesse  Bledsoe,  Esq.,  Lexington.* 


Frenchto' 
hester  yc 
lid  of  tht 
aornmg  t 
arcement 
,TOund. 
my  farthe 
luring  th( 
ifhich  was 
ie  possib 
.  irtillery  iij 
\  krefore, 
;  ogether  w 
Portage  ri 
)  await  tl] 
lit  which; 
f  January 
iie  1st  of 
•P  a  new  i 


."oops  as  I 
teincr  able 


•  American  State  Papers,  xii.  372.    Do,  367  to  375. 


'  McAfee,  2 
'''lices,  i.  Ap] 
:'.ti.sh  accoun 
■ler  account 

'  McAfee,  J 


1. 


1813. 


)m  the  ciiizcns.  » 
except  Blytlic, 
liirn  to  Maiden,  1' 
the  act  of  plead-  | 
[)ped  up  behind, 
attracted  my  at- 
lunded,  whom  I 
3arly  consumed, 
y  Creek,  the  In- 
iring  and  eating 
nor  and  myself, 
p  and  proposed 
he  readily  corn- 
Indian  inquired 
ne  time,  calling 
lawk  and  struck 
Jy.     Searls  then 
d  upon  my  tell- 
nd  received  tho 
near  enough  to 
,  on  my  blanket. 
s  share  a  similar! 
'6  reached  abouti 
eral  hours  inces- 
uncil  house,  tho 
ch   place  we  ro-| 
inarching  orders 
made   thai  day, 
For  a  morel 
■  referring  youl 
gned  by  Ensign] 
both  of  whiclil 
r  correct,  so  far! 


OWER, 

Volunteers. 


1813. 


Harrison  retreats  from  the  Maumce. 


)41 


Of  Ihc  American  army,  wliich  was  al)out  800  strong,  onc-tliird 
I  were  killed  in  the  battle   and   the  massacre  which   followed,  and 
but  33  escaped.* 

General  Harrison,  as  we  have   stated,  was  at   Upper  Sandusky 
when  Winchester  reached  the  Rapids;  on  the  night  of  the    Ifith 
word  came  to  him  of  the  i  rrival  of  the  left  wing  at  that  point, 
and  of  some   meditated   movement.     He  at  once  proceed  -d  with 
all  speed  to    Lower    Sandusky,  and   on  the  morning  of  the    18th 
sent  forward  a  battalion  of  troops  to  the  support  of  Winchester. 
On  the   19th  he  learned  what  tlie  movement  was  that  had  been 
meditated  and  made,  and  with   additional  troops  he  started  in- 
stantly for  the  falls  where  he  arrived  early  on  the  morning  of  the 
i!Oth;  here  he  waited  the  arrival  of  the  regiment  with  which  he 
Had  started,  but  which  he  had  outstripped;  this  came  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  21st,  and  on  the  following  morning,  was  despatched  to 
Frenchtown,  while  all  the  troops  belonging  to  the  army  of  Win- 
hester  yet  at  the  falls,  300  in  number,  were  also  hurried  on  to  the 
lid  of  their  commander.f     But  it  was  of  course,  in  vain ;  on  that 
Mrnmg  the  battle  was  fought,  and  General  Harrison  with  his  rein- 
forcements   met  the  few  survivors  long  before  they  reached  the 
,TOund.    A  council  being  called  it  was  deemed  unwise  to  advance 
iny  farther,  and  the   troops   retired  to  the    Rapids   again :  here, 
luring  the    night   another   consultation  took  place,  the  residt  of 
diich  was  a  determination  to  retreat  yet  farther  in  order  to  prevent 
ie  possibility  of  being  cut  off  from  the  convoys  of  stores  and 
irlillery  upon  their  way  from  Sandusky.     On   the  next  morning, 
krefore,  the    block-house    which  had  been  built  was  destroyed, 
5gether  with  the  provisions  it  contained,  and  the  troops  retired  to 
Portage  river  18  miles  in  the  rear  of  Winchester's  position,  there 
0  await  the  guns  and   reinforcements  which  were  daily  expected, 
iiit  which,  as  it  turned  out,  were   detained  by  rains  until  the  30th 
f  January.^     Finding  his  army  1700  strong.  General  Harrison  on 
k  1st  of  February  again  advanced  to  the  Rapids  where  he  took 
-p  a  new  and  stronger  position,  at  which  point  he  ordered  all  the 
:oops  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  gather.    He  did  this  in  the  hope  of 
I  king  able  before  the  middle  of  the  month  to  advance  upon  Mal- 

'  McAfee,  221. — Sec  the  accounts  of  Winchester  and  Major  Madison  in  Armstrong's 
''tlices,  i.  Appendix  No.  7,  p.  196. — In  Niics'  Register,  iv.  9  to  13,  may  be  found  the 
ntish  account,  Winchester's,  and  one  accompanied  by  a  diagram:  same  vol.  p.  29,  is  a 
^llcr  account  by  Winchester,  and  on  page  83  one  by  Lewis  and  the  other  officers. 

t  McAfee,  209  to  211,  227  to  235.  i  McAfee,  23G  to  239. 


542 


Plan  of  a  new  Campaign. 


1S13. 


den,  but  the  long  continuance  of  warm  and  wet  weather  kept  the 
roads  in  such  a  condition  that  his  troops  were  unable  to  join  liini, 
and  the  project  of  advancing  upon  the  ice  was  entirely  frustr!\ted ; 
so  at  length  the  winter  campaign  had  to  be  abandoned,  as  tl^e 
autumnal  one  had  been  before. 

So  far  the  military  ojjcrations  of  the  northwest  had  certainly 
been  sufficiently  discouraging;  the  capture  of  Mackinac,  the  sur- 
render of  Hull,  the  massacre  of  Chicago,  and  the  overwhclmiiig 
defeat  of  Frcnchtown,  are  the  leading  events.  Nothing  had  been 
gained,  and  of  what  had  been  lost  nothing  had  been  retaken:  the 
slight  successes  over  the  Indians  by  Hopkins,  Edwards,  and 
Campbell,  had  not  shaken  the  power  or  the  confidence  of  Tecuia- 
the  and  his  allies,  while  the  fruitless  efforts  of  Harrison  through 
five  months  to  gather  troops  enough  at  the  mouth  of  the  Maumee 
to  attempt  the  reconquest  of  Michigan,  which  had  been  taken  in  a  f 
week,  depressed  the  spirits  of  the  Americans,  and  gave  new  life  f 
and  hope  to  their  foes. 

About  the  time  that  Harrison's  unsuccessful  campaign  drew 
to  a  close,  a  change  took  place  in  the  War  Department,  and 
General  Armstrong  succeeded  his  incapable  friend.  Dr.  Eustis. 
Armstrong's  views  were  those   of  an  able  soldier :  in  October, 

1812,  he  had  again  addressed  the  Government  through  Mr.  Gul- 
latin,  on  the  necessity  of  obtaining  the  command  of  the  lakes,* 
and  when  raised  to  power  determined  to  make  naval  operations 
tlie  basis  of  the  military  movements  of  the  northwest.  His  views 
in  relation  to  the  coming  campaign  in  the  West,  were  based  upca 
tw^o  points,  viz.  the  use  of  regular  troops  alone,  and  the  command 
of  the  lakes,  which  he  was  led  to  think  could  be  obtained  by  the 
20th  of  June,  t 

Although  the  views  of  the  Secretary,  in  relation  to  the  non 
employment  of  militia,  were  not,  and  could  not  be,  adhered  to 
the  general  plan  of  merely  standing  upon  the  defensive  until  tl 
command  of  the  lake  was  secured,  was  persisted  in,  although  i 
was  the  2nd  of  August  instead  of  the  1st  of  June,  before  the  veS' 
sels  on  Erie  could  leave  the  harbor  in  w^hich  they  had  been  builtJ 
Among  these  defensive  operations  of  the  spring  and  summer  oi 

1813,  that  at  Fort  or  Camp  Meigs,  the  new  post  taken  by  Harrison  i 

•Armstrong'?  Notices,  i.  177, note—    Steps  to  command  the  lake  had  been  taken  bei  i 
fore  OctoInT — See  Niles'  Register,  iii.  142.  127.  ' 

t  Armstronfj's  Notices,  i.  appendix.  No.  23,  p.  245.    The  Secretary  and  General  il:« 
not  cntiiolv  agree  as  to  the  plans  of  the  campaign.    Sec  the  Notices,  i.  176,  &c.    Mc 
Afce,  249,  &c.    Full  accounts  of  the  arrangement  of  the  army  in  this  year,  may  be  s 
in  Niles'  Register,  iv.  145.  158.  187. 


1813 

at  th 

cially 

sprin< 

upon 

to  for 

by  th. 

cxpec 

inves' 

plete( 

had  t 

of  tw 

momc 

'i  operal 

;  waste. 

either 

troops 

with 

Colon. 

river, 

southe 

camp 

batteri 

returnii 

skirmij 

from  th 

der,  thi 

150  of 

was  pa 

made  f 

made  i 

•Maume 

for  the 

encourf 

longer  . 

who  \v 

below  1 

from  01 

to  retre; 

•  Harris 
1  For  ac 

'10,  &c. 

(aid  to  Ge, 


1813. 

[ilhor  kept  tlie 
Ic  to  join  liim, 
I  rely  frustmted; 
mdoued,  us  tl'C 

t  had  certainly 
ckiiiac,  the  sur- 

overwlieliuliiii 
)thing  had  bicn  | 
311  retaken:  the  I 

Edwards,  ami 
ence  of  Tecum-  j 
arrison   through  ] 
of  the  Maumce 
been  taken  in  a  | 
I  gave  new  life 


1813. 


Siege  of  Fort  Meigs. 


543 


campaign  drew 
)epartment,  aiid| 
nd,  Dr.   Eustis. 
ier:  in  October, 
irough  Mr.  Gal 
d  of  the  lakes,' 
laval  operations! 
est.     His  views 
ere  based  upcaj 
d  the  comman 
obtained  by  the 


i 


ion  to  the  non- 
be,  adhered  to,| 
ensive  untU  tli< 
in,  although  i 
before  the  ves 
had  been  built 
and  summer  o! 
ken  by  Harriso 

;c  had  been  taken  l)e^ 

tary  and  General  I'.i 
CCS,  i.  176,  &c.    Mcj 
his  year,  may  be  seeij 


at  the  Rapids,  and  that  at  Lower  Sandusky,  deserve  to  bo  espe- 
cially noticed.     It  had  been  antici])ated  that,  with  the  opening  of 
spring,  the    British  would   attempt  the  coinpiest   of  the   position 
upon  the   Maumce,  and   measures  liad  been  taken  by  the  General 
to  forward  reinforcements,  which  were  detained  however,  as  usvial, 
by  the  spring  freshets  and  the  bottondess  roads.     As  had  been 
expected,   on   the  28th   of  April,   the  English  forces  began   the 
invesiment  of  Harrison's  camp,  and  by  the  1st  of  May  had  com- 
pleted their  batteries  ;  meantime,  the  Americans  behind  their  tents 
had  thrown  up  a  bank  of  earth  twelve  feet  high,  and  upon  a  basis 
of  twenty  feet,   behind   which  the  whole  garrison   withdrew  the 
moment  that  the  gunners  of  the  enemy  were  prepared  to  commence 
operations.     Upon  this  bank,  the  ammunition  of  his  Majesty  was 
wasted  in  vain,  and   down  to  the  5th,  nothing  was  efTecti-d  by 
either  party.     On  that  day,  General  Clay,  with  1200   additional 
troops,  came  down  the  Maum.ee  in  flatboats,  and,  in  accordance 
with    orders    received  from  Harrison,  detached  800  men   under 
Colonel  Dudley  to  attack  the  batteries  upon  the  left  bank  of  the 
river,  while,  with  the  remainder  of  his  forces,  he  landed  upon  the 
southern  shore,  and  after  some  loss  and  delay,  fought  his  way  into 
camp.     Dudley,  on  his  part,  succeeded  perfectly  in  capturing  the 
batteries,  but  instead  of  spiking  the  cannon,  and  then  instantly 
returning  to  his  boats,  he  suffered  his  men  to  waste  their  time,  and 
skirmish  with  the  Indians,  until  Proctor  was  able  to  >      them  off 
from  their  oidy  chance  of  retreat ;  taken  by  surprise,  and  in  disor- 
i  der,  the  greater  part  of  the  detachment  became  an  easy  prey,  only 
150  of  the  800  men  escaping  captivity  or  death.*     This  sad  result 
was  partially,  though  but  little,  alleviated  by  the  success  of  a  sortie 
made  from  the  fort  by  Colonel  Miller,  in  which  he  captured  and 
made  useless  the  batteries,  that  had  been  erected  south  of  the 
Maumee.f     The  result  of  the  day's  doings  had  been  sad  enough 
for  the  Americans,  but  still  the  British  General  saw  in  it  nothing  to 
encourage  him  ;  his  cannon  had  done  nothing,  and  were  in  fact  no 
longer  of  value;  his  Indian  allies  found  it  "  hard  to  fight  people 
who  lived  like  groundhogs"  ;|  news  of  the  American  successes 
below^  had  been  received  ;  and  additional  troops  were  approaching 
from  Ohio  and  Kentucky,     Proctor,  weighing  all  things,  determined 
to  retreat,  and  upon  the  9th  of  May  returned  to  Maiden.  || 

'  Harrison's  Report,    t  McAfee,  26 1  to  272.     ^  Sec  Tecumthe's  Speecli,  McAfee, 

11  For  account  ofseigc  of  FortlTcigs,  by  Harrison,  &c.  see  Niles'  Register,  iv.  191,  &c., 

-10,  &c.    For  diary  of  seigc,  do.  iv.  243  j  for  British  account,  do.  iv.  272.    O'Fdllon's 

(aid  to  Gc.  Harrison)  ia  in  National  Intelligencer,  June  16,  1840. 


644 


Vessels  at  Ene  in  danger. 


1813. 


The  sliip-biiililing  going  forward  at  Erie  had  not,  meanwhile, 
been  uidvnown  to  or  disregarded  by  the  English,  who  proposed 
all  in  good  time  to  destroy  the  vessels  upon  which  so  much 
depended,  and  to  appropriate  the  stores  of  the  republicans :  "  the 
ordnance  and  naval  stores  you  recpiire,"  said  Sir  (leorge  Prevost 
to  General  Proctor,  "must  be  taken  from  the  enemy,  whose 
resources  on  lake  Erie  must  become  yours.  I  am  much  mistaken, 
if  you  do  not  find  Captain  Barclay  disposed  to  ])lay  that  game."* 
Captain  Barclay  was  an  experienced,  brave,  and  able  seaman,  and 
was  waiting  anxiously  for  a  sufhcient  body  of  troops  to  be  spared 
ihm,  in  order  to  attack  Erie  with  success;  —  a  sufficient  force 
was  promised  him  on  the  18th  of  July,  at  which  time  the  British 
fleet  went  down  the  lake  to  reconnoitre,  and  if  it  were  wise,  to 
make  the  proposed  attempt  upon  the  Americans  at  Erie  ;  none, 
however,  was  made.f  Al)out  the  same  time,  the  followers  of 
Proctor  again  approached  Fort  Meigs,  around  which  they  remained 
for  a  week,  efTecting  nothing,  though  very  numerous.  The  pur- 
pose of  this  second  investment  seems,  indeed,  rather  to  have  been 
the  diversion  of  Harrison's  attention  from  Erie,  and  the  employment 
of  the  immense  bands  of  Indians  which  the  English  had  gathered 
at  Maiden, I  than  any  serious  blow  ;  and  finding  no  progress  made. 
Proctor  next  moved  to  Sandusky,  into  the  neighborhood  of  the 
commander-in-chief.  The  principal  stores  of  Harrison  were  at 
Sandusky,  while  he  was  himself  at  Seneca,  and  Major  Croghan  at 
Fort  Stephenson  or  Lower  Sandusky.  This  latter  post  being 
deemed  indefensible  against  heavy  cannon,  and  it  being  supposed 
that  Proctor  would  of  course  bring  heavy  cannon,  if  he  attacked  it, 
the  General  and  a  council  of  war  called  by  him,  thought  it  wisest 
to  abandon  it ;  but  before  this  could  be  done  after  the  final  deter- 
mination of  the  matter,  the  appearance  of  the  enemy  upon  the 
31st  of  July  made  it  impossible.  The  garrison  of  the  little  fort 
was  composed  of  150  men,  under  a  commander  just  past  his  21st 
yearJI  and  with  a  single  piece  of  cannon,  while  the  investing 
force,  including  Tecumseh's  Indians,  was,  it  is  said,  3,300  strong, 
and  with  six  pieces  of  artillery,  all  of  them,  fortunately,  light  ones. 
Proctor  demanded  a  surrender,  and  told  the  unvarying  story  of 

*  Letter  of  July  11th,  given  in  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  Appendix,  No.  19,  p.  228. 
+  Letter  of  General  DeRottenburg,  in  Armstrong's  Notices,  i.  Appendix,  No.  19,  p.  229. 
McAfee,  313. 

^  McAfee,  297  to  299 ;  2,500  warriors  were  about  Maiden. 
1  General  Harrison,  quoted  in  McAfee,  329. 


I 
[ 


1813. 

the  d. 

the   f. 

Crogli 

to  ma 

!  son  w 

;  fire,  V 

'  fort,  1 

breach 

ceede( 

under 

to  rak( 

battery 

event. 

evenin 

corner 

column 

walls. 

ditch  w 

the  mas 

sweep  1 

of  the  a 

the  litt 

morning 

before  ( 

guns,  st 

From 

pated  at 

vast  nur 

more  w; 

August, 

a  month 

Septeral 

port,  an( 

we  give 


\    Sir:  Ii 

fleet  on  1 

i 

■    •McAfee 

t  McAfee 
ir.388to  3S 

36 


1813. 

mcanwlillr, 
\\()   proposed 
c'h  so    much 
ilicans :  "  the 
orf^c  Prevost 
it'iny,    whose 
ich  mislakcii, 
that  game."* 
seaman,  ami 
to  be  spared 
nfTicient  force 
no  the  British 
,vcre  wise,  to    , 
;  Erie  ;  none,    I 
2  followers  of   t 
they  remained 
IS.     The  pur- 
•  to  have  been 
le  employment 
I  had  gathered 
irogress  made, 
3rhood  of  the 
ison  were   at 
or  Croghan  at 
er  post  being 
|eing  supposed 
lie  attacked  it, 
ught  it  wisest 
[he  final  detcr- 
my  upon  the 
the  little  fort 
past  his  21st 
the  investing  | 
3,300  strong,  ? 
■ly,  light  ones.   \ 
rying  story  of  ' 

1.19,  p.  228. 
dix,No.l9,j..2i2'J. 


1813. 


Croghnn^s  defence  of  Fort  Stephenson . 


545 


the  danger  of  provoking  a  general  massacre  by  the  savages,  unless 
the  fort  was  yielded :  to  all  which  the  representative  of  young 
Croghan  replied  by  saying  that  the  Indians  would  have  none  left 
to  massacre,  if  the  British  concpiered,  for  every  man  of  the  garri- 
son would  have  died  at  his  post.*  Proctor,  upon  this,  opened  his 
fire,  which  being  concentrated  upon  the  northwest  angle  of  the 
fort,  led  the  commander  to  think  that  it  was  meant  to  make  a 
breach  there,  and  carry  the  works  by  assault :  he  therefore  pro- 
ceeded to  strength  n  that  point  by  bags  of  sand  and  (lour,  while 
under  cover  of  night  he  placed  his  single  six  pounder  in  a  position 
to  rake  the  angle  threatened,  and  then,  having  charged  his  infant 
battery  with  slugs,  and  hidden  it  from  the  enemy,  he  waited  the 
event.  During  the  night  of  the  1st  of  August,  and  till  late  in  the 
evening  of  the  2d,  the  firing  continued  upon  the  devoted  northwest 
corner ;  then,  under  cover  of  the  smoke  and  gathering  darkness,  a 
column  of  350  men  approached  unseen  to  within  20  paces  of  the 
walls.  The  musketry  opened  upon  them,  but  with  little  eflect, — the 
ditch  was  gained,  and  in  a  moment  filled  with  men :  at  that  instant, 
the  masked  cannon,  only  thirty  feet  distant,  and  so  directed  as  to 
sweep  the  ditch,  —  was  unmasked  and  fired,  —  killing  at  once  27 
of  the  assailants ;  the  effect  was  decisive,  the  column  recoiled,  and 
the  little  fort  was  saved  with  the  loss  of  one  man :  —  on  the  next 
morning  the  British  and  their  allies,  having  the  fear  of  Harrison 
before  their  eyes,  were  gone,  leaving  behind  them  in  their  haste, 
guns,  stores,  and  clothing,  f 

From  this  time  all  were  busy  in  preparing  for  the  long  antici- 
pated attack  upon  Maiden.  Kentucky  especially  sent  her  sons  in 
vast  numbers,  under  their  veteran  Governor,  Shelby,  and  the  yet 
more  widely  distinguished  Richard  M.  Johnson.  On  the  4th  of 
August,  Perry  got  his  vessels  out  of  Erie  into  deep  water ;  but  for 
a  month  was  unable  to  bring  matters  to  a  crisis:  on  the  10th  of 
September,  however,  the  fleet  of  Barclay  was  seen  standing  out  of 
port,  and  the  Americans  hastened  to  receive  him.  Of  the  contest 
we  give  Perry's  own  account. 

United  States  schooner  Ariel,  Put-in-Uay, 
13th  September,  1813. 
Sir :  In  my  last  I  informed  you  that  we  had  captured  the  enemy's 
fleet  on  this  lake.    I  have  now  the  honor  to  give  you  the  most  impor- 

•  McAfee,  325. 

I-  McAfee,  324  to  328. — The  accounts  by  Croghan  and  Harrison  are  in  Niles'  Register, 
It,  388  to  390.    A  further  account  and  plan  of  the  fort  in  do,  v.  7  to  9. 

35 


546 


Pem/s  Victory. 


181.3. 


tant  piuticulars  of  llic  action.  On  tlic  nioinirig  of  llio  lOili  instant,  at 
■unrisc,  tlicy  were  discovered  from  Put  in-Uay,  whore  I  lay  at  anclior 
with  the  fl(ina(lron  under  my  command.  We  pot  under  weigh,  the  wind 
li(,'hl  at  S.  W.  and  stood  for  them.  At  10  A.  M.  the  wind  h 
S.  E.  and  brought  us  to  windward  ;  formed  the  'ine  and  hroupht  p. 
At  \f>  minutes  before  12,  the  enemy  eommenred  firing;  at  5  minutes 
before  12,  the  action  commenced  on  our  part.  Finding  their  fire  very 
dcBtructivc,  owing  to  their  long  gun?,  and  its  being  mostly  directed  to 
the  Jiuwrencc,  1  made  sail,  and  directed  the  other  vessels  to  follow,  for 
the  purpose  of  closing  with  the  enemy.  Every  brace  and  bow  line 
being  shot  away,  she  became  unmanageable,  notwiihstanding  the  great 
exertionu  of  the  tSailing  Muatcr.  In  this  bituutiou  bhu  sustained  iho 
action  upwards  of  two  hours,  within  caniblur  nhut  distance,  until  every 
gun  was  rendered  u.'clcss,  and  a  greater  part  of  the  crew  cither  killed  or 
wounded.  Finding  she  could  no  longer  annoy  the  enemy,  I  left  her  in 
cliarge  of  Lieutenant  Yarnall,  who,  I  was  convinced,  from  the  bravery 
already  displayed  by  him,  would  do  wliat  would  comport  with  tlic 
honor  of  the  flag.  At  half  past  2,  the  wind  springing  up,  Captain 
Elliott  was  enabled  to  bring  his  vessel,  the  Niagara,  gallantly  into  close 
action  ;  I  immediately  went  on  board  of  her,  when  he  anticipated  my 
wish  by  volunteering  to  bring  the  schooners,  which  had  been  kept 
astern  by  the  lightness  of  the  wind,  into  close  action.  It  was  with  un- 
speakable pain  tliat  I  saw,  soon  after  I  got  on  board  the  Niagara,  the 
flag  of  the  Lawrence  come  down,  although  I  was  perfectly  sensible  that 
she  had  been  defended  to  the  last,  and  that  to  have  continued  to  make  a 
show  of  resistance  would  have  been  a  wanton  sacrifice  of  the  remains  of 
her  brave  crew.  But  the  enemy  was  not  able  to  take  possession  of  her, 
and  circumstances  soon  permitted  her  flag  again  to  be  iioisted.  At  15 
minutes  past  two,  the  signal  was  made  for  "  close  action."  The  Nia- 
gara being  very  little  injured,  I  determined  to  pass  through  the  enemy's 
line,  bore  up  and  passed  ahead  of  their  two  ships  and  a  brig,  giving  a 
raking  fire  to  them  from  the  starboard  guns,  and  to  a  large  schooner  aiid 
sloop,  from  the  larboard  side,  at  half  pistol  shot  distance.  The  smaller 
vessels  at  this  time  having  got  within  grape  and  canister  distance,  under 
the  direction  of  Captain  Elliot,  and  kee;~ing  up  a  well  directed  fire,  the 
two  ships,  a  brig,  and  a  schooner,  surrendered,  a  schooner  and  sloop 
making  a  vain  attempt  to  escape. 

Those  officers  and  men  who  were  immediately  under  my  observation 
evinced  the  greatest  gallantry,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  all  others  con- 
ducted themselves  as  became  American  ofllcers  and  seamen.* 


r 


I 


Meanwhile  tlie  American  army  had  received  its  reinforcements,  \ 


•  American  State  Papers,  *!v.  295.  For  Perry's  Letters,  see  Niles'a  Register,  v.  60  to 
62.  See  also  Cooper's  Naval  History  ;  Life  of  Commodore  Elliott,  (Philadelphia,  1836;) 
Triatam  Curgess'  account  of  the  battle,  with  diagrams,  (Boston,  1839.) 


1813. 

i)tli  in!*t:iMt,  at 
lay  at  unclior 
^igli,  tlio  wind 
vind  \\ 
(1  brought    p. 

nt  S  mimitcfl 

their  liro  vrry 
itly  dirpcteil  to 
i  to  follow,  lor 
I  and  bow  line 
ding  ibe  great 
I  gustainud  ilio 
ce,  until  every 
cither  kilUnl  or 
ly,  I  left  her  in 
oni  the  briivcry 
in  port  with   llic 
ng  up,  Captaia 
lantly  into  cioso 

anticipated  my 

had  been  kept 

It  was  with  un- 

the  Niagara,  the 

btly  sensible  that 

nued  to  make  a 

■  the  remains  of  ' 
ossession  of  her, 

loisled.     At  15 
n."     The  Nia-  \ 

it\\  the  enemy's  ; 
;i  brig,  giving  a  | 

■pre  schooner  and  | 
The  smaller  ■? 
distance,  under  ; 

directed  fire,  the  f^ 

loner  and  sloop  i 


my  observation 
t  all  others  con- 
nen.* 

reinforcements, 

'8  Register,  v.  60  to  | 
Philadelphia,  1836 ;)  f 


1813. 


Battle  of  the  Thames. 


647 


and  was  only  wallini^  the  exi)e('ti'(l  victory  of  the  (leet  to  enil)ark. 


On  th«'  27th  of  Scptcnil) 


i!  for  the  sh 


)fC 


aiuula,  anc 


In  iiie  \inu  oi  .">cpienti)('r,  ii  set  sail  lor  tiie  snon-  oi 
in  a  few  hours  stood  around  the  ruins  of  the  deserted  aiu.    .asted 
Maiden,  from  which  Proctor  had  retreated  to  Sandwich,  intending 
to  make  his  way  to   tlu!    heart  of  Canada,   by  'the   vailey  of  the 
Tliames.*     On  the  •2!)tli,  Harrison  was  at  Sandwich,  and  McArthur 
took  possession  of  Detroit  and  the  territory  of  Michi^atJ.     At  this 
point  Colonel  Johnson's  mounted  rillc   regiment,  which  had  jjfone 
up  the  west  side   of  the  river,  rejoined  the  main   army.     On  the 
2n(l  of  October,  the  Americans  be^an  their  march  in   pursuit  of 
Proctor,  whom  tliey  overtook  upon  the  5th.     He  had  posted  [his 
army  with  its  leO  resting  upon  the  river,  while  the  right  Hank  w;us 
defended  by  a  marsh  ;  the  ground  between  the  river  and  Vw.  marsh 
was  divided  b-nglhwlse  by  a  smaller  swam]),  so   as  to  makj  two 
distinct  fields  in  which  the  troops  were  to   operate.     The  Jjiilish 
were  in  two  lines,  occupjlng  the  field  between  the  river  ami  small 
swam}) ;  the  Indians  extended  front  the  small  to  the  large  morass, 
t]ie  ground  being  suitable  to  their  mode  of  warfare,  and  unfavor- 
able for  cavalry.     Harrison  at  first  ordered  tlie  mounted  Kentucki- 
ans  to  the  left  of  the  American  army,  that  is,  to  the  field  farthest 
from  the  river,  in  order  to  act  against  the  Indians,  while  with  his 
infantry  formed  in  three  lines  and  strongly  protected  on  the  left; 
flank  to  secure  it  against  the  savages,  he  proposed  to  meet  the 
British  troops   themselves.     Before  the  battle   commenced,  how- 
ever, he  learned  two  facts,  which   induced    him  to    change  his 
plans  ;  one  was   the  bad  imture  of  the  groimd  on  his  left  for  the 
operations  of  horse  ;   the   other  was  the  open  order  of  the  English 
regulars,  which  made   them   liable  to  a   fatal  attack  by  cavalry. 
Learning  these  things,  Harrison,  but  whether  upon  his  own  sug- 
gestion or  not,  we  cannot  say,  ordered  Colonel  Jt)hnson  wllli  his 
mounted  men  to  charge,  and  try  to  break  the  regular  troops,  by 
passing  through  their  ranks  and  forming  in  their  rear.     In  arrang- 
ing to  do  ^his,  Johnson  found  the  space  between  the  river  and 
small  swamp  too  narrow  for  all  his  men  to  act  in  with  eflfect ;  so, 
dividing  them,  he  gave  the  right  hand  body  opposite  the  regulars 
in  charge  to  his  brother  James,  while  crossing  the  swamp  with  the 
remainder,    he  himself  led    the   way  against  Tecumthe   and   his 
savage  followers.     The  charge  of  James  Johnson  was  perfectly 
'  successful ;  the  Kcntuckians  received  the  fire  of  the  British,  broke 
through  their  ranks,  and  forming  beyond  them,  produced  such  a 

•  See  official  accounts  in  Niles'  Register,  v.  117. 


548  Battle  of  tlie  Tham^i.  ISl3. 

panic  by  the  novelty  of  the  attack,  that  the  whole  body  of  troopg 
yielded  at  once.  On  the  loft  the  Indians  foug^^it  more  obstinately, 
and  the  horsemen  were  forced  to  dismo'int,  but  in  ten  minutes  Te- 
cumthe  was  dead,*  and  his  followers,  who  had  leai'oed  the  fate  of 
their  allies,  soon  gave  up  the  contest: — in  half  an  i^our  all  wag 
over,  except  the  pursuit  of  Proctor,  who  had  fled  at  tlif-  onset. 
The  whole  number,  in  both  armies,  was  about  5000,  the  \?'hole 
number  killed  less  than  forty,  so  entirely  was  the  affair  decided  l^ 
panic.  We  have  thus  given  an  outline  of  the  battle  of  the 
Thames,  which  practically  closed  the  war  in  the  northwest ;  and 
to  our  own  we  add  part  of  Harrison's  official  statement. 

The  troops  at  my  disposal  consisted  of  about  120  regulars  of  the  27lh 
regiment,  five  brigades  of  Kentucky  volunteer  militia  infantry,  under 
his  excellency  Governor  Shelby,  averaging  less  than  500  men,  and 
Colonel  Johnson's  regiment  tf  mounted  infantry,  making  in  the  whole 
an  agregate  something  above  3,000.t  No  disposition  of  an  army,  op- 
posed to  an  Indian  force,  can  be  safe  unless  it  is  secured  on  the  flanks 
and  in  the  rear.  I  had,  therefore,  no  difficulty  in  arranging  the  infantry 
conformably  to  my  general  order  of  battle.  General  Trotter's  brigade 
of  500  men,  formed  the  front  line,  his  right  upon  the  road  and  his  left 
upon  the  swamp.  General  King's  brigade  as  a  second  line,  150  yards 
in  the  rear  of  Trotter's  and  Chiles's  brigade  as  a  corps  of  reserve  in  the 
rear  of  it.  These  three  brigades  formed  the  command  of  major-General 
Henry ;  the  whole  of  General  Desha's  division,  consisting  of  two  bri- 
gades, were  formed  en  potence  upon  the  left  of  Trotter. 

Whilst  I  was  engaged  in  forming  the  infantry,  I  had  directed  Colohol 
Johnson's  regiment,  which  was  still  in  front,  to  be  formed  in  two  lines 
opposite  to  the  enemy,  and  upon  the  advance  of  the  infantry,  to  take 
ground  to  the  left  and  forming  upon  that  flank  to  endeavor  to  turn  the 
right  of  the  Indians.  A  moment's  reflection,  however  convinced  me 
that  from  the  thickness  of  the  woods  and  swampiness  of  the  ground, 
they  would  be  unable  to  do  any  thing  on  horseb;)ck,  and  there  was  no 
time  to  dismount  them  and  place  their  horses  in  security  ;  I,  therefore, 
determined  to  refuse  my  left  to  the  Indians,  and  to  break  the  British 
lines  at  once,  by  a  charge  of  the  mounted  infantry :  the  measure  was 
not  sanctioned  by  any  thing  that  I  had  seen  or  heard  of,  but  I  was  fully 
convinced  that  it  would  succeed.  The  American  backwoodsmen  ride 
better  in  the  woods  than  any  other  people.     A  musket  or  rifle  is  no  ira- 


•  As  to  who  killed  Tecutnthe,  see  Drake's  life  of  that  chief,  p.  199  to  219,  and  Atwater's 
History  of  Ohio,  236. 

t  This  estimate  was  too  high,  there  were  not  more  than  2,500.  The  British  were  nearly 
u  numerous.    See  McAfee,  Dawsoo,  &c. 


1813. 

icly  of  troopg 
I  obstinately, 

minutes  Te- 
ed the  fate  of 

JxQm  all  wag 
at  tlK"-  onset. 
0,  the  \:'tole 
ir  decided  l^ 
battle  of  the 
rthwest;  and 
.t. 

ars  of  the  27th 
nfantry,  under 
500  men,  and 
[  in  the  whole 

an  army,  op- 
l  on  the  flanks 
ng  the  infantry 
rotter's  brigade 
lad  and  his  left 
line,  150  yards 
\  reserve  in  the 

major-General 
ing  of  two  bri- 

reeled  CoIoiijI 
;d  in  two  lines 
fantry,  to  take 
or  to  turn  the 
convinced  me 
jf  the  ground, 
1  there  was  no 
;  I,  therefore, 
lak  the  British 
!  measure  was 
(ui  I  was  fully 
oodsmen  ride 
rifle  is  no  im- 

19,  and  Atwater's 
ritish  were  nearly 


1813. 


Battle  of  tJie  Thames, 


549 


l| 


pediment  to  them,  being  accustomed  to  carry  them  on  horseback  from 
their  earliest  youth.     I  was  persuaded  too,  that  the  enemy  would  be 
quite  unprepared  for  the  shock,  and  that  they  could  not  resist  it.     Con- 
formably to  this  idea,  I  directed  the  regiment  to  be  drawn  up  in  close 
column,  with  its  right  at  the  distance  of  fifty  yards  from  the  road,  (that 
it  might  be  in  some  measure  protected  by  the  trees  from  the  artillery) 
its  left  upon  the  swamp,  and  to  charge  at  full  speed  as  soon  as  the  enemy 
delivered  their  fire.     The  few  regular  troops  of  the  27th  regiment  under 
their  Colonel  (Paull)  occupied,  in  column  of  sections  of  lour,  the  small 
space  between  the  road  and  the  river,  for  the  purpose  of  seizing  the 
enemy's  artillery,  and  some  ten  or  twelve  friendly  Indians  were  directed 
to  move  under  the  bank.     The  crotchet  formed  by  the  front  line,  and 
general  Desha's  division  was  an  important  point.     At  that  place,  the 
venerable  governor  of  Kentucky  was  posted,  who  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
six  preserves  all  the  vigor  of  youth,  the  ardent  zeal  which  distinguished 
him  in  the  revolutionary  war,  and  the  undaunted  bravery  wliich  he  mani- 
fested at  King's  Mountain.    With  my  aids-de-camp,  the  acting  assistant 
adjutant  general.  Captain  Butler,  my  gallant  friend  Commodore  Perry, 
who  did  me  the  honor  to  serve  as  my  volunteer  aid-de-camp,  and  Briga- 
dier General  Cass,  who  having  no  command,  tendered  me  his  assistance, 
I  placed  myself  at  the  head  of  the  front  line  of  infantry,  to  direct  the 
movements  of  the  cavalry,  and  give  them  the  necessary  support.     The 
army  had  moved  on  in  this  order  but  a  short  distance,  when  the  mount- 
ed men  received  the  fire  of  the  British  line,  and  were  ordered  to  charge ; 
the  horses  in  the  front  of  the  column  recoiled  from  the  fire ;  another 
was  given  by  the  enemy,  and  our  column  at  length  getting  in  motion^ 
broke  through  the  enemy  with  irresistible  force.    In  one  minute  the 
contest  in  front  was  over ;  the  British  officers  seeing  no  hopes  of  redu- 
cing their  disordered  ranks  to  order,  and  our  mounted  men  wheeling 
upon  them  and  pouring  in  a  destructive  fire,  immediately  surrendered. 
It  is  certain  that  three  only  of  our  troops  were  wounded  in  this  charge. 
Upon  the  left,  however,  the  contest  was  more  severe  with  the  Indians. 
Colonel  Johnson,  who  commanded  Oi.  that  flank  of  his  regiment,  received 
a  most  galling  fire  from  them,  which  was  returned  with  great  eflTect. 
The  Indians  still  further  to  the  right  advanced  and  fell  in  with  our  front 
line  of  infantry,  near  its  junction  with  Desha's  division,  and  for  a  mo- 
ment made  an  impression  upon  it.     His  excellency.  Governor  Shelby, 
however,  brought  up  h  regiment  to  its  support,  and  the  enemy  receiving 
a  severe  fire  in  front,  and  a  part  of  Johnson's  regiment  having  gained 
their  rear,  retreated  with  precipitation.      Their  loss  was  very  considera- 
ble in  the  action,  and  many  were  killed  in  their  retreat.* 

•  Nilea'  Register,  v.  130-    Dawson,  427. 


550 


Holmesh  Expedition. 


1814. 


Those  who  wish  to  see  a  fuller  aceount,  are  referred  to  the 
authorities  below,  many  of  which  are  easily  accessible.* 


1814. 


We  have  said  that  the  battle  of  the  Thames  practically  closed 
the  war  in  the  northwest:  —  the  nominal  operations  which  followed 
were  as  follows, — 

First,  was  undertaken  an  expedition  into  Canada  in  February 
1814,  by  Captain  Holmes,  a  gallant  young  officer  whose  career 
closed  soon  after.  In  the  previous  month  the  enemy  had  taken 
post  again  upon  the  Thames,  not  far  above  the  field  of  Proctor's 
defeat ;  Holmes  directed  his  movement  against  this  point.  Before 
he  reached  it,  however,  he  learned  that  a  much  stronger  force  than 
his  own  was  advancing  to  meet  him,  and  taking  up  an  eligible 
position  upon  a  hill,  he  proceeded  to  fortify  liis  camp,  and  waited 
their  approach.  They  surrounded  and  attacked  his  entrenchments 
with  great  spirit,  but  being  met  with  an  obstinacy  and  courage 
equal  to  their  own,  and  losing  very  largely  from  the  well-directed 
fire  of  the  unexposed  Americans,  the  British  were  forced  to  retreat 
again,  without  any  result  of  consequence  to  either  party,  f 

Second;  a  fruitless  attempt  was  made  by  the  Americans  to 
retake  Mackinac.  It  had  been  proposed  to  do  this  in  the  autnmn 
of  1813,  after  the  battle  of  the  Thames,  but  one  of  the  stoims, 
which  at  that  season  are  so  often  met  with  upon  the  Lakes, —  by 
obliging  the  vessels  that  were  bringing  stores  from  below  to  throw 
over  the  baggage  and  provisions,  —  defeated  the  undertaking.  + 
Early  in  the  following  April  the  expedition  up  Lake  Huron  was 
once  more  talked  of;  the  purpose  being  twofold,  to  capture  Mack- 
inac, and  to  destroy  certain  vessels  which  it  was  said  the  English 

•  Dawson,  425  to  432.— Drake's  Tecuinseli,  193  to  219.— Atwatcr's  Oliio,  233  to  23S. 

Butler's  Kentucky,  433  to  448 Hall's  Life  of  Harrison Todd  and    Drake's  Life  of 

Harrison. — Sec  American  accounts  of  tlic  battle  of  the  Thames,  in  Nilcs'  Register,  v. 
129  to  134. — British  accounts  do.  285. — See  also  letter  from  R.  M.  Johnson  in  Arm- 
strong's Notices.  Appendix,  vol.  i. — The  whole  number  of  troops  furnished  by  Ken- 
tucky up,  to  this  time,  was  supposed  to  be  about  17,400:  see  particulars  in  Niles'  Reg- 
ister, V.  173. 

t  McAfee,  441  to  444. — Holmes'  own  account  is  in  Nilcs'  Register,  vi.  115. — See  also, 
eame  vol.  p.  80. 

\  McAfee,  403. 


I' 
I? 


1814. 

fcrred  to  the 


;lically  closed 
hicli  Ibllowed 

in  February 
whose  career 
nay  had  taken 
d  of  Proctor's 
)oint.  Before 
iger  force  tlian 
up  an  eligible 
p,  and  waited 
entrenchments 
r  and  courage 
;  well-directed 
reed  to  retreat 

arty.f 

Americans  to 
in  the  autnmn 
of  the  stoims, 
e  Lakes, — by 
elow  to  throw 
undertaking.  + 
ce  Huron  was 
capture  Mack- 
d  the  English 

Ohio,  233  to  238. 
1(1  Drake's  Lite  of 
Nilcs'  Register,  v. 
,  Jolinson  in  Ann- 
furnished  by  Ken- 
lars  in  Niles'  Reg- 

vi.  115.— See  also, 


1814. 


Major  Holmes  killed  at  Fort  Mackinac. 


551 


wore  building  in  Gloucester  bay,  at  the  soulhcast   extremity  of  the 
Lake.     This  plan,  however,  was  also  abandoned  ;  in  part,  from  a 
want  of  men;  in  part,  from  a  l)elief  that  Great  Britain  did  not,  as 
had  been  supposed,  intend  to  make  an  effort  to  regain  the  command 
of  the  Upper  Lakes;  and  also,  in   part,  f  om  a  misunderstanding 
between  General  Harrison  and  Colonel  Croghan,  who  commanded 
at  Detroit,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the   Secretary  of  War  on  the 
other.     General  Armstrong  had  seen  fit  to  pass  by  both  the  officers 
named,  and  to  direct  his  communications  to  Major  Holmes  their 
junior,  a  breach  of  military  etiquette    that    offended    them   both, 
and,  in  connection  with  other  matters  of  a  similar  kind,  led  Gen- 
eral Harrison  to  resign  his  post.*     No  sooner,   however,  had   the 
plan  of  April  been   abandoned  than   it  was  revived  again,  in  con- 
sequence of  new  information  as  to  the  establishment  at  Gloucester 
bay,  or  properly  at  Mackadash.f     In  consequence   of  the   orders 
issued  upon  the  2d  of  June,  750  men  under    Colonel    Croghan 
embarked  in  the  .American  S(piadron  commanded  by  Sinclair,  and 
upon  the  12th  of  July  entered    Lake  Huron.     Af\er    spending  a 
week  in  a  vain  effort  to  get  into  Mackadash  in  order  to  destroy  the 
imaginary  vessels  there  building,  the  fleet  sailed  to    St.    Josephs, 
which  was   found  deserted;  thence  a  small  party  was  sent  to  St. 
Mary's  falls,  while  the  remainder  of  the  forces  steered  fc,   Macki- 
nac.    At  the  former  point  the   trading   house   was   destroyed,  and 
the   goods   seized:  at  Mackinac   the  result  was  far  different;  the 
troops  landed  upon  the  west  of  the  island  upon  the  4th  of  August, 
but  after  a  severe   action,  in   which    Major   Holmes   and   eleven 
others  were  killed,  still    found   themselves  so    situated,  as  to  lead 
Croghan   to    abandon  the  attempt    to  prosecute  the   attack;    and 
Mackinac  was  left  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy.     Having  failed 
in  this  effort,  it  was  determined  by  the  American  leaders  to  make 
an  attempt  to  capture  the   schooner  Nancy,  which  was  conveying 
supplies  to  the  island  fortress.     In  this,  or  rather  in   effecting  the 
destruction  of  the  vessel,  they  succeeded,  and    having  left  Lieu- 
tenant Turner  to  prevent  any  other  provisions  from  Canada  reach- 
ing Mackinac,  the  body  of  the  fleet  sailed  for   Detroit,  which  it 
reached,  shattered  and  thinned  by  tempests.    Meanwhile  the  crew 
of  the  Nancy,  who  had  escaped,  passed  over  to  Mackinac  in  a 
boat  which  they  tbund,  and  an  expedition  was  at  once  arranged 

•McAfee,  414  to  422. — Harrison'a  resignation  is  on  419. 
+  McAfee,  421  to  425 :— Armstrong's  letters  are  given. 


552 


McJlrthur'^s  Expedition. 


1814. 


by  Lieut.  Worslcy  who  had  commanded  them,  for  frustrating  all 
the  plans  of  Croghan  and  Sinclair.  Taking  with  him  70  or  80  men 
in  boats,  he  first  attacked  and  captured  the  Tigress,  an  American 
Tessel  lying  off  St.  Josephs ;  and  next,  sailing  down  the  Lake  in 
the  craft  thus  taken,  easily  made  the  three  vessels  under  Turner, 
his  own.  In  this  enterprize,  therefore,  the  Americans  failed  sig- 
nally at  every  point.* 

In  the  third  place,  an  attempt  was  made  to  control  the  tribes  of 
the  Upper  Mississippi  by  founding  a  fort  at  Prairie  du  Chien.f 
Early  in  May  Governor  Clarke  of  Missouri  was  sent  thither,  and 
there  commenced  Fort  Shelby  without  opposition.  By  the  middle 
of  July,  however,  British  and  Indian  forces  sent  from  Mackinac 
surrounded  the  post,  and  Lieutenant  Perkins,  having  but  60  men 
to  oppose  to  1200,  and  being  also  scant  of  ammunition,  after  a 
defence  of  some  days,  was  forced  to  capitulate :  so  that  there  again 
the  United  States  was  disappointed  and  defeated. | 

A  fourth  expedition  was  led  by  General  McArthur,  first  against 
some  bands  of  Indians  which  he  could  not  find ;  and  then  across 
the  peninsula  of  Upper  Canada  to  the  relief  of  General  Brown  at 
Fort  Erie.  The  object  of  the  last  movement  was  either  to  join 
General  Brown,  or  to  destroy  certain  mills  on  Grand  river,  from 
which  it  was  known  that  the  English  forces  obtained  their  supplies 
of  flour.  On  the  26th  of  October,  McArthur,  with  720  mounted 
men,  left  Detroit,  and  on  the  4th  of  November  was  at  Oxford: 
from  this  point  he  proceeded  to  Burford,  and  learning  that  the 
road  to  Burlington  was  strongly  defended,  he  gave  up  the  idea  of 
joining  Brown  and  turning  toward  the  Lake  by  the  Long  Point 
road,  defeated  a  body  of  militia  who  opposed  him,  destroyed  the 
mills,  five  or  six  in  number,  and  managing  to  secure  a  retreat  along 
the  Lake  shore,  although  pursued  by  a  regiment  of  regular  troops 
nearly  double  his  own  men  in  number, —  on  the  17th  reached 
Sandwich  again  with  the  loss  of  but  one  man.  This  march, 
though  productive  of  no  very  marked  results,  was  of  consequence 
from  the  vigor  and  skill  displayed  botli  by  the  commander  and  his 
troops.  Had  the  summer  campaign  of  1812  been  conducted  with 
equal  spirit  Michigan  would  not  have  needed  to  be  retaken,  and 


•  McAfee,  422  to  437. — The  official  accounts  are  in  Niles'  Register,  vii,  4  &c.,  18, 
156,  173,  and  Appendix  to  same  vol.  129  to  135. 

+  See  letter  of  Governor  Edwards  to  Governor  Shelby.  (Niles'  Register,  iv.  148,) 
dated  March  22, 1813. 

%  McAfee,  439  to  442. 


1814. 

frustrating  all 
70  or  80  men 
an  American 
1  the  Lake  in 
inder  Turner, 
ms  failed  sig- 

>1  the  tribes  of 
e  du  Chien.f 
it  thither,  and 
By  the  middle 
om  Mackinac 
g  but  60  men 
lition,  after  a 
lat  there  again 

ir,  first  against 

d  then  across 

eral  Brown  at 

either  to  join 

id   river,  from 

their  supplies 

720  mounted 

IS  at   Oxford: 

ning  that  the 

up  the  idea  of 

Long   Point 

destroyed  the 

I  retreat  along 

regular  troops 

17th   reached 

This   march, 

consequence 

ander  and  his 

)nducted  with 

retaken,  and 

r,  vii.  4  &c.,  18, 
legister,  iv.  148,) 


1816. 


Peace  with  Indians  and  with  England. 


553 


the  labors  of  Perry  and  Harrison  would  have  been  uncalled  for  in 
the  northwest.* 

With  McArthur's  march  through  Upper  Canada  the  annals  of 
war  in  the  northwest  close. 

Meanwhile,  upon  the  22d  of  July,  a  treaty  had  been  formed  at 
Greenville,  under  the  direction  of  General  Harrison  and  Governor 
Cass,  by  which  the  United  States  and  the  faithful  Wyandots, 
Delawares,  Shawanese,  and  Senecas,  gave  peace  to  the  Miamies, 
Weas,  and  Eel  river  Indians,  and  to  certain  of  the  Pottawatamies, 
Ottawas,  and  Kickapoos ;  and  all  the  Indians  engaged  to  aid  the 
Americans  should  the  war  with  Great  Britain  continue. f  But 
such,  happily  was  not  to  be  the  case,  and  on  the  24th  of  Decem- 
ber the  treaty  of  Ghent  was  signed  by  the  representatives  of  Eng- 
land and  the  United  States.^  This  treaty  during  the  next  year 
was  followed  by  treaties  with  the  various  Indian  tribes  of  the  west 
and  northwest,  giving  quiet  and  security  to  the  frontiers  once 
more.  II 

On  the  26th  of  February  the  body  of  John  Cleves  Symmcs, 
the  founder  of  the  Miami  settlement,  was  buried  at  North  Bend.§ 


1816. 


On  the  I8th  of  March  Pittsburgh  was  incorporated  as  a  City : 
it  had  been  incorporated  as  a  Borough  on  the  22d  of  April,  1794. 

In  1817  it  contained  five  glass-houses,  four  air-furnaces,  one 
hundred  and  nine  stores,  eight  steam-engines  in  mills,  1,303 
houses,  8,000  people,  and  manufactured  400  tons  of  nails  by 
steam.  H 

On  the  28th  of  December  the  Bank  of  Illinois,  at  Shawneetown, 

•  McAfee,  444  to  453. — McArlhur's  own  account  is  in  Nilcs'  Register,  vii. 239, 282,  &c. 

t  American  State  Papers,  v.  826  to  836. — Cist's  Cincinnati  Miscellany,  ii.  298. 

I  Holmes'  Annals,  ii.  471. 

B  American  State  Papers,  vi.  1  to  25,  93  to  96,  128. 

%  American  Pioneer,  i.  120. 

%  American  Pioneer,  i.  307,  309.    This  paper  contains  many  facts  respecting  Pittsburgh. 


554 


BariJiS  in  Ohio. 


1817. 


111.,  was  incorporated  for  twenty  years,  with  a  capital  of  $300,000, 
one-third  .sid)scribed  by  tho  State.* 

Columbus  was  this  year  made  permanently  the  Capital  of  Ohio. 


1817. 


Congress  in  1804  had  granted  to  Michigan  a  township  of  land, 
for  the  support  of  a  College  ;  in  this  year,  (1817,)  the  University  of 
Michigan  was  established  by  the  governor  and  judges. f 

During  1817,  an  effort  was  made  to  extinguish  the  Indian  title 
within  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  had  the  Miamies  attended  the  coun- 
cil, held  at  the  Rapids  of  the  Maiimee,  in  September,  it  probably 
woiddhave  been  done.ij:  As  it  was,  Cass  and  McArthur  purchased 
of  the  other  tribes  nearly  the  whole  north-west  of  the  Buckeye 
State  :  ||  the  number  of  acres,  exclusive  of  reservations,  being  esti- 
mated at  3,694,540,  for  which  were  paid  140,893  dollars ;  being 
3  cents  and  8  mills  an  acre.§ 

A  full  history  of  banking  in  Ohio  would  as  much  exceed  our 
limits  as  we  fear  it  would  the  patience  of  our  readers.  But  as 
about  this  time  the  disposition  to  an  excess  in  the  creation  of  such 
institutions  was  plainly  manifested,  it  may  not  be  improper  to 
mention  the  leading  acts  of  the  Legislature  in  reference  to  the 
subject. 

The  earliest  bank  chartered  was  the  Miami  Exporting  Com- 
pany of  Cincinnati,  the  bill  for  which  passed  in  April  1803.11 

Banking  was  with  this  Company  a  secondary  object,  its  main 
purpose  being  to  facilitate  trade,  then  much  depressed  ;**  nor  was 
it  till  1808  that  the  first  bank,  strictly  speaking,  that  of  Marietta, 
was  chartered. ff  During  the  same  session  the  proposition  of  found- 
ing a  state  bank  was  considered,  and  reported  upon  by  Mr.  Worth- 
ington  ;  it  resulted  m  the  establishment  of  the  bank  of  Chillicothe.|t 

*  Brown's  Illinois.  429.    See  post,  A.  D.  1843.  +  Lanman,  230,  and  note. 

\  Cass  and  McArtiiur,  in  American  State  Papers,  vi.  138. 

I  American  State  Papers,  vi.  131  to  140  ;  and  166. 

§  See  detaijs  in  American  State  Papers,  vi.  149, 150. 

%  Chase's  Statutes,  iii.  2019.  *•  Burnet's  letters,  149. 

+t  Chase's  Statutes,  iii.  2022.     Journal  of  the  House,  1807-8,  pp.  103,  106,  122. 

i^\  Sec  Journal  of  the  House,  110,  111,  121,  125,  134.— Chase's  Statutes,  iii.  2025. 


1817. 
of  $300,000, 

pital  of  Ohio. 


-nsliip  of  land, 
e  University  of 

the  Indian  title 
tided  the  Conn- 
er, it  probably 
•thur  purchased 
if  the  Buckeye 
ons,  being  esti- 
dollars;  being 

ch  exceed  our 
aders.  But  as 
reation  of  such 
3e  improper  to 
erence  to  the 

Ixporting  Com- 
il  1803.11 
3Ject,  its  main 
;ed  ;**  nor  was 
.at  of  Marietta, 
sition  of  found- 
by  Mr.  Worth- 
f  Chillicothe.lt 

an,  230,  and  note. 


1817. 


Banks  in  Ohio. 


555 


I     ) 


From  lliat  time  charters  were  granted  to  similar  institutions  up  to 
tJie  year  1816,  when  the  great  banking  law  was  passed,  incorpora- 
ting twelve  new  banks,  extending  the  charters  of  old  ones,  and 
making  the  State  a  party  in  the  profits  and  capital  of  the  institu- 
tions thus  created  and  renewed,  without  any  advance  of  means  on 
her  part.  This  was  done  in  the  following  manner :  each  new  bank 
was  at  the  outset  to  set  apart  one  share  in  twenty-five  for  the  State, 
without  payment,  and  each  bank,  whose  charter  was  renewed,  was 
to  create  for  the  State  ;  stock  in  the  same  proportion  ;  each  bank, 
new  and  old,  was  yearly  to  set  apart  out  of  its  profits  a  sum  which 
would  make,  at  the  time  the  charter  expired,  a  sum  equal  to  one 
tw^enty-fifth  of  the  whole  stock,  which  was  to  belong  to  the  State  ; 
and  the  dividends  coming  to  the  State  were  to  be  invested  and 
reinvested  until  one-sixth  of  the  stock  was  State  property : — the 
last  provision  was  subject  to  change  by  future  legislatures.* 

This  interest  of  the  State  in  her  banks  continued  until  1825, 
when  the  law  was  so  amended  as  to  change  her  stock  into  a  tax 
of  two  per  cent  upon  all  dividends  made  up  to  that  time,  and  four 
per  cent  upon  all  made  thereafte-.f  But  before  the  law  of  1816, 
in  February,  1815,  Ohio  had  begun  to  raise  a  revenue  from  her 
banking  institutions,  levying  upon  their  dividends  a  tax  of  four 
per  cent. I  This  law,  however,  was  made  null  with  regard  to  such 
banks  as  accepted  the  terms  of  the  law  of  1816.  After  1825,  no 
change  was  made  until  March,  1831,  when  the  tax  was  increased 
to  five  per  cent.|| 

Two  important  acts  have  been  more  lately  passed  by  the  legis- 
lature, to  which  we  can  do  nothing  more  than  refer.  In  1839,  a 
law  was  enacted,  appointing  bank  commissioners,  who  were  to 
examine  the  various  institutions  and  report  upon  their  condition. 
This  inquisition  was  resisted  by  some  of  the  banks,  and  much  con- 
troversy followed,  both  in  and  out  of  the  general  assembly. §  In 
1845  a  new  system  of  banking  was  adopted,  embracing  both  a 
State  bank  with  branches,  and  independent  banks.H 

•  Chase  ii.  913  to  924.    See  especially  sections  34,  35,  37, 38,  39,  40. 
t  Chase,  ii.  1463.  ^  Chase,  ii.  S6S.  [  Chase,  iii.  1820. 

§  Revised  Statutes  of  1841,  Art.  "  i3anks,".    lleports  of  Bank  Comraissioucrs,  1S39,  &c. 
H  Laws  of  1845.  p.  24  to  64. 


103, 106,  122. 
atutcs,  iii.  2025. 


1818. 


M^'^'^Arf^l^^*^ 


On  the  18th  of  April,  Congress  authorized  the  people  of  Illinois 
to  form  a  State  constitution  ;  this  was  done  during  the  ensuing  sum- 
mer, and  adopted  August  26th.  The  northern  boundary  of  the 
State  as  fixed  by  Congress,  was  lat.  42^  30'  ;  but  the  right  to  go 
so  far  north  has  been  disputed.  Governor  Doty,  of  Wisconsin, 
having  asserted  that  the  north  line  under  the  ordinance  of  1787, 
must  be  a  due  east  and  west  line,  drawn  through  the  head  of  Lake 
Michigan :  this  claim,  however,  it  is  not  supposed  will  be  much 
insisted  on.* 

All  the  territory  north  of  the  new  State  of  Illinois  was  attached 
to  Michigan. t 

Great  emigration  took  place  to  Michigan  in  consequence  of  the 
sale  of  large  quantities  of  public  lands.f 

By  various  treaties  the  Indian  title  in  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  the 
north-west,  was  still  further  extinguished,  || 


1819, 


The  Walk-in-the-Water,  the  first  steam-boat  in  the  upper  lakes, 
(Erie,  Huron,  and  Michigan,)  began  ber  trips,  going  once  as  far  as 
Mackinac. §  The  following  sketch  of  the  lake  trade  since  that 
time  we  take  from  the  National  Intelligencer. 


In  1826  the  first  steamboat  was  seen  on  the  waters  of  Lake  Michigan, 
a  pleasure  trip  having  been  made  during  that  year  to  Green  Bay;  and, 
although  during  the  following  years  similar  trips  were  made  to  that 
place,  it  was  not  until  1832  that  a  boat  visited  Chicago.  In  1833,  the 
trade  upon  the  upper  lakes  was  carried  on  by  eleven  steam-boats,  costing 

•  Brown's  Illinois,  350  to  352,  and  note  iii.  p.  353.    See  post,  1837. 
+  Lanman,  225.  4;  Laiiuian,  221. 


J  American  State  Papers,  vi.  167  to  179. 


§  Lanman,  222. 


pic  of  Illinnis 
;  ensuing  suin- 
jndary  of  the 
le  right  to  go 
if  Wisconsin, 
ance  of  1787, 
head  of  Lake 
will  be  much 

1  -was  attached 

jquencc  of  the 

iinois,  and  the 


e  upper  lakes, 

once  as  far  as 

ide  since  that 


ake  Michigan, 
een  Bay;  and, 
e  made  to  that 
In  1833,  die 
[H-boats,  costing 


1819. 


T/ade  of  the  Lakes. 


557 


about  $300,000,  and  two  trips  were  niaJc  to  Chicago  and  one  to  rircen 
Bay,  III  1831,  there  were  eighteen  boats,  costing  $000,000,  anil  Uirco 
trips  were  made  to  Chicago  and  one  to  Green  Bay.  The  cominerco 
west  of  Detroit,  at  that  time,  and  for  many  years  afterwards,  being  al- 
most entirely  confined  to  the  ^ndian  trade  and  to  supplying  the  United 
States  military  posts,  some  small  schooners  were  also  employed.  The 
trade  rapidly  increased  with  the  population,  until,  in  1810,  there  were 
upon  the  Upper  Lakes  forty-eight  steamers  of  from  150  to  750  tons 
burden,  and  costing  $2,200,000  the  business  west  of  Detroit  producing 
to  the  owners  about  $201,000.  In  1841  the  trade  had  so  augmented  as 
to  employ  six  of  the  largest  boats  in  running  from  BufTulo  to  Chicago, 
and  one  to  Green  Bay,  and  during  that  year  the  saihng  vessels  had  in- 
creased to  about  250,  of  from  30  to  350  Ions,  costing  about  $1,250,000. 
In  1845  there  were  upon  the  upper  Lakes  sixty  vessels,  including  pro- 
pellers, moved  by  steam,  measuring  23,000  tons,  and  320  sailing  ves- 
"j  sels,  costing  $4,000,000,  some  of  them  measuring  1,200  tons.  The  in- 
crease in  that  year  was  47  vessels,  carrying  9,700  tons,  and  costing 
^^050,000  ;  and  since  the  last  fall  16  steamers  and  14  sailing  vessels  of 
the  .!^'"g'^3t  class  have  been  put  under  construction.  In  1845,  there  were 
upon  La.^®-^"*^'''0  fifteen  steam-boats  and  propellers,  and  about  100 
sailing  vesseil^'  having  a  burden  of  18,000  tons,  and  costing  $1,500,000, 
many  of  which  ^y  "si"S  the  Welland  Canal,  carry  on  business  with 
Chicago  and  other  pi^^^®''  °"  ^^®  western  lakes.  Since  the  close  of  the 
last  season  many  additio.'^al  vessels  have  been  built  on  this  lake. 

The  commerce  of  the  p.'^"^*  ^^  ^"""^^^  ''•°"*'  '^"""S  the  year  1845, 
amounted  to  $33,000,000  in  va.'^^^  5  and  that  of  all  the  other  places  on 
the  lakes  exceeding  that  amount,  ^ould  make  an  aggregate  of  full 
$70,000,000,  while  even  this  would  J  "^  g'^'^^'y  augmented  if  we  could 
add  the  value  of  the  commerce  of  the  upp.^^  1^^^^'  ^^"'^h,  by  the  way 
of  the  Welland  Canal,  goes  direct  to  the  CanaJ'^"  P°'*'-  '^^^'^  ''^^™- 
boats  alone  leaving  Buffalo  for  the  west  in  the  ye.'''^  ^®^^'  ^^"'^'^  ^''^^ 
that  place  97,730  passengers,  of  whom  20,636  were  ^n^^^^  ^^  Detroit, 
1,670  at  Mackinac,  12,775  at  Milwaukie,  2,790  at  Soutt.';"°''''  ^'"''^^  ^* 
Racine,  and  20,244  at  Chicago.  If  to  this  aggregate  we  v"^*"^  ^^  ^'^^ 
the  numbers  arriving  at  Buffalo  from  the  wesJ,  and  the  number.'"  ^^^^^^mg 
there  in  sailing  vessels,  the  multitudes  going  between  other  placed  °" 
those  lakes,  and  some  50,000  who  were  passengers  in  the  vessels  o.!^ 
Lake  Ontano,  we  would  have  a  grand  total  of  at  Ifiast  250,000  passen- 
gers on  the  lakes  during  the  last  year,  whose  lives  were  su^bj^^^^^  ^°  ^^^ 
the  risks  attending  the  navigation  of  those  waters,  exclusive  C^  '^"^  °^^" 
cers  and  crews  of  all  the  vessels  engaged  in  that  navigation.  Dur»  "§  ^^® 
!last  five  years  upwards  of  four  hundred  lives  and  property  worth  n*  '^''^ 
than  a  million  of  dollars  have  been  lost  on  the  lakes. 


558 


(\)nivsl  of  Ohio  with  United  Stafis  Bmik. 


ISIO. 


On  the  21tli  (if  Sf])(('iii])i'r  Ticwis  Ca'<s  cftncliKlcd  a!  Sa;;liiii\v  a 
treaty  with  the  (J[iii)[t»;\vas,  by  which  another  huge  |)art  of  !Mii;hl- 
gan  was  ceded  to  Ihi;  I'nitc'd  States.* 

On  the  .'U)th  of  Aiiu;iist,  litrijaniiti  Parke,  for  tlie  rnlled  Stated, 
bought  at  \'\w\  Harrison,  oi"  the  Kicknpoos  of  Vermillion  Ui\(r, 
all  their  lands  upon  the  Wahash  ;i  whih;  on  tlie  'M)\\\  of  .Inly,  at 
Edwardsville,  Illinois,  Auj^usti'  (Jhoutcau  and  IJenjainin  Stei)lii  n- 
son,  l)ou<fht  of  th(!  main  hody  of  the  same  trihe  tlieir  cdaims  n[iori 
the  same  waters,  toj^elher  with  otlier  hinds  reaching  west  fo  tin; 
month  of  tlie  Illinois  River. | 

In  this  year  the  I'nited  vSlales  apj)roj)riate(l  !^10,00()  annually 
t/)ward  the  civlli/ation  of  the  Indians,  hut  no  ])art  was  at  Hrsl  ex- 
pended, as  the  best  modes  of  elTerting  the  object  were  not  ai)parent.[| 

During  ISlf)  also,  a  report  was  made  In  Congn^ss  upon  the  IVIi*" 
souri  fur  trade,  exhibiting  its  condition  at  that  time  and  tracing  its 
history:  it  may  be  found  in  the  Glh  volume  of  the  American  State 
Papers,  p.  201. 

The  second  United  States  baidv  was  chartered  in  ISIG.  On 
tlie  2S(h  of  January  1S17  this  Ijan'i:  opened  a  brandi  at  (Cincinnati; 
and  on  tlie  I'ith  of  October  following  another  branrli  at  Chillico- 
Uie,  wliich  did  not  commence  banking,  however,  initil  the  next 
sj)ring.§  Tlieso  branches  Ojiio  clainu'd  Hit'  right  to  tax,  and 
passed  a  law  by  which,  should  tliey  con.inue  to  transact  l)usiniss 
aHer  the  ir)th  of  Septem])er  1810,  they  were  to  be  taxed  fifty 
thousand  dollars  each,  and  tin;  Stat(!  Auditor  was  autliorixed  to 
issue  his  warrant  for  the  collection  of  such  tax.1  This  law  was 
passed  with  great  deliberation  apparently,  and  by  a  full  vote. 
The  branches  not  ceasing  their  business,  the  authoriti'-s  of  the 
State  prepared  to  collect  tluirdues;  this,  however,  the  bank  in- 
tended to  prevent,  and  for  the  purpose  of  prevention,  fded  a  J'ill 
in  Chancery  in  the  United  Sfales  Circuit  Court,  asking  an  injunc- 
tion upon  Pvalph  O.sborn,  Auditor  of  State,  to  prevent  his  proceed- 

•  Ainoiir,;!!!  State  Papers,  vi.  194  to  200.  Governor  Cass  estimated  the  purcliarfc  at  0 
:nlllion  acres. 

t  American  State  Tapers,  vi.  19C,  197,  198. 

\  American  State;  Pajicrs,  vi.  19(1,  197. 

I  See  Calhoun  in  Aiiifrlc.an  State  Papers,  vi.  200,  201.— Also  jmsl  A.  D.  1824. 

§  State  of  the  case  lor  the  ai)pcllantH  &c  ;  (Cincinnati  1823,)  p,  3.  Rejiorl  oCUliio  Legis- 
lature iii  American  State  Papers,  xxi,  017, 

1!  f-tate  or  the  case,  Sic;  3,  4 — American  State  Papers,  xxi,  G4G,  C47 — Chase's  Statutes, 
V,  1072, 


I. 


1819. 

I'nlti'd  Stilted, 
inillioii  Ul\t'r, 
Dtli  of  .IiiK,  ;il 
iimiii  Slfplit  n- 
■ir  (dsiiiiis  iiiiori 
i<r  \vc.sl  to  tin; 

),000  annually 
was  at.  first  v\- 
•  not  a[)i)ai('nt.l| 
>  upon  till'  Mi^ 
and  tra('in;j;  its 
Auierican  State 

in    ISIO.     On 
li  at  Cincinnati; 
ich  at  Cliillico- 
,  until   till-  ni'xt 
;ht  to   tax,  and 
ansact  business 
)c    taxed    fifty 
autliori/fd  to 
This  law  was 
y  a   full    vote. 
lioriti''s  of  the 
■r,  tlu'  bank  in- 
.n,   filed  a  11111 
ing  an  injune- 
.nt  his  pr(jccecl- 

cd  the  i>urcli.i^u  at  'i 


A..  U.  1S24, 

Icport  oi'Oliio  Legia- 

7— Chase's   Statutes, 


ISIO. 


Ohio  scizi'fi  lifin/i  Piopcihj, 


559 


iiij;  in  thi'  aft  of  collfctldn.*     ()>l)orn,  'ly  legal  advirf,  rrl'iisrd  to 
appear  upon  the   4th  of  S('ptend)er,   the  day   named  in  thr  writ, 
ajid  in  his    ahsenca-  the  court   allowe(l  the    injunetion,   though  it 
r('(piire<l    houds  of  the    lianU,  at    the   same   time,  to   the   cxtml  of 
$I()(),()()();  —  whi(^h   honds  W(!r'' given.     On   Tuesday  the  1  Ith  of 
Septendier,  as  tlie  day  for  colleetion   drew  nigh,  the   hank  stiit  an 
agent  to  (/olundius,   who   served    upon  the    Auditor   a  eopy  of  thi; 
Petiti(ui  for   Injunetion,  and  a  suhptena  to  appear  before  the  court 
iipon  the  1st   Monday  in   tin;  following   .lanuary,  but  who  had  no 
copy  of  the   Wilt  of  Injunetion    which    had   been   allowed.     The 
petition  and  subjxena   ()sbt)rn   enclosed  to  the  Secretary  of  State, 
who  was  then  at   ('hillicothc,  together  with  his  warrant  for  levying 
tJietax;  recpiesting  the   Secretaiy  to  lake  legal    advice,  and  if  the 
papers  did  not   amount  to  an  Tr.junctlon  to  have  the  warrant  exc" 
cuted ;  but  if  they  did,  to  retain  it.     'J'he  lawyers  advised  that  the 
papers  W(>re  not  e(piivalent  to  an    injunction,  and   'hereujxm  tho 
State  Writ  for  collection  was  given  to  John  L.  IIari)er,  with  direc- 
tions to  enter  the  banking  house  and  demand  payment  o.'' the  tax; 
and  upon  refusal,  to  enter  the  vaidt  and  levy  the  amount  rttpiired: 
he  was  told  to  offer  no  violence,  and  if  o])posed  by  fi)rce,  to  go  at 
once  before  a  jjroper  Magistrate  and  depose  to  that  fiict.     Harp  ;, 
taking  with  him  T.  Orr  and  J.  McCollister,  on  Friday,  Sei)tend)er 
17th,  went   to  tlu;  bank,   and   first   securing  access   to  the  vaidt, 
demanded  the  tax;  payment  was  refusi'd,  and  notice  given  of  tlui 
Injunction  which  had  been  granted  ;f  but  the  officer,  disregarding 
tills  notice,  entered  the  vault,  and  seized  in  gold,  silver  and  notes 
$08,000,  which  upon  the  20th  he  paid  over  to  the  State  Treasurer, 
H.  M.  Curry. I     The    officers   concerned   in   this    collection    were 
arrested  and    imprisoned  by  the  Ignited    States  Circuit  Court  for  a 
cnntemi)t  of  tlu!    injunction    gratifed,    and   the    money  taken  was 
r('turiie(l  to  the  baiik.||     The  decision  of  tlu;  Circuit   CoiuM  was  in 
February  1824  tried    before  the    Supreme    Court    and    its  decree 
afHrmed,  whereupon  the  State  sulunitted.^     Meantime,  however. 
In  I)ec(unber  1820  and  January  1821  tlu;  Legislature  of  Ohio  had 
passed  the  following  resolutions:  — 

•Stall!   of  tlio  case,  &c;  4 — Chillicothc  Siifiiiortcr  of  Sciitcnibcr   22tl,   1SI9,  ijuolcd  in 
Libert}-  Hall  of  Cincinnati,  of  Si'iitcniljcr  2-Uli, 

+  State  of  the  case,&.c;  5, 

\  Stuti;  of  the  case,  7 — Ciiillicoliic  Supjiorlcr  of  Scptcinlicr  2'2(!, 

[  Ciiasc's  Skctcli,  43,  §  Chase's  Sketch,  43. 


&60 


J\''ulllfication  in  Ohio. 


1819. 


"  Ri'solvcd  hy  the  General  Jlsscmhly  nf  the  State,  of  Ohin^  Tliat, 
in  r»s|)r(;t  to  tin;  powers  of  the  (jovcnninnls  of  (he  sevi'iiil  Statts 
Unit  compose  llu;  Anarican  Union,  and  the  powers  of  llie  Feikial 
Govemnu.'nt,  this  (jleneial  Assembly  do  re<'oj;nise  and  approve  the 
Joclrincs  asserted  by  the  Legislatures  of  Kentucky  and  Virginia  in 
their  resolutions  of  November  and  December,  171)H,  and  January, 
1800,  and  do  consider  tliat  their  principles  have  been  recognised 
and  adf)pted  by  a  majority  of  the  American  people. 

Resoliu'd,  further^  That  tliis  General  Assembly  do  assert,  and 
will  maintain,  by  all  legal  and  constitutional  means,  the  right  of 
tlie  States  to  tax  the  business  and  property  of  any  privati;  corpora- 
tion of  trade,  incorporated  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
and  located  to  transact  its  corporate  business  within  any  State. 

Resolved,  further,  That  the  bank  of  the  United  Stales  is  a  pri- 
vate corporation  of  trade,  I'.ie  capital  and  business  of  which  may 
be  legally  taxed  in  any  State  where  they  may  be  found. 

Resolved,  further.  That  this  General  Assembly  do  protest  against 
the  doctrine  that  the  political  rights  of  the  separate  States  that 
compose  the  American  Union,  and  their  powers  as  sovereign 
States,  may  be  settled  and  determined  in  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  United  States,  so  as  to  conclude  and  bind  them  in  cases  con- 
trived between  individuals,  and  where  they  are,  no  one  of  them, 
parties  direct."* 

In  accordance  with  these  resolves  the  bank  was  for  a  time 
deprived  of  the  aid  of  the  State  laws  in  the  collection  of  its  debts, 
and  the  protection  of  its  rights ; — and  an  attempt  was  made,  though 
in  vain,  to  effect  a  change  in  the  Federal  Constitution  which 
would  take  the  case  out  of  the  United  States  tribunals.! 

•  American  State  Papers,  xxi.  G53,  G54. 

t  Chasc'i  Skutcli,  44.— CLasc'd  Statutci,  ii.  118u,  119S. 


To 

will  1 

transi 

into  1 

being 

1805 

under 

the  T( 

Assen 

was  n 

the   T 

a])plic 

ad  mis* 

ever  b 

a  law, 

to  forn 

but  i)r( 

i' 

Tcrrild 

a  half 

having 

a  Cons 

act  of 

In  > 

( 

Depart  1 

s. 

Superi( 

I 

being  t< 
region, 

f 

iie  vaii 

!ary  of 

•  Ante, 

r  ■■ 

t  Laws 

K 

i  Laws 

l  ' 

I  Aincri 

§  Laws 

'•  Aii.cr 

f 

+t  Aiiu;r 

■ 

36 

1810. 


'  Ohio,  Tliiit, 
^evcriil  Statis 
;  ihi!  FciIltiiI 
1  approvi'  tlio 
i;l  Vii^^iiiiii  in 
;ui(l  Jiuiuiiry, 
\:i\  rt'cognisccl 

lo  assert,  and 
s,  the  rii^ht  of 
ivati!  corpora- 
United  States, 
any  State. 
States  is  a  pri- 
of  wliieh  may 
md. 

protest  against 
ite  States  that 
as  sovereign 
ireme  Court  of 
n  in  cases  con- 
0  one  of  them, 

ras  for  a  time 

>n  of  its  debts, 

made,  though 

itution   which 

Is.t 


1S20. 


'I'oward  tlie  close  of  ihis  year  Missouri  entered  the  Tnion.  It 
will  1)»'  reiiieinhered  that  the  vast  country  known  as  liouisiana  and 
transferred  hy  France  to  llie  United  States  in  ISO.'},  was  divided 
into  the  Territory  of  Orleans,  and  District  of  Louisiana,  the  latter 
being  annexed  to  Indiana;  this  was  in  March  ISOl.*  In  March 
1805  t)je  District  of  Louisiana  becatnt;  the  Territory  of  Louisiana 
under  its  own  territorial  governnu'nt.f  In  Juiu'  lSl-2  tjjis  became 
tlie  Territory  of  Missouri,  liaving  then  for  the  first  time,  a  General 
Assend)ly4  Thus  it  continued  until,  late  in  ISIO,  application 
was  made  for  adniissif)n  into  the  L'nion  ;  ||  —  there  being  then  in 
the  Territory  nearly  oiu'  hundred  thousand  persons.  I'pon  this 
application  arf)se  tliat  debate  and  agitation  in  reference  to  the 
admission  of  new  slave  Stales  into  the  Confederacy,  which  will 
ever  be  renu-inbered  in  our  country.  The  result  of  the  wliole  was 
a  law,  passed  March  fi  182(),  authorizing  the  peo])lt!  of  Missouri 
to  form  a  Constitution  to  suit  themselves,  slavery  or  no  slavery, 
but  prohibiting,  thenceforward,  all  servitude  in  tluj  United  Slates 
Territories  and  the  Slates  formed  therefrf)ni  north  of  thirty-six  and 
a  half  degrees  of  norlli    latitude. §     The    provisions  of  Congress 

I  having  Ijeen  agreed  to  in  July  l)y  the  Missouri  Convention,11  and 
a  Constitution   having  been  formed,  on  the  23d  of  Novembi-r  the 

!  act  of  admission  was  completed.** 

In  November  1819,  Governor  Cass  had  written  lo  the  War 
Department,  proposing  a  tour  along  tlu;  soutiiern  sliore  of  Lake 
Superior,  and  toward  the  heads  of  the  Misslssipi)i ;  the  purposes 
being  to  ascertain  the  slate  of  the  fur  trade,  to  examint;  the  copper 
region,  and  especially  to  form  accpiaintance  ami  conneelions  with 
the  various  Indian  tribes. ff  In  tlie  following  Janiiary  the  Secre- 
tary of  War  wrote  approving  tlie  plan,  and  in  May  the  expedition 

•  Ante,  p.  489.— Land  Laws,  503  to  510. 

t  Laws  of  Missouri,  i.  ti  to  8. 

t  Laws  of  Missouri,  i.  9  to  l.i.— Land  Laws,  CM. 

[  American  State  Papers,  xxi.  557. 

§  Laws  of  Missouri,  i.  628  to  031.  t  Laws  of  Missouri,  i.  632  to  634. 

**  Aincricaii  State  Papers,  xxi.  C25. — Land  Laws,  7G1,  793,  b2S. 

tt  American  State  Papers,  vi.  318. 

36 


362 


Canals  talked  of  in  Ohio. 


182-2. 


started.  A  full  accniinl  of  it  l)y  Mr.  .Sclionlrraft  is  easily  aerossi- 
sihlc,*  and  we  need  only  say  that  it  was  attended  with  as  much 
success  as  could  have  heen  hoped  for. 

During  this  year  and  from  this  time  forward  treaties  were  made 
with  the  western  and  northwestern  tribes  extinguishing  hy  degrees 
their  title  throughout  a  great  part  of  the  original  northwestern  terri- 
tory:—  of  these  treaties  we  shall  not,  hercafier,  speak  particularly, 
except  in?"^ar  as  they  stand  connected  with  the  Blackhawk  war 
of  1832.  The  documents  can  be  found  in  the  sixth  volume  of 
the  American  State  Papers;  up  to  182G  in  the  Land  Laws,  p.  105G; 
in  the  Executive  Papers  published  since  1826;  —  and  up  to 
1837  in  the  Collection  of  Indian  Treaties  published  at  Washing- 
ton in  that  year,  f 


1822. 


Upon  the  31st  of  January  the  Ohio  Assembly  passed  a  law 
"  authorizing  an  examination  into  the  practicability  of  connecting 
Lake  Erie  with  the  Ohio  river  by  a  canal. "| 

This  act  grew  out  of  events  a  sketch  of  which  we  think  it  may 
be  worth  while  to  present. 

One  of  the  earliest  of  modern  navigable  canals  was  made  in 
Lombardy  in  1271 ;  it  connected  Milan  with  the  Tesino.  About 
the  same  lime,  or  perhaps  earlier,  similar  works  were  commenced 
in  Holland.  It  was  not,  however,  till  1755  that  any  enterprlze  of 
the  kind  was  undertaken  in  England;  this  was  followed,  throe 
years  later,  by  the  Duke  of  Bridgewaler's  first  canal  constructed 
by  Brindley.ll  In  1765  an  act  of  Parliament  authorized  the  great 
work  by  which  Brindley  and  his  patron  proposed  to  unite  Hull 
and  Liverpool:  —  the  Trent  and  the  INIcrsey.  This  great  under- 
taking was  completed  in  1777. §  The  idea  thus  carried  into 
cfTect  in  Great  Britain  was  soon  borne  across  the  Atlantic.     The 


•  Published  at  Albany  1821,  i.  vol. 

+  See  list  of  Indian  lands  in  each  State  and  Territory  in  15^5,  in  American  State 
Papers,  vi.  545. 

I  Canp.l  Dociiinnnts  published  by  Kill)OMrn,p.  2G. 

J  Penny  Cyclopedia  article  "  canal."— American  State  Papers,  xx,  S32  to  S31. 

§  American  State  Papers,  xx.  834. 


1822. 


Mhiory  of  Canals  in   Ohio, 


5G3 


easily  aocossi- 
with  as  much 

los  ^vcl•o  madn 
in<^  l)y  degrees 
Invcstern  lerri- 
ak  particularly, 
Slackliawlv  war 
•lixtli  volume  of 
T.aws,  p.  lOoG; 
i;  —  and  up  to 
}d  at  Washing- 


ly  passed  a  law 
ty  of  connecting 

we  think  it  may 


us 


\vas  made  in 
Tesino.     ALout 
ere  commenced 
any  enterpri:ie  of 
followed,  three 
anal   constructed 
lorized  the  great 
d  to  unite  Hull 
2;reat  uuder- 
lus  carried  into 
Atlantic.     The 


25,  in  American  State 


X.  S32  to  S31. 


D 

in 


•at    N( 


York 


lal 


sled    by  G( 


Mr 


rcat  r>ew  loriv  canal  was  suggesiecl  by  Uouverneur  .Morris, 
1777;  but,  as  early  as  1771,  Washington  tells  us  that  he 
had  thought  of  a  system  of  improvements  by  which  to  connect  the 
Atlantic  with  the  Ohio;  which  system,  ten  years  later,  he  tried 
most  perseveringly  to  induce  Virginia  to  act  upon  with  energy. 
In  a  letter  to  Governor  Harrison,  written  October  10th  17SI,*  he 
also  suggests  that  an  examination  be  made  as  to  the  facilities  for 
opening  a  communication,  through  the  Cuyahoga,  and  Muskingum 
or  Scioto,  between  Lake  Erie  and  the  Ohio.  Such  a  (;ounniuiica- 
tion  had  been  previously  mentioned  by  JefTerson  in  Manh,  HSl; 
he  even  proposed  a  canal  to  connect  the  Cuyahoga  ami  Big 
Beaver.  Three  years  later,  Washington  attempted  t(j  interest  the 
federal  government  in  his  views,  and  exerted  himself,  by  all  the 
means  in  his  power,  to  learn  the  exact  state  of  the  country  .about 
the  sotn-ces  of  the  Muskingum  and  Cuyahoga.  After  he  was 
called  to  the  presidency,  his  mind  was  employed  on  other  subjects; 
but  the  whites  who  had  meantime  began  to  people  the  W^est,  used 
the  course  which  he  had  suggested,  (as  the  Indians  had  done 
before  them,)  to  carry  goods  from  the  Lakes  to  the  settlements  on 
tlie  Ohio ;  so  that  it  was  soon  knoAvn  defmitely,  that  upon  the 
summit  level  were  ponds,  through  which,  in  a  wet  season,  a  com- 
plete water  connection  was  formed  between  the  Cuyahoga  and 
Muskingum. 

From  this  time  the  public  mind  underwent  various  changes; 
more  and  more  persons  becoming  convinced  that  a  canal  between 
the  heads  of  two  rivers  was  far  less  desirable,  in  f^very  point  of 
view,  than  a  complete  canal  communicatlorj  fi'om  p^ace  to  place, 
followin":  the  valleys  of  the  rivers,  and  drawin^^  wa'i  r  from  them. 
In  1815,  Dr.  Drake,  of  Cincinnati,  proposed  a  r.inal  from  some 
point  on  the  Great  Miami  to  the  <''ty  in  which  Jie  resided  ;  and  in 
January,    1818,    I\Tr.,   afterw.  'overnor   Brown,  writes  thus, 

"Experience,  the  best  guide,  '  •=  t>  ;  d  the  Infinile  superiority  of 
this  mode  of  commercial   intei  over  the  best  roads,  or  any 

iiaviR'ation  of  the  beds  of  small  rlv.'i's.  In  conipariii'j;  it  v.-ilh  the 
latter,  I  believe  you  will  find  the  concurrent  testimony  of  the  most 
skilful  and  experienced  engineers  of  France  and  England,  against 
'lie  river,  and  in  favor  of  the  canal,  for  very  numerous   reasons." 

Meanwhile  along  the  Atlantic   various   experiments  had  been 
fried  both  in  regard  to  improving  rivers  and  digging  canals.     In 

•  Sparks'  Washington,  ix.  68. 


564 


lEstory  of  Canals  in  Ohio. 


1822. 


October  1784,  Virginia,  acting  under  the  instigation  of  Washing- 
ton, passed  a  law  "  for  clearing  and    improving  the   navigation  of 
James  river:"*  in  March  1792,  New  York  estahllslied  two  Com- 
panies for  "Inland   Lock   Navigation;"  the   one   to  connect  the 
Hudson    with   Lake   Chami)lain,   the   other  to   unite  it  with   Lake 
Ontario,  whence  another  canal  was  to  rise  round  the    Great  Falls 
to  Erie.f     These  enterprises,  and  various  others  were  presented  to 
Congress  by  Mr.  Gallatin,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  in  an  elabo- 
rate report  made  April  4th,  1808. |     Subsequent  to  this  report,  in 
April  1811,  the  General  Assembly  of  New  York  passed  a  law  for 
the  Great  Erie  canal,  and  at   the  head  of  the   Commissioners  was 
Gouverneur  Morris,  who  had  proposed  the  plan  thirty-four  years 
previous.  II     To  aid  her  in  this  vast  work  New  York  asked  the 
power  of  the  Federal  Government, §  and   Ohio  passed  resolutions 
in  favor  of  the  aid   being  given. If     No   great  help  however   was 
given ;  and  New  York  with  the   strength   imparted  by  the  energy 
of  Clinton,  carried  through  her  vast  work;  and  when  Ohio  began 
to  speak  of  similar   efforts,   through  the  same  voice  that  had  en- 
couraged her  during  her  labors,  the  Empire  State  spoke  encour- 
agement to    her   younger    sister.**     When,    therefore.   Governor 
Brown  in  his  inaugural   address   of  December  14,  1818,  referred 
to   the    necessity  of  providing   cheaper    ways    to    market  for  the 
farmers  of  Ohio,  he  spoke  to  a  people  not  unprepared  to  respond 
favorably.     In  accordance  with   the    Governor's   suggestion,  l\Ir. 
Sill,  on  the  7th  of  January  1819,  moved    that  a  committee  be 
appointed  to  report  on  the  expediency  of  a  canal  from  the  Lake  to 
the  Ohio :  this  was  followed  on  the  next  day  by  a  further  commu- 
nication  from    Governor   Brown,  and  the   subject  was   discussed 
through  the  winter.     In  the   following  December  the  Executive 
again  pressed  the  matter,  and  in  January  1820  made  a  full  state- 
ment of  facts  relating  to  routes  so  far  as  they  could  be  ascertained. 
Farther    information  was  communicated  in  February,  and  on  the 
20th  of  that  month  an  Act  passed,  appointing    Commissioners  to 


•Sec  the  Act  and  siibseqncnt   ones  in  Gallatin's   Report  oflSOS.    (American  State 
Papers,  xx.  798  to  804.) — See  also,  American  State  Papers,  xxi.  iU06. 

t  See  us  above,  American  State  Papers,  xx.   781   to  789  :  as  to  progress  of  the  work. 
Ditto,  769  to  780. 

\  American  State  Papers,  xx.  724  to  921. 

[[This  Act  is  in  American  State  Papers,  xxi.  166. 

§  American  State  Papers,  xxi.  165.  1  American  State  Papers,  xxi,  17S 

••  Atwatcr's  History,  251,  252. 


182-2. 

t  of  Washing- 
navlgation  of 
hctl  two  Com- 
:)  connect  the 
;  it  with  Lake 
e    Great  Falls 
re  presented  to 
y,  in  an  elabo- 
this  report,  in 
assed  a  law  for 
missioners  was 
hirty-four  years 
^ork   asked  the 
;sed  resolutions 
however   was 
1  by  the  energy 
en  Ohio  began 
c  that  had  en- 
spoke  cncour- 
?fore,   Governor 
,  1818,  referred 
market  for  the 
ared  to  respond 
suggestion,  Mr. 
L  committee  be 
■om  the  Lake  to 
further  commii- 
was   discussed 
the  Executive 
ade  a  full  statc- 
1)0  ascertained, 
ary,  and  on  the 
ommissioners  to 

)8.    (American  State 

5. 

progress  of  the  work. 


icr3,  Kxi.  17S 


1822. 


IFistory  of  Schools  in   Ohio. 


565 


deternnno  the  course  of  the  proposed  canal,  provided  Congress 
would  aid  in  its  construction,  and  seeking  aid  from  Congress. — 
That  aid  not  having  been  given,  nothing  was  done  during  1820  or 
1821,  except  to  excite  and  extend  an  interest  in  the  subject,  but 
upon  the  .3d  of  January  1822,  Micajah  Williams,  chairman  of  a 
committee  to  consider  that  part  of  the  Governor's  message  relating 
to  internal  improvements, — offered  an  elaborate  leport  upon  the 
subject;  and  brought  in  the  bid  to  which  we  liave  already 
referred  as  having  been  passed  upon  the  31st  of  the  last  men- 
tioned month.* 

The    examination    authorized   by  that  law  was  at   once    com- 
menced, Mr.  James  Geddes  being  the  engineer. 

Upon  the  same  day  (Decemljcr  6,  1821)  on  which  Mr.  Williams 
moved  for  a  committee  on  canals,  Caleb  Atwater  moved  for  one 
upon  schools;  and  on  the  same  day  that  the  law  above  referred  tc 
was  passed,  one  was  also  passed  authorizing  the  appointment  of 
Commissioners  to  report  to  the  next  Legislature  a  plan  for  estab- 
lishing a  complete  system  of  Common  Schools.  To  the  history  of 
that  subject  we  next  ask  the  reader's  attention. 

The  Ordinance  of  1787  provided,  that,  "religion,  morality, 
and  knowledge  being  necessary  to  good  government  and  the  hap- 
piness of  mankind,  schools  and  the  means  of  education  shall  be 
for  ever  encouraged."  In  the  previous  Ordinance  of  1785,  regu- 
lating the  sale  of  lands  in  the  West,  section  No.  16  of  every  town- 
ship was  reserved  "for  the  maintenance  of  public  schools  within 
the  said  township."  And  the  Constitution  of  Ohio,  using  the 
words  of  the  Ordinance  of  1787,  says,  that  "schools  and  the 
means  of  instruction  shall  for  ever  be  encouraged  by  legislative 
provision."  In  accordance  with  the  feelings  shown  in  these 
several  clauses,  the  Governors  of  Ohio  always  mentioned  the 
subject  of  education  with  great  respect  in  their  messages,!  but 
nothing  was  done  to  make  it  general.  It  was  supposed,  that 
people  would  not  willingly  be  taxed  to  educate  the  children  of 
their  poor  neighbors ;  not  so  much  because  they  failed  to  perceive 
the  necessity  that  exists  for  all  to  be  educated,  in  order  that  the 
Commonwealth  may  be  safe  and  prosperous ;  but  because  a  vast 
number,  that  lived  in  Ohio,  still  doubted  whether  Ohio  would  be 

'  The  messages,  resolutions,  reports  and  laws  arc  all  in  the  "  Public  Documents  con- 
cerning the  Ohio  canals,"  compiled  and  published  by  John  Kilbourn,  Columbus,  182S: 
p.  i  to  p.  31. 

t  Sec  especially  Governor  Worthington*s  messages,  and  that  of  1819  in  particular. 


566 


History  of  Schools  in  Ohio. 


1822. 


their  ultimate  abidini^-plaoe.  They  eamo  to  the  West  to  make 
money  ratlier  than  to  fiml  a  home,  and  did  not  care  to  lielp  edu- 
cate those  whose  want  of  education  tlicy  might  never  feel. 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  \nitil  al)Out  the  year  1816,  at  which 
time  several  persons  in  Cincinnati,  who  knew  the  l)enefits  of  a 
free-school  system,  united,  and  commenced  a  correspondence  with 
difTi'icnt  portions  of  the  Slate.  Their  ideas  being  warmly  re- 
sponded to,  by  the  dwellers  in  the  Ohio  Company's  purchase,  and 
the  Western  IlcstTve  more  particularly,  committees  of  correspond- 
ence were  appointed  in  the  different  sections,  and  various  means 
were  resorted  to,  to  call  the  attention  of  the  public  to  the  subject; 
among  the  most  efficient  of  which  was  the  publication  of  an 
Educafion  .llmanac  at  Cincinnati.  This  work  was  edited  by 
Nathan  Guilford,  a  lawyer  of  that  place,  who  had  from  tlie  first 
taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  matter.  For  several  years  this  gen- 
tleman and  his  associates  labored  silently  and  ceaselessly  to  diffuso 
tlieir  sentiments,  one  attempt  only  being  made  to  bring  the  subject 
into  the  legislature :  this  was  in  December  1819,  when  Ephraim 
Culler  of  Washington  county  brought  in  a  bill  for  establishing 
common  schools,  which  was  lost  in  the  Senate.*  At  length,  in 
1821,  it  having  been  clearly  ascertained,  that  a  strong  feeling 
existed  in  favor  of  a  common  school  system  through  the  eastern 
and  northeastern  parts  of  the  State,  and  it  being  also  known  that 
the  western  men,  who  were  then  about  to  bring  forward  their 
canal  schemes,  wished  to  secure  the  assistance  of  their  less  imme- 
diately benefited  fellow  citizens,  it  was  thought  to  be  a  favorable 
time  to  bring  the  free  school  proposition  forward ;  which,  as  we 
have  stated  above  was  done  by  Mr.  Atwater. 


•  Atwater's  History,  254.  In  speaking  of  common  schools  we  mean  always  free 
schools  established  upon  a  State  system.  In  January  JS21,  a  law  was  passed  in  Ohio 
authorizing  Township  Common  Schools  in  whicli  the  tuition,  &c.,  was  to  be  paid  by  tlios-D 
parents  who  were  able  to  pay.. — See  Chase,  ii.  1176. 


?; 


1822. 

^Vrst  to  mako 
we  to  help  edu- 
\cv  ft'cl. 
1810,  at  which 
he  l)encfits  of  a 
'spondence  with 
hi2    warmly  re- 
's  purchase,  and 
s  of  corrcspond- 
d  various  means 
c  to  the  subject ; 
ublication  of  an 
was    edited    by 
d  from  the  first 
years  this   gen- 
■jelessly  to  difTusc 
bring  the  s\d)jcct 
,  when  F.phraim 
for  establishing 
*     At  length,  in 
a  strong   feeling 
ough  the   eastern 
also  known  that 
cr  forward  their 
their  less  immc- 
o  be  a  favorable 
d;  which,  as  we 


wc  mean  always  free 
.V  was  passed  in  Ohio 
was  to  bo  paid  by  tUosi 


H23. 


On  the  nd  of  January,  Mr.  Worlhinglon,  on  behalf  of  the  canal 
commissioners,  presented  a  report  upon  the  best  route  for  a  canal 
through  the  State,  and  a  farther  examination  was  agreed  upon  ;* 
which  was  made  during  the  year. 

The  friends  of  the  common  school  system  continued  their  efforts, 
and  although  they  did  not  succeed  in  procuring  an  Assembly  fa- 
vorable to  their  views,  they  diffused  information  and  brought  out 
inquiry,  t 

On  the  14th  of  February  the  '"'-eneral  Assembly  of  Illinois  ap- 
pointed five  commissioners,  to  devise  measures  for  \miting  the 
waters  of  Lake  IMichigan  and  the  Illinois  River. |  The  plan  of  a 
canal  at  this  point  had  been  entertained  for  some  years ;  a  full 
report  respecting  it  having  been  made  to  the  War  D  urtment,  by 
Major  Stephen  H.  Long,  in  March,  1817,  and  laid  before  Con- 
gress in  December,  1819.  |[ 

Michigan  during  this  year  was  invested  with  a  new  form  of  Ter- 
ritorial Government ;  Congress  having  authorized  the  appointment 
of  a  Legislative  Council  of  nine  members,  to  be  chosen  by  the 
President  from  eighteen  candidates  elected  by  the  people. § 


1824. 


The  friends  of  canals,  and  those  of  free  common  schools  in 
Ohio,  finding  a  strong  opposition  still  existing  to  the  great  plans 
of  improvement  offered  to  the  people,  during  this  year  strained 
every  nerve  to  secure  an  Assembly  in  which,  by  union,  both 
measures  might  be  carried.  Information  was  diffused  and  interest 
excited  bj  every  means  that  could  be  suggested,  and  the  autumn 


•  Ohio  Canal  Documents,  31  to  53. 

t  Atwater's  History,  2G2. 

I  American  State  Papers,  xxi.  555  to  557. 


^  Brown's  Illinois,  416. 
§  Lanman's  Michigan,  227. 


5G8 


Canal  and  School  Laws  msscd. 


1825. 


clcctinns  were  in  consequence  such  as  to  cnsun.'  tlie  success  of  llie 
two  bills  which  were  to  Iny  the  foundation  of  so  much  physical  and 
intellectual  good  to  Ohio.* 

The  subject  of  civilizing  the  Indians  was  taken  up  as  early  as 
July,  1789,  and  were  kept  constantly  in  view  by  the  United  States 
Government  from  that  time  forward;  in  1819,  ten  thousand  dollars 
annually  were  appropriated  by  Congress  to  that  purpose,  and  great 
pains  were  taken  to  see  that  they  were  wisely  expended.!  In  March 
of  this  year  a  report  was  made  by  Mr.  McLean,  of  Ohio,  upon  the 
proposition  to  stop  the  appropriation  above  named  ;  against  this 
prop(jsitlon  he  reported  decidedly,  and  gave  a  favorable  view  of 
wliat  had  been  done,  and  what  might  be  hoped  for.} 


1825. 


Upon  the  4th  of  February  a  law  was  passed  by  Ohio,  authorizing 
the  making  of  two  canals,  one  from  the  Ohio  to  Lake  Erie,  by  the 
valleys  of  the  Scioto  and  Muskingum  ;  the  other  from  Cincinnati 
to  Dayton ;  and  a  canal  fund  was  created :  the  vote  in  the  house 
in  favor  of  the  law  was  58  to  13,  in  the  senate  34  to  2.|| 

Upon  the  day  following,  the  law  to  provide  for  a  system  of  com- 
mon schools  was  also  passed  by  large  majorities. § 

These  two  laws  were  carried  by  the  union  of  the  friends  of  each, 
and  by  the  unremitting  efforts  of  a  few  public-spirited  men. 


*  See  the  names  of  the  members  of  the  Ohio  Assembly  for  1824-5,  and  their  votes  in 
Atwatcr,  3G3. 

fSec  American  State  Popors,  vols,  v.  and  vi.  indexes. — Sec  particularly  vi.  GIG  to  Cj-1 

i  American  State  Papers,  vi.  -157  to  459. 

B  Ohio  Canal  Documents,  158  to  166.— Chase  ii.  1472. 

§  Chase  ii.  1466. 


1S25. 


success  of  the 
:h  physical  and 

up  as  early  as 
e  United  States 
liousand  dollars 
pose,  and  great 
ied.t  InMareh 
Ohio,  upon  the 
(1 ;  a[!;ain.st  this 
k'oraLle  view  of 

4 


hio,  authorizing 
ike  Erie,  by  the 
From  Cincinnati 
te  in  the  house 
o2.|| 
system  of  com- 

riends  of  each, 
ted  men. 

5,  and  Uieir  votes  in 
ilarly  vi.  G IG  to  C51 


IS32. 


In  1804  General  Harrison  purchased  from  the  Sacs  and  Foxes, 
at  St.  Louis,  an  immense  extent  of  country  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
as  wc  have  already  slated/  I'hls  purchase,  some  of  the  chiefs 
said,  was  unauthorised  by  the  proper  persons  among  the  Indians; 
and  when  settlers  began  to  press  upcr  them,  emnity,  as  in  all  such 
cases,  sprang  up  in  the  bosoms  of  the  red  men.  No  trouble  of 
consequence  occurred,  however,  until  after  the  United  States  gov- 
ernment, in  1825,  acted  as  mediator  between  the  Sioux  on  the 
one  hand,  and  the  Sacs  and  Foxes,  the  Chippeways,  and  the 
loways  on  the  other.f  This  led  the  whites  in  1827,  to  interfere 
between  the  contending  tribes,  in  a  manner  which  roused  the 
hostility  of  the  natives,  and  caused  the  murder  of  several  Ameri- 
cans, and  an  attack  upon  two  boats  carrying  United  Slates  stores. 
General  Atkinson  thereupon  marched  into  the  Indian  country  and 
seized  the  culprits,  who  were  tried  and  a  part  condemned,  and 
executed  in  December,  1828.  Among  those  dischargc.'d  was 
Blackhawk,!  a  Sac  chief  belonging  to  a  leading  family  of  that 
tribe,  and  at  that  time  sixty  years  old.|l     Two  years,  later,  in  July, 

1830,  a  treaty  was  made  at  Prairie  du  Chien  by  which  the  S.ic5, 
and  Foxes  ceded  to  the  United  Siates  all  their  lands  east  of  the 
Mississippi;  to  this  cession  Blackhawk  objected  as  unfair  and 
illegal,  and  refused  to  vacate  the  lands  upon  which  he  and  his 
party  were  living — the  old  Sac  village  at  the  mouth  of  Rock  river. 
This  led  to  a  declaration  by  Governor  Reynolds  of  Illinois,  upon 
the  28th  of  May,  1831,  that  the  Slate  was  invaded  by  a  hostile 
band  of  savages ;  he  thereupon  ordered  out  the  militia,  and  called 
upon  General   Gaines  for  regular  troops ;  these  troops,  in  June 

1831,  took  possession  of  the  disputed  ground  without  opposition; 
the  Indians  crossed  to  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi,  and  a  treaty 
was  made.§     In  1832,  however,  Blackhawk  again  crossed  into 

♦  Sec  A.  D.  1S04.  f  American  State  Papers,  vi.  COS. 

J  Brown's  Illnois,  357. 

B  Life  of  Blackhawk,  dictated  by  himself,  (Cincinnati,  1S33,)  pp.  13—104. 

§  Life  of  Blackhawk  by  himself,  102  to  107.— Drake's  Life  of  Blackhawk,  102  to  117. 


570 


BladcJiuwk    War, 


1832. 


Illinois,  notwitlislanding  he  was  warned  .gainst  doing  so  by 
General  Atkin.son,  who  commanded  al  Fort  Armstrong  in  Rock 
Island.*  Troops,  both  regular  and  militia,  were  at  once  mustered 
and  marched  in  pursuit  of  the  native  band. f  Among  the  troops 
was  a  j)arty  of  volunteers  under  Major  Slillman,  who,  on  the  14lh 
of  May  was  out  upon  a  tour  of  observation,  and  close  in  die  neigh- 
borhood of  die  savages.  On  that  evening,  having  discovered  a  parly 
of  Indians,  sent,  Blackhawk  says,  with  a  friendly  message,  Slill- 
man seized  some  of  them  and  killed  others.  This  done,  the  whiles 
galloped  forward  to  attack  the  remainder  of  the  savage  band,  but 
he  was  met  with  so  much  energy  and  determination,  that  he  and 
his  followers  took  to  their  heels  in  utter  consternation.  Such  was 
the  issue  of  the  first  action  in  the  Blackhawk  war,  the  whites  being 
200  in  number,  the  red  men  from  40  to  SO.:): 

The  attack  by  Stilhuan's  parly  made  longer  peace  hopeless; 
and  although  Jilackhawk  had  with  him  but  a  few  warriors  of  his 
own  triijc,  the  majority  still  adhering  to  Keokuk,  who  was  a  friend 
of  the  whiles,  and  had  made  the  sale  al  Prairie  du  Chien,|| — and 
though  he  had  no  hope  of  aid  from  the  other  Indian  nations, — he 
could  not  retreat.  On  the  21st  of  May  a  party  of  his  warriors, 
about  seventy  in  number,  attacked  the  Indian  Creek  settlement  in 
La  Salle  county,  Illinois,  killed  fifteen  persons,  and  took  two 
young  women  prisoners ;  these  were  afterwards  returned  to  their 
friends  late  in  July,  through  the  efforts  of  the  Winnebagoes.§  On 
tlie  following  day  a  party  of  spies  was  attacked  and  four  of  them 
slain,  and  other  massacres  followed.  Meanwhile  3000  Illinois 
militia  had  been  ordered  out,  who  rendezvoued  upon  the  20th  of 
June,  near  Peru ;  these  marched  forward  to  the  Rock  River, 
where  they  were  joined  by  the  United  States  troops,  the  whole  being 
under  the  command  of  General  Brady.  »Six  hundred  mounted  men 
were  also  ordered  out,  while  General  Scott,  with  nine  companies 
of  artillery,  hastened  from  the  seaboard  by  the  way  of  the  lakes  to 
Chicago,  moving  with  such  celerity,  that  some  of  his  troops,  we 
are  told,  actually  went  1800  miles  in  eighteen  days ;  passing  in 

•  Built  in  1816.     (Drake's  Blackhawk,  92.) 

t  Life  ofBluckliawkby  himself,  ]13  to  118.— Drake's  Blackhawk,  146. 
\  Brown,  SO?,    note.     Report  carried  the  number  up  to  1500.     Blackhawk  says  forty. 
See  Blackhawk's  Life  by  himself,  118  to  124  ;  Brown,  361 ;  Drake  147  to  156. 

y  See  Drake's  account  of  Keokuk  in  his  Life  of  Blackhawk,  128  to  142. 
§  The  narrative  of  one  of  them,  Mrs.  Munson,  may  be  found  in  Browu's  Illinois,  3S2. 
—Sec  Blackhawk's  Life  by  himself,  129. 


1832. 

doing  so  by 
rong  ill  llock 
num  inusli-rc'i-l 
)ng  tlie  troops 
),  on  the  lilh 
t  in  the  ncigh- 
ovcrc'd  a  party 
message,  Still- 
me,  the  whiles 
age  band,  but 
n,  that  he  and 
)U.  Such  was 
e  whites  being 

,'ace  hopeless ; 
warriors  of  his 
lo  was  a  friend 
Chien,ll — and 
m  nations, — he 
f  his  warriors, 
k  settlement  in 
and  took  two 
urned  to  their 
bagoes.§     On 
four  of  them 
3000  Illinois 
on  the  20th  of 
Rock  River, 
10  whole  being 
mounted  men 
inc  companies 
of  the  lakes  to 
his  troops,  we 
ys ;   passing  in 


4G. 

ickliawk  says  forty. 
to  156. 

142. 

rowa's  Illinois,  3S2. 


1832.  Close  of  Blackhnwk  War.  571 

that  time  from  Fort  Munroc  on  the  Clusiipcake  to  Chicago.* 
Jjong  before  the  artillerists  could  reach  tlie  srenc  of  action,  how- 
ever, the  western  troops  had  conimeiiced  the  conllici  in  earnest, 
and  before  they  did  reach  the  field,  had  ch)S('d  it.  On  the  2  lib  of 
June,  Rlackhawk  and  his  two  hundred  warriors  were  repulsed  by 
INTajor  Dcniont  with  but  oiu;  hundred  and  fifty  mililia:  this  skirmish 
took  phice  between  Rock  river  anil  Caleiui.  The  army  then 
continued  t(N  move  up  Rock  river,  near  tlu'  heads  of  which  it  was 
undrrs!o()d  that  the  main  parly  of  the  hoslili'  Indians  was  collected  ; 
and  as  provisions  were  scarce,  and  hard  to  convey  in  such  a  coun- 
try, a  detachment  was  sent  forward  to  Fort  Winnebago,  at  the 
portage  between  the  Wisconsin  and  Fo\  rivers  to  procure  supplies. 
This  detachment,  hearing  of  lilackhawk's  whereabouts,  pursued 
and  overtook  him  on  the  21st  of  July,  near  the  Wisconsin  river 
and  in  the  neigidjorhood  of  the  Rlue  jVIounds.  (leneral  Henry, 
who  commanded  the  party,  foinied  with  his  troops  three  sides  of  a 
hollow  s(piare,  and  in  that  order  received  the  attack  of  the  Indi- 
ans;  two  attempts  to  break  the  ranks  were  made  by  the  natives  in 
Vf 'n  ;  and  then  a  general  charge  was  made  by  the  whole  body  of 
Americans,  and  with  such  success  that,  it  is  said,  fifty-two  of  the 
red  men  were  left  dead  upon  the  field,  while  but  one  American 
was  killed  and  eight  wounded. f 

13elbre  this  action  Henry  had  sent  word  of  his  motions  to  thr 
main  army,  by  whom  he  v/as  immediately  rejoined,  and  on  the 
2Slh  of  July  the  whole  crossed  the  Wisconsin  in  pursuit  of  Black- 
hawk,  who  was  retiring  toward  the  Mississippi.  Upon  the  bank 
of  that  river,  nearly  opposite  the  Upper  loway,  the  Indians  were 
overtaken  and  again  defeated,  on  the  2nd  of  August,  with  a  loss 
of  one  liundrcd  and  fifty  men,  while  of  the  whites  but  eighteen 
fell.:}:  This  battle  entirely  broke  the  power  of  Blackhawk;  he 
fled,  but  was  seized  by  the  Winnebagoes,  and  upon  the  27th  was 
delivered  to  the  officers  of  the  United  States,  at  Prairie  du  Chien. 

General  Scott,  during  these  months  of  July  and  August,  was 
contending  with  a  worse  than  Indian  foe.  The  Asiatic  cholera 
had  just  reached  Canada;  passing  up  the  St.  Lawrence,  at  Detroit 

•  Brown's  Illinois,  373, 

+  Bl.ickliawk  gives  a  yvty  difTercnt  account;  see  his  Lifi;,  131. — Drake  supf;ests  that  the 
writer  oflllackhawk's  own  life,  misinterpreted  him. — See  Drake's  Life  of  Blackhawk,  161). 

%  Sec  Drake,  16(5,  &c  ;  Brown,  3G9,  See.  :  both  give  the  olTicial  account.  Blackhawk 
■ays  that  he  and  his  men  wished  to  surrender,  but  the  whites  fired  on  his  Ihig  of  truce.  : 
(His  Life,  131 — 135:)  Throcniitfton's  letter  (Brown,  370 — Drake,  103)  coufirnis  the 
chicPs  statement. 


572  Chnkni,  and  Flood  in  Ohio.  1S32. 

il  nvorfof)W  llic  wosU'rn-lioimd  iinnainr'nf,  .iiid  llionr-cfortli  llio  rnmp 
Ix'Ciimc  !i  lid'^plliil.  On  llic  Sill  of  July,  liis  firmiicd  rniiks  liuidcd 
at  Fort  Drailiorii  or  Chic;i<^'o,  hut  it  was  lale  in  August  Ixl'orc  tlicy 
rrac'licd  tlic  Mississippi.  The  numlx-r  of  that  l)and  wlio  died  from 
tlio  rhoh'ia  luiist  havo  Ixtu  ;it  h'a.st  scvt'ii  orritiht  times  as  f.Tcat 
as  that  of  all  who  fell  in  hattle.* 

In  Scplrndx-r  tho  Indian  troidilcs  were  (loscd  hy  a  treaty  which 
relitHpiished  to  the  white  men  thirty  millions  of  acres  of  land,  for 
\vhich  stipulated  annuities  we're  to  he  [)aid.  To  Ke(»kuk  a  reser- 
vation of  forty  miles  square  was  given,  in  consideration  of  liis 
fidelity  ;  while  Blackhnwk  and  his  family  were  sent  as  liostages  to 
Fort  Monroe  in  the  Chesapeake,  where  they  remaine<l  till  June, 
1833.f  'Die  chief  afterwards  returned  to  liis  native  wilds,  wlierc 
lie  died. 

Bhu  kliawk  cannot  rank  with  Pontiac  or  Tecumthe  ;  he;  fought 
only  for  reveng(>,  and  showed  no  intellectual  power :  but  he  was 
a  fearless  man,  and  devoid  of  cunning  and  deceit. 

The  sam(!  disease  which  decimated  General  Scott's  troops, 
during  the  autumn  of  this  year  and  the  summers  of  1833  and  1834, 
spread  termor  through  the  whole  West,  though  during  the  last  year 
it  was  comj)aratively  mild.  Wo  have  room  to  notice  oidy  three 
facts  in  relation  to  it ;  the  first  is,  that  other  diseases  diminish(Ml 
whih;  it  prevailed  ;  —  the  second,  tliat  many  points  which  were 
spared  in  1832,  (as  Lexington,  Ky.)  were  devastated  in  1833;  — 
the  third,  that  its  appearance  and  progress  presented  none  of  the 
evidences  of  infection  or  contagion. 

A  visitation  less  fatal  than  the  cholera,  but  for  the  time  most 
disastrous,  had  come  upon  the  valley  of  the  Ohio  in  the  preceding 
February.  A  winter  of  excessive  cold  was  suddenly  closed  by 
long  continued  and  very  heavy  rains,  which,  unable  to  penetrate 
the  frozen  ground,  soon  raised  every  stream  emptying  into  the 
Ohio  to  an  imusual  heighth.  The  main  trunk,  unable  to  discharge 
the  water  which  poured  into  it,  overflowed  its  banks  and  laid  the 
whole  valley,  in  many  places  several  miles  in  width,  under  water. 


•  In  Stillman's  defeat,  12 

Lost  by  Stephenson  and  Dodge,  7 

At  battle  of  Wisconsin  1 

"          Mississippi  18 

By  Demont,  — 


Cholera  at  Detroit,  2  died. 

"  at  Fort  Gratiot,  near  200  " 
"  on  lake  Michigan,  30  " 
"  at  Fort  Dearborn,  90  " 
"       after  leaving  Ft.  D.      —    '« 


(See  Brown's  Illijiois,  373,  &c.) 
t  Full  accounts  are  given  in  Drake's  Life,  200,  &c_;  Brown's  Illinois,  37G ;  and  in  the 
Chief's  autobiograj)hy. 


k.- 


1S32. 

rtli  llic  ramp 

1  Ix'Torc  llicy 
lo  died  from 
inrs  us  frcat 

treaty  wliich 
i  of  liiiul,  for 
)kiiW  a  rcsor- 
ratioii  of  his 
s  li()sta<jj('S  to 
rd  till  Juno, 
wilds,  where 

2  ;  lie  f()iif];ht, 
:  but  he  was 

•ntt's   troops, 

33  and  1834, 

the  last  year 

ce  only  three 

!S  diminished 

which   were 

in   1R33;  — 

none  of  the 

0.  time  most 
h;  preceding 
dy  closed  by 
to  penetrate 
ing  into  the 
to  discharge 
and  laid  the 
under  water, 

2  (lied, 
near  200    " 
III,         30     « 
n,         90    « 
.  D.      —    " 

37G ;  and  in  the 


1837. 


jMic/iiiiitn  Incomes  a  Slatf. 


573 


The  towns  and  villages  along  the  river  banks  were  Hooded  in 
some  instances  so  deeply  as  to  force  the  inhabitants  to  take  refuge 
on  the  neighboring  hills;- — and  the  value  of  the  proj)erty  injureil 
and  destroyed  must  have  been  very  great,  though  its  amoiuit  could 
not,  of  coiu'se,  be  ascertained,  'i'he  water  continueil  to  rise  from 
tlu!  7lh  to  the  l!)lh  of  February,  wlien  it  had  attained  the  height  of 
C3  feet  above  low  water  mark  at  Cincinnati.* 


1  ^  :n . 


In  April,  1834,  a  census  had  shown  that  Michigan  jjossessed  a 
population  sudicient  to  entitle  her  to  admission  into  the  Union.  In 
May,  1835,  a  convention,  held  at  Detroit,  prepared  a  State  consti- 
tution, and  asked  to  it  the  assent  of  Congress.  This  Congress 
refused,  but  passed  a  conditional  act,  by  which  the  apijjicant  might 
become  a  State  should  certain  stipulations  be  assented  to  ;  this 
assent  was  to  be  signified  through  a  convention,  and  one  met 
for  the  purpose  in  September,  183():  this  body  declined  aceedii'g 
to  the  coiulitions.  Thereupon  a  second  convention  was  chosen 
which  in  the  following  December  accepted  the  terms  oifered,  and 
after  some  discussion  in  Congress  in  relation  to  the  legality  of  this 
acceptance,  Michigan  was  rccognisetl  as  a  Sovereign  Slate  of  the 
Union. 

The  (picstion  wliich  caused  the  difnculty  above  referred  to,  and 
which  at  one  time  threatened  civil  war,  was  this  ;  What  is  he 
true  southern  boundary  of  Michigan?  The  ordinance  of  1787, 
provided  for  the  formalion  in  the  iSorlh  West  Territory  of  three 
States,  and  also  provitleil  that  Congri'ss  mighl  form  one  or  two 
others  north  of  an  cast  and  west  line  drawn  through  the  head,  or 
southern  e.vtremity  of  Lake  Michigan.  I'his,  at  the  time  Ohio 
had  been  admitted,  was  construed  to  mean  tliat  the  two  northern 
States,  tlic  oflspring  of  the  will  of  Congress,  must  not  come  south 
of  the  east  and  west  line  specified,  but  might  by  Congress  be 
limited  to  a  line  norUi  of  that.     In  accordance   with  tliis  view, 

I  See  Piipora  of  tlie  time. — A  letter  from  ."Morgan  Xevillc,  in  the  introduction  lo  Flint  h 
Geography :  Cincinnati,  1832. 


571 


nints  (I I  .11  ton. 


mi. 


Oliii),  as  iiln  :i(ly  rdu'i'd,*  was  \u;u\i>.  to  cvIcihI  iiortliwaril  so  as  \o 
incliidi'  the  MaiiiiM'c  IViy.  Tliis  constriiclinn  of  llic  orfliimtM c 
i\Iif'liin-,iii  (lisj)iitt'(l,  and  wlini  Ohio  sent  surveyors  to  mark  oiil  llu< 
boundary  as  dcniuMl  hy  Cotigri'ss,  \]\v  territorial  aulliorities  of 
Miclii^aii  drove  lliein  away  Uy  an  armed  force  ;  an<l  plaeed  a  mili- 
tary jiarl^)  in  the  dlsi)iited  district.  At  this  time  commissioners 
were  sent  by  the  Piesident,  who  prevailed  upon  the  [)arti(!.s  so 
f.ir  lo  reeeile,  as  to  allow  the  peojile  (»('  the  distrli't  to  aelvnowledj^e 
either  jurisdiction  until  the  (piestion  was  sel!le(l  hy  th"'  proper 
authority;  and  thus  matters  stood  ^lood  until,  when  she  asked  for 
admission  amonj^  tiic  States,  Michigan  was  told  that  she  could  ho 
admitted  oidy  on  condition  she  reco<^nizeil  the  boundary  as  (daimed 
by  Ohio  ;  this  at  length  she  did,  as  we  have  seen,  aiul  then  became 
one  of  the  Aideral  sisti-rhood.f 

During  this  year  occurred  the  riots  at  Alton,  Illinois,  which  re- 
sulted in  the  death  of  F.lijah  P.  Lovejoy.  Mr.  L.  was  a  clergy- 
man, who  had  been  engaged  in  editing  a  paper  at  St.  Louis.  His 
strong  anti-slavery  views,  as  avowed  in  his  papers,  aroused  the 
enmity  of  the  Missouri  people,  and  he  was  forced  to  leave  the 
Stale.  Tie  then  established  himself  at  Alton,  but  there  also  his 
sentiments  caused  excitement,  and  his  press  was  destroyed.  A 
second  })ress  was  procured,  and  destroyed:  but,  notliing  daunted, 
Mr.  TiOvejoy  determined  upon  procuring  a  third.  At  this  time 
great  excitement  existed  in  Alton,  in  conse(p!encc  of  a  rdaim  put 
forward  by  some  opponents  to  Instant  abolition,  to  sit  in  a  conven- 
tion called  u})on  the  subject  of  slavery  :  this  excitement  went  so 
far  as  to  threaten  a  riotij:  but  it  was  prevented.  Tn  this  convention  it 
was  reso.  .  :1  to  rc-establisb  the  *'  Observer,"  Mr.  Lovejoy's  paper, 
at  Alton, II  which  resolution  was  agreed  in  by  one  meeting  of  citi- 
zens,§  while  another  advised  Mr.  Lovejoy  to  "  be  no  longer  iden- 
tified with  any  newspaper  cstablislunent"  in  their  city.^  His 
answer  to  that  advice,  in  wliich  be  avowed  his  intention  to  go  on 
cost  what  it  woidd,  will  rank  hereafter  high  among  the  records  of 
earnest,  soul-felt,  elo([uence,**  but  at  the  time  it  was  unable  to  pre- 
vent the  adoption  of  a  co\u'se  which  was  a  jassivc   sanction  of 


•  Ante,  p.  -ISO. 

f  Son  oil  t!iis  subject  iMinninii,  211  to  211.     Diiniel's  Lotterff,  7G.     Papers  of  tlic  day. 
Congress  Docuinciits. 

I  Ilooclicr  on  Alton  Riots,  3G.  f,  Booclicr  on  Alton  Riots,  II. 

§  Rctchcr  on  Alton  Riots,  16  to  10,  50.  1  Bucchcr  on  Alton  Riots,  73. 

••  Bcccher  on  Alton  Riots,  S5  to  91. 


1837. 

\'nv\  so  as  to 

ic  ordlir.iiK  (• 
iiiiiik  out  tlie 
ullioiiiirs  of 
Iiu'cd  a  mlli- 
)iiiiiilssi(mc'i's 
ic  [)iirtii!S  so 
iickiiowli'dj^c 
y  (he  [iroiicT 
lie  askctl  for 
sliu  ('i)iiM  1)L' 
ry  as  (daiiiicd 
then  b(;{,'amc 

is,  wliich  rc- 
\vas  a  clfr;::}'- 
Louis.     His 
,  arouscil  (lie 
to  Icavo  tlic 
here   also  liis 
Icslroyi'd.     A 
liliig  daunted, 
Al   this  time 
f  a  claim  put 
in  a  c'onvcn- 
rnt  went  so 
convention  it 
(.joy's  paper, 
cling  of  citi- 
longer  idcn- 
eity.1      His 
ion  1o  go  on 
lie  records  of 
nal)le  to  pre- 
L'  sanction  of 


Papers  of  tlic  liny. 

IwU,  11. 
liots,  73. 


575 


i'.: 


IS 37.  Dt'ofh  t]f  Lonjnij, 

niol)-la\v.*      Atid  tlie  orensiori  for  nioldaw  soon  cnnv.      N'ews 
being  received  tlia*  tlie  tliird  press  was  roniing  from  Si.   Louis, 
those  who  wishe(l  its  deslrnetion  wailed  its  arrival,  hut  that  heiiig 
purposely  delayed  hy  its  friends,  it  did  not  arrive  until  thrci'  in  thi; 
morning  of  the  7tli  of  Septcndxr.     It  was  then  placed,  without 
opposition,  in  the  store  of  Messrs.  fjodfrey  &  flihnan,  where;  thirty 
or  more  of  T^ovejoy's  friend^,  organized  as  a  legal  volunteer  c(un- 
pany,  were  waiting  its  reception.     AVhen   it  was  known  the  next 
day  (tlie  7th,)  that  the  press  had  been  stored,  such  threats  of  wn- 
geance  were  uttered  as  induced  the  mayor  to  lay  the  matter  before 
tho  romnion  council,  but  no  steps  were  taken  to  prevent  an  out- 
break.    About  ten  o'clock   at   night,  a   number  'of  Mr.  T.ovejoy's 
friends  being  at  the  store  where  tlu!  press  was,  armed  and  aulhorixed 
by  the  mayor  to  defend  themselves  if  attacked,  f — a  body  of  men, 
also  with  arms,  demanded    the  press.     Mr.  flilman,  the  owner  f)f 
the  store,  refused  to  give  it  up.     The  store  was  then  attacked  and 
guns  fired  on  both   sides  by  which  one  without  was  killed.     Tho 
mob  then  prepared  to  set  firo  to  the   roof  by  ascending  a  ladder 
placed  against  tlie  side  of  the  store  where  there  were  no  windows 
or  doors.     At  this  moment  tlie  mayor  came  upon  the  ground  but 
lie  could  do  nothing.     Being  requested  by  the  leaders  of  the  mf)l) 
to   enter  the  building  and  again  demand   the  press,   he   did  so, 
but  the  demand   M'as  again  refused.     At  this  time  he  once  more 
antliorized  the  besiecred  to  defend  themselves.    The  rioters  finding 
the  press  withheld,  recommenced  the  attack  upon  the  roof,  and 
those  within  found  their  otdy  hf)pe  to  lie  in  g'~>ing  out  of  the  store 
to  the  corner  of  the  building,  and  firing  upon  those  persons  upon 
the  ladder.     This  was  done  once  successfully,  and  the  mob  driven 
back;  but  upon  a  second  attempt,  while  Mr.   T.ovejoy,  standing 
without  the  store  at  the  corner,  was  looking   round  for  his  foes,  he 
was  fired  upon  from  some  place  of  concealment :  five  balls  en'ered 
his  bodv,  and  in  a  few  moments  he  died.    TTis  friends  wcic  forced 
soon  after  to  escape  as  they  best  could,  and  the  press  was  destroy- 
ed.    The   conflict   lasted  from  one  hour  anrl  a  half  to  two  hours; 
the  bells  were  rung,  and  tlie  st -eets  were  crowded,  the  night  being 
a  moonlight  one.     Indictments  were  afterwar'ls  found  both  against 
the  assailants  and  the  defendants  of  the  store;  both  were  tried,  and 
both  acquitted. I 

•  The  iiinctiii;^'  (Jocliiird  to  ]i;i.s3  a  rcKulutioa  pledging  ihemstlvcd  to  aid  llio  iiia}or  in 
caso  of  violnncp. — Rrcchpr,  06. 
t  Beechor  on  Alton  Riots,  105. 
\  Bccclicr'8  Narrative.    Brown's  History,  4G0  to  463. 


1M.3. 


Amohif  (lie  events  of  lliis  year,  deserving];  notice,  was  tlie  lirjui- 
(lation  of  the  Illinois  State  Hank;  and  we  shall  here  say  what  we 
hav(!  to  say  in  relatif)n  to  bankinpj  in  Illinois. 

In  18H),  the  bank  of  Shawanee-town  was  chartered  for  twenty 
years,  with  a  capital  of  .$300,000,  one  third  of  which  was  to  be 
subscribed  by  the  State.  In  1821  tliis  institution  closed  its  doors, 
"  and  reinained  dormant,"  till  1835,  when  its  chart(;r  was  extend- 
ed to  1857,  and  it  resumed  business.  Two  years  later,  in  March, 
1837,  the  capital  was  increased  by  1,400,000  dollars,  all  subscribcid 
by  the  Stati;.  ikit  the  jrreat  crash  which  soon  })r()strated  business 
throughout  the  United  States,  involved  this  with  other  institutions 
of  a  like  kind  in  difhculties  too  great  to  be  surmounted  ;  and 
though  the  State,  in  1841,  offered  to  relieve  the  bank  from  a  for- 
feiture of  its  charter  })rovidcd  it  would  pay  .$-200,000  of  the  State 
debt,  in  1843  it  was  found  necessary  to  close  its  concerns  once 
more. 

The  State  Banks  were  not  more  fortunate.  The  constitution  of 
Illinois  like  that  of  Ii»diana,  provided  that  no  other  than  a  Slate 
bardc  and  its  branches  should  be  allowed.  In  March,  1810,  a 
Stat(;  bank  was  accordingly  chart'ired,  with  a  nominal  capital  of 
four  millions,  but  its  stock  was  not  sold.  In  1821,  another  State 
Ijank,  with  a  caj)ital  of  half  a  million  was  chartered,  to  be  managed 
by  the.  Legislature.  This  went  into  operation,  but  with  little  or  no 
real  capital,  so  that  its  bills  were  soon  at  an  enormous  discount, 
and  it  failed.  In  February,  1835,  a  third  State  bank  Wiis  formed, 
with  a  capital  oj'  a  million  and  a  hall',  whicli  in  1837,  was  increas- 
ed to  three  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars:  this  institution  survived 
till  January,  1S43,  when  the  Legislature  were  forced  t(j  close  its 
doors  ; — its  bills  being  worth  about  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar.* 


Sec  on  Illinois  banks,  Brown's  History,  438  to  411. 


la 

fie 


Hll. 


say  what  %vc 

■d  lor  twenty 
t;h  was  to  be 
iS(.'(l  its  doors, 
r  was  extend- 
er, in  Mareh, 
all  subscribed 
rated  business 
cr  institutions 
ountcd  ;  and 
ik  from  a  for- 
>  of  the  State 
concerns  once 

c;onstitution  of 
r  than  a  Slate 
urh,  1811),  a 
.iial  capital  of 

another  Slate 
()  be  manaf^ed 
ith  little  or  no 
K)us  discount, 
was  formed, 
was  increas- 
ulion  survived 
d  to  close  it.s 

dollar.* 


On  tho  27lh  of  Jiinf  the  Mormon  leader,  Joseph  Smith,  was 
killed  at  Carthat^c,  Illinois,  by  "an  armed  mob."* 

'I"he  history  of  Morniotiisni  cantiot  yet  be  written  ;  its  votaries 
ar(!  (!ven  now  (October,  IHlfJ)  stnif^^ling  and  stat"vin<^  among  tin; 
vast  plains  and  rnonntains  of  the  immense  cotmtry  beyond  the 
Mississij)j)i ;  the  news  of  the  confjtiest  of  Nauvoo  are  but  a  few 
weeks  old.  Still  we  are  bound  to  present  some  outlines  of  th"  rise 
and  progress  of  this  remarkable  system.  Smitli,  its  reputed  foun- 
der, was  born  in  Vermont,  about  1807,  and  reared  in  New-York; 
his  education  was  imj)erfect,f  and  his  family  r.rt-  said  to  have  been 
superstitious. I  When  about  fifleen  or  sixteen  years  old  he  began 
to  see  visions, II  which  continued  through  some  seven  years.  At 
length  on  the  22d  of  Sej)tend)er,  1827,  the  "records"  ujjon  whicli 
Mormonism  rests,  were  delivered  to  the  prophet.  "  These  re- 
cords," says  Cowdrey, 

Were  engraved  on  plates  which  had  the  appearance  of  gokl,  I'^ach 
plate  was  not  far  from  seven  by  ciglit  inches  in  widlli  and  lenglh,  being 
not  quite  as  thick  us  common  tin.  'J'liey  were  fdied  on  both  sides  widi 
engravings,  in  Egyptian  characters,  and  bound  togellier  in  u  volume,  as 
the  leaves  of  a  book,  and  fastened  at  the  edge  willi  llir(!e  rings  ruiniing 
through  tfie  whole.  Tbis  volume  was  sometldng  near  six  incbcs  in 
thickness,  a  part  of  wldcli  was  sealed.  The  cliaracters  or  hitlers  upon 
the  unsealed  part,  were  small  and  bcauiifully  engraved.  Tlic  wliolc 
book  exhil)ited  many  marks  of  antiquity  in  its  construction,  as  well  as 
much  skill  in  the  art  of  engraving.  Willi  the  records  was  found  a  curi- 
ous instr\iment,  called  by  the  ancients,  Urirn  and  Tliummim,  whi(di  con- 
sisted of  two  transparent  stones,  clear  as  crystal,  set  in  two  rims  of  a 
bow — tbis  was  in  use  in  ancient  times  by  persons  called  Seers — it  was 
an  instrument,  by  the  use  of  whicdi  tliey  rcctfived  revelations  of  dungs 
distant,  or  of  things  past  or  future." 

The  story  of  his  gold  plates  getting  abroad,  the  holder  was  way- 
laid by  robbers  and  persecuted  by  fanatics,  until  he  was  forced  to 
flee  into  Pennsylvania  to  his  father-in-law:  —  there  he  began  the 

•  Brown'H  Illinois,  488.  t  Brown'H  Ulinoia,  38G.  |  Hunt's  Mormon  War,  5. 

5  Smith's  own  account  in  Brown's  IJIinois,  3bS  to  390,  aud  t'owdrcy's  390  to  Mi.     As 
to  Cowdrey,  see  Hunt's  Moriuun  War.  10. 

37 


578 


lligdon  con  verted. 


1844. 


work  of  translation.  The  issue  of  this  work  w;is,  "  The  l^ook  of 
Mormon."  This  book  gives  (he  history  of  I.clii  and  his  posterity, 
from  about  GGO  15.  C.  to  400  A.  J).  :  tl'  'se  lived  for  tl.e  most  part 
in  America,  Lehi  and  his  sons  havint^  emij^nated  tliither.  After 
Uie  emi<(ration,  terrible  wars  took  place  between  the  Nephites  or 
faithful,  and  the  Lamanites  or  heathen,  in  which  all  the  former 
\vere  destroyed  except  Mormon,  his  son  Moroni,  and  a  few  others. 
Mormon  and  his  son  abridj^ed  the  records  of  their  ancestors,  and 
added  iheir  own,  and  thus  the  Book  was  completed.* 

An  account  referred  to  in  the  note,  o;ives  us  reason  to  think  this 
Book  was  not  written  by  SmiUi,  but  by  one  Spahlincf,  as  a  sort  of 
romance,  and  that  it  was  seen  and  stolen  by  Sidney  lligdon, 
afterwards  Smith's  right  hand  man,  and  by  him  made  known  to 
the  Prophet. 

Rigdon,  however,  had  at  first  no  open  connection  with  Smith, 
and  was  converted  by  a  special  mission  sent  into  his  neighborhood 
in  October  1830. f  From  the  time  of  Rigdon's  conversion  the 
progress  of  Mormonism  was  wonderfully  rapid,  he  being  a  man  of 
more  than  common  capacity  and  cunninf — Kirtland,  Ohio,  be- 
came the  chief  city  for  the  time  being,  while  large  numbers  went 
to  Missouri  in  consequence  of  revelations  to  that  effect.  In  July 
1833,  the  number  of  Mormons  in  Jackson  county  Missouri,  was 
over  1200. :j: — Their  increase  having  produced  some  anxiety  among 
the  neighboring  settlers  a  meeting  was  held  in  the  month  just 
named  from  whence  emanated  resolutions  forbidding  all  Mormons 
tlicnceforlh  to  settle  in  that  county,  and  intimati  ig  that  all  who 
did  not  soon  remove  of  their  own  will  would  be  forced  to  do  so.|| 
Among  the  resolutions  was  one  recpiiring  the  Mormon  paper  to  be 
stopped,  but  as  this  was  not  at  once  §  complied  with  the  office  of 
the  paper  was  destroyed.  Another  large  meeting  of  the  citizens 
being  lield,  the  Mormons  became  alarmed  and  contracted  to  re- 
move.H  Before  this  contract,  however,  could  be  complied  with, 
violent  proceedings  were  again  resorted  to:**  houses  were  de- 
stroyed, men  whipped,  and  at  length  some  of  both  parties  were 

•  As  to  the  triio  origin  of  this  nook,  we  hivo  a  full  stntonirnt,  which  spoms  worthy  of 
crnilit,  mafic  by  Mrs.  SpaUlinjr,  the  widow  of  the  alled^eJ  author.  It  may  be  found  in  the 
Western  Messenger  for  August,  1S39,  p.  :2SS. — See  alr^o  Hunt,  12  to  90. — IJrown's  Illinois, 
392,  -102. 

■+  Hunt,  93  to  112.  \  Hunt,  12S.  I  See  the  resolutions  in  Hunt,  129,  130. 

§  The  Mormons  were  allowed  tiro  houm  to  determine  upon  their  course    (tfunt,  130.) 
If  Sec  contract  in  Hunt,  131. 

•*  The  contract  was  for  removal  before  January  and  April  1831,  (sec  it  in  Hunt  I'l;) 
but  the  Mormons  were  attacked  in  October  1S33. 


1844. 

Tilt-  Book  of 
his  posterity, 
tl.c  most  part 
litlicr.  After 
J  Nepliites  or 
II  the  former 
a  few  others, 
ncestors,  and 

I  to  think  this 
,  as  a  sort  of 
hiej'  Rigdon, 
ide  known  to 

with   Smith, 
neighborhood 
Dnversion   the 
cinsi  a  man  of 
nd,  Ohio,  bc- 
nnmbers  went 
ect.     In  Jidy 
Missouri,  was 
mxiety  among 
e    month  just 
all  Mormons 
that   all  wlio 
ced  to  do  so.  II 
)n  paper  to  be 
the  oiFice  of 
the  citizens 
ntracted  to  re- 
omplied  with, 
ses  were    de- 
parties  were 

'h  spoms  worthy  of 
i:iy  be  found  in  tlie 
-Brown's  Illinois, 

Hunt,  129,  130. 
ursc    (Hunt,  130.; 

[?o  it  in  Hunt  Tl;) 


1844. 


Troubles  in  Missouri. 


579 


I 


killed.     The    result    was  a  removal    of  the    Mormons  across  the 
Missouri  into  Clay  county. 

These  outrages  being  communicated  to  the  Prophet  at  Kirtland, 
he  took  steps  to  bring  about  a  great  gathering  of  his  disciples, 
with  which,  marshalled  as  an  army,  in  May,  1834,  he  started  for 
Missouri,  which  in  duo  time  he  reached,  but  with  no  other  result 
tlian  the  transfer  of  a  ci-rtain  portion  of  his  followers  as  i)('rinanent 
settlers  to  a  region  already  too  full  of  them.  At  fh'st  the  citizens  of 
Clay  county  were  friendly  to  the  persecuted  ;  but  ere  long  trouble 
grew  up,  and  the  watulerers  were  once  more  forced  to  seek  a  new 
liome,  in  order  ♦o  prevent  outrages.  This  home  they  fount!  in 
Caldwell  county,  where,  by  permission  of  the  neighljors  and  State 
legislature,  ihey  organized  a  county  government,  the  country  hav- 
ing been  previously  unsettled.  Soon  after  this  removal,  numbers 
of  Mormons  flocking  in,  settlements  were  also  formed  in  Davis 
and  Carroll:  —  the  three  towns  of  the  new  sect  being  Far  West  in 
Caldwell  ;  Adam-on-di-ah-mond,  called  Diahmond  or  Diahman, 
in  Davis  ;  and  Dewit,  in  Carroll.  Thus  far  the  Mormon  writers 
and  their  enemies  pretty  well  agree  in  their  narratives  of  the  Mis- 
souri troubles;*  but  thenceforth  all  is  contradiciion  antl  uncertainly. 
These  contradictions  we  cannot  reconcile,  and  we  have  not  room 
to  give  both  relations  ;  referring  our  readers,  therefore,  (o  Hunt  and 
Greene,  we  will,  in  a  few  words  state  our  own  impressions  of  the 
causes  of  the  quarrel  and  the  catastrophe. 

The  Mormons,  or  Latter-day  Saints  held  two  views  which  they 
were  fond  of  dwelling  upon,  and  which  were  calculated  to  alarm 
and  excite  the  people  of  the  frontier.  One  was,  that  tiie  West 
was  to  be  their  inheritance,  and  that  the  unconverted  dwellers 
upon  the  lands  about  them  were  to  be  destroyed,  and  the  saints  to 
succeed  to  their  property. f  The  destruction  spoken  of  was  to  be, 
as  Smith  taught,  by  the  hand  of  (lod  •,  but  those  A/ho  were  threat- 
ened naturally  enough  concluded  that  the  Monnnns  might  thiidc 
themselves  instruments  in  His  hand  to  work  the  change  they  fore- 
told and  desired.  They  believed  also,  with  or  without  reason, 
that  the  saints,  anticipating,  —  like  many  other  heirs,  the  income  of 
their  inheritance,  helped  themselves  to  what  they  needed  of  food 
and  clothing;  or,  as  the  world  called  it,  were  arrant  thieves. 

•  \Vv  liave  (luoted  Hunt,  Antl-niormon,  who  gives  the  docuinonts  ;  for  the  Mormon 
view  of  snnio  events,  see  '•  I'acts,  &c.  by  John  P.  Greene.  Cinciiinjti,  1/39" — !){).  JO 
to  12.   17.  IS. 

t  See  Smith  in  Hunt,  140.  142.     Same  work,  128   1S2,  &c. 


580 


Mormons  expelled  from  Missouri. 


1844. 


The  oth(;i  offensive  view  was,  the  descent  of  the  Indians  from 
the  Hebrews,  tauglit  by  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  their  idtimate 
restoration  to  their  sliarc  in  the  inheritance  of  the  faithful  :*  from 
tJiis  view,  the  neiglibors  were  easily  led  to  infer  a  union  of  the 
Saints  and  savai^es  to  desolate  the  frontier.  Looking  with  suspi- 
cion upon  the  new  sect,  and  believing  them  to  be  already  rogues 
and  thieves,  the  inhabitants  of  Carrol  and  Davis  counties  were  of 
course  opposed  to  their  poSvSession  of  the  chief  political  inllucnce, 
such  as  they  already  possessed  in  Caldwell,  and  from  the  fear  that 
they  would  acquire  more,  arose  the  first  open  quaiTel.  This  took 
place  in  August,  1838,  at  an  election  in  Davis  county,  where  their 
right  of  suffrage  was  disputed.  The  aflray  which  ensued  being 
exaggerated,  and  some  severe  cuts  and  bruises  being  converted 
into  mortal  wounds  by  the  voice  of  rumor,  a  number  of  the  Mor- 
mons of  Caldwell  county  went  to  Diahmond,  and  after  learning 
the  facts,  by  force  or  persuasion  induced  a  magistrate  of  Davis, 
known  to  be  a  leading  opponent  of  theirs,  to  sign  a  promise  not  to 
molest  them  any  more  by  word  or  deed.  For  this  Joe  Smith  and 
Lyman  Wight  were  arrested  and  held  to  trial.  By  this  time  the 
prejudices  and  fears  of  both  parties  were  fully  aroused  ;  each  anti- 
cipated violence  from  the  other,  and  to  prevent  it  each  proceeded 
to  violence.  The  Mormons  of  Caldwell,  legally  organized,  turned 
out  to  preserve  the  peace  ;  and  the  Anti-mormons  of  Davis,  Carrol, 
and  Livingston,  acting  upon  the  sacred  principle  of  self-defence, 
armed  and  embodied  themselves  for  the  same  commendable  pur- 
pose. Unhappily,  in  this  case^  as  in  many  similar  ones,  the 
preservation  of  peace  was  ill  confided  to  men  moved  by  mingled 
fear  and  hatred  ;  and  instead  of  it,  the  opposing  forces  produced 
plunderings,  burnings,  and  bloodshed,  which  did  not  terminate 
until  (lovernor  Boggs,  on  the  27th  of  October,  authorised  General 
Clark,  with  the  full  military  power  of  the  Slate,  to  exterminate  or 
drive  from  Missouri,  if  he  thought  necessary,  the  unhappy  follow- 
ers of  Joe  Smith. t  Against  the  army,  3500  strong,  thus  brought 
to  a,nnihilate  them,  and  which  was  evidently  not  a  molj,  the  1400 
Mormons  made  no  resistance ;  300  fled,  and  the  remainder  surren- 
dered. The  leaders  were  examined  and  held  to  trial,  bail  being 
refused  ;|  while  the  mass  of  the  unhappy  people  were  stripped  of 
their  property  to  pay  the   expenses  of  the  war,  and   driven,  men, 

•  See  Hunt,  280,  &c. 

+  See  liis  order  in  Greene's  pamjihlet,  2(5. 

\  Greene,  32, — Tlic  evidence  on  the  examination  is  in  Hunt,  195  to  "<74. 


1844. 


1844. 


Mormons  received  in  Illinois, 


5S1 


Indians  from 
lifir  ultimate 
ithful  :*  from 
union   of  the 
5  with  suspi- 
ready  rogues 
inties  were  of 
ral  inlhicnce, 
the  fear  that 
This  took 
i,  where  their 
ensued  being 
ng  converted 
r  of  the  INIor- 
after  learning 
[lie  of  Davis, 
romise  not  to 
oe  Smith  and 
this  time  the 
d  ;  each  anti- 
teh  proceeded 
inized,  turned 
DavTs,  Carrol, 
self-defence, 
lendable  pur- 
lar   ones,    the 
;d  by  mingled 
ces  produced 
not  terminate 
)rised  General 
exterminate  or 
happy  follow- 
thus  brought 
lob,  the  1400 
binder  surren- 
ial,  bail  being 
re  stripped  of 
driven,  men, 


;74. 


women,  and  cliildren,  —  in  mid  winter,  from  tlio  state,  —  naked 
and  starving.  .Multitudes  of  them  were  forced  to  encamp  without 
tents,  and  with  scarce  any  clothes  or  food,  on  the  bank  of  the 
Mississippi,  which  was  too  full  of  ice  for  them  to  cross.*  The 
people  of  Illinois,  however,  received  the  fugitives,  when  they 
reached  the  eastern  shore,  with  open  arms,  and  the  saints  entered 
upon  a  new,  and  yet  more  surprising  series  of  adventures,  than 
those  they  had   already  passed  through. 

The  Mormons  found  their  way  from  Missouri  into  the  neighbor- 
ing state,  through  the  course  (tf  the  year  1839,  and  missionaries 
were  sent  abroad  to  paint  their  sufferings,  and  ask  relief  for  those 
who  were  thus  ])ersecuted  because  of  their  religious  views  ;  al- 
fliough  tlieir  religious  views  appear  to  have  had  little  or  nothing  to 
do  with  the  opposition  experienced  by  them  in  Missouri.  After 
wandering  for  a  time  in  uncertainty,  the  Saints  fixed  u[)on  the  site 
of  Commerce,  a  village  on  the  Mississippi,  as  the  spot  upon  which 
to  rest;  and  there,  in  the  spring  of  1840,  began  the  city  of  Nau- 
voo.  To  this  city,  the  legislature  of  Illinois  which  met  in  the 
ensuing  winter,  proceeded  to  grant  most  extraordinary  ])rivileges. 
The  size  was  to  be  indefinitely  large  ;  and  power  was  also  given 
to  buy  property  elsewhere  :  Uie  city  laws  were  not  made  void,  if 
contrary  to  state  laws,  as  is  usual  in  such  charters  ;  and  the 
powers  bestowed  upon  the  Mayor  were  enormous :  a  "  Nauvoo 
Legion"  was  provided  for,  armed  from  the  public  arsenals,  and  the 
use  of  this  corps  was  given  to  the  Mayor,  as  far  as  he  should  need 
it,  for  city  purposes:  a  University,  an  Agricultural  Manufacturing 
Association,  and  a  Hotel  with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  dollars,  were  also  chartered.  Under  tliis  extraordinary 
act,  Joe  Smith,  who  had  escaped  from  Missouri,  proceeded  as 
Mayor,  Commander  of  the  Legion,  Tavern-keeper,  Projjhet  and 
Priest,  to  play  what  pranks  he  pleasec' ,  '<  On  the  8th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1843,"  says  Judge  Brown, — 

An  extra  ordinance  was  passed  by  the  city  council  of  Nauvoo,  for 
the  extra  case  of  Joseph  Smith  ,  by  the  first  section  of  whicli  il  is 
enacted,  "  Thai  it  shall  be  lawful  for  any  ofliccr  of  the  city,  with  or 
without  process,  to  arrest  any  person  who  shall  come  to  arrest  Joseph 
Smith  with  process  growintj  out  of  the  Missouri  difllculiies  ;  anil  the 
person  so  arrested,  shall  1  g  tried  by  the  municipal  court  uj)on  testimony, 
and  if  found  guilty,  sentenced  to  the  municipal  prison  for  life." 

On  the  17lh  of  February,  1812,  an  ordinance  was  passed,  entitled, 
"  An  ordinance  concerning  marriages,"  by  the  second  section  of  which 

•  See  Greene^  p.  40 


582 


Joe  Smith  kilh:d. 


1844. 


a  person  is  aiillioiiscd  lo  marry  with,  or  wilhoul  license.  We*  have  a 
siaUito,  requiring  a  iiecnse  in  all  cases,  from  the  clerk  of  tlje  con-mis- 
sioner's  court.         »#»**»** 

On  the  2lsl  of  Novomtjcr,  1813,  an  onlinance  was  passed  by  llic  oily 
council,  niakin{(  ii  liighly  penal,  even  to  one  liinuliecl  dollars  fine,  and 
six  month's  iniprison.nent,  for  any  ofTiccr  lo  serve  a  process  in  t'.ie  city 
ofrs'auvoo,  "unless  it  he  (examined  hy,  and  receive  the  approval  and 
signature  of  the  mayor  of  said  city,  on  the  back  of  said  process.''! 

Under  these  proceedings,  dinTiculties  soon  arose.  Some  of 
Smilli's  P'^lowers  becoming  opposed  to  him,  had  established  a  new 
paper,  "  the  Nauvoo  Expositor."  This  the  Prophet,  as  jiresident 
of  the  council,  pronounced  "  a  nuisance,"  and  proceeded  to  abate 
it,  or  destroy  it,  l)y  force.  Tliosc  interested  procured  a  writ  from 
the  proper  court  for  the  arrest  of  the  leader,  but  the  writ  was  not 
endorsed  by  the  Mayor  and  could  not  be  executed.  Then  arose 
the  question — How  long  "shall  the  laws  of  the  State  be  thus  set  at 
defiatice  ? — and  men  through  all  the  country  round  about  vowed 
to  see  the  warrants  executed  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Two  or 
three  thousand  men,  some  from  Missouri  and  loway,  being  gath- 
ered against  the  city  of  tlie  Saints,  Governor  Ford  came  forward  as 
a  pacificator.  Of  what  followed,  we  give  a  description  in  the 
words  of  Judge  Brown. 

On  Monday,  the  24ih  of  June,  18-14,  liieuteuant  General  .Foscpli 
Smith,  ("  ihe  prophet,")  and  General  Hyrum  Smith,  l:is  brother,  hav- 
ing rcetived  assurances  from  Governor  Ford  of  piotcclion,  —  in  company 
with  some  of  their  friends,  left  Nauvoo  for  Carthage,  in  order  to  surren- 
der themselves  up  as  prisoners,  upon  a  process  which  had  previously 
been  issued,  and  was  then  in  the  hands  of  a  public  ofllcer  to  be  exe- 
cuted. About  four  miles  from  Carthage,  they  were  met  by  Captain 
Dunn  and  a  company  of  cavalry,  on  their  way  to  Nauvoo,  with  an 
order  from  Governor  Ford  for  the  Slate  arms  in  possession  of  the  Nau- 
voo legion.  Licuienant  General  Smith  having  endorsed  upon  tlie  order 
his  admission  of  its  service,  and  given  his  directions  for  dicir  d'ilivery, 
returned  with  Captain  Dunn  to  Nauvoo,  for  the  arms  thus  ordered  by 
Governor  Ford  to  be  surrendered.  The  arms  having  been  given  up  in 
obedience  to  the  aforesaid  order,  both  parties  again  started  for  Carthage, 
whither  they  arrived  a  little  before  twelve  o'clock,  at  night.  On  the 
morning  of  the  25th,  an  interview  took  place  between  the  Smiths  and 
Governor  Ford.  Assurances  of  protection  by  the  latter  were  repeated, 
and  the  two  Smiths  were  surrendered  into  the  custody  of  an  officer. 
Bail    having   afterward  been    given   for    tlieir    appearance    at  court,  to 

•  That  is,  the  state  of  Illinois.  t  Brown's  Illinois,  398. 


1814. 

We*  have  a 
the  coii'inis- 

id  by  ihc  I'ily 
lars  rinc,  aiiil 
ss  ill  tlie  ciiy 
a|i[)roval  and 
)ces.s.''t 

Svome  of 
lisht'd  a  new 
as  jnosidont 
dod  to  abate 

a  writ  from 
,vrit  was  not 

Then  arose 
le  thus  set  at 
fibout  vowed 
et.     Two  or 

liein;^  f^ath- 
le  forward  as 
ptiou  in  the 


iieral  Joseph 
brolhcr,  hav- 
~in  company 
Icr  to  siirren- 
id  previously 
er  to  ho  exe- 
t  by  Captain 
voo,  witii  an 
1  of  the  Nau- 
011  ll.e  order 
iicir  delivery, 
IS  ordered  by 
!i  given  up  in 
for  Carthage, 
,rht.  Oil  the 
3  Smiths  and 
.ere  repeated, 
:)f  an  ofileer. 
at  court,  to 


1845. 


Cinclnnnli  Ohscrvalory. 


583 


answer  the  cliargo  for  "  abatinir  the  Naiivoo  Expositor,"  a  mittimus 
was  issued  on  llie  evening  of  the  25lh,  and  llie  two  Smiths  were  com- 
mitted to  jail  on  a  cliarge  of  treason,  "  until  deliverid  by  due  course  of 
law."  On  the  morning  of  the  20lh,  another  interview  was  had  between 
the  CJovernor  and  the  accused,  and  both  parties  seemed  to  be  sutislled. 
Instead  of  being  confined  in  the  cdls,  the  two  Smiths,  at  the  iiistiuice  of 
their  friends,  were  jjut  into  the  debtor's  room  of  the  prison,  anil  a  guard 
assigned  for  its,  as  well  as  their  security.  During  this  lime  their 
friends,  as  usual,  had  access  to  them  in  jail,  by  permission  of  the  gov- 
ernor. On  the  same  day,  (June  20,)  they  v-cre  taken  before  the  magis- 
trate who  had  committed  them  to  prison,  and  further  proceedings,  on 
the  complaint  for  treason,  were  postponed  until  tlie  20lh.  On  the 
morning  of  the  27th,  Governor  Ford  discharged  a  part  of  the  troops 
under  his  command,  and  proceeded  with  a  portion  of  the  residue, 
a  single  company  only,  to  Nauvoo;  leaving  the  jail,  the  prisoners,  and 
some  two  or  three  of  their  friends,  guarded  by  seven  or  eight  men,  and 
a  company  of  about  sixty  militia,  the  Carthage  Grays,  a  few  yards  dis- 
tant in  reserve. 

About  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  27th,  during  the  absence  of 
Governor  Ford,  the  guard  stationed  at  the  prison  were  overpowered  by 
an  armed  mob  in  disguise  ;  the  jail  I)roken  and  entered,  and  the  two 
Smyths,  (Josej)h  and  Ilyruin,)  without  any  pretence  of  riglit  or  author- 
ity whatever,  were  wantonly  slain.  Having  effected  their  object,  all  of 
which  was  accomplished  in  a  few  minutes,  they  immediately  dispersed.* 

The  Mormons,  who  appear  to  have  ascribed  tlie  outrap;e  to  per- 
sons from  Missouri,!  wer(>  ]irevaikvl  upon  to  continue  cpiiet,  and 
no  fartlier  outbreak  occurred,  until  those  troubles  began  which 
have  so  lately  ended  in  their  expulsion  from  Nauvoo. | 

In  June  of  this  year  occurred  a  rise  of  the  Mississippi,  which 
caused  vast  sulferinLj  and  extensive  damaire.  Many  towns  were 
entirely  under  water. 


ISJo. 


May  Sth. — On  this  day  the  lirst  observations  of  conse(pience 
were  made  at  the  Cincinnati  Observatory;  they  were  upon  tlie 
Transit  of  Mercury.  This  Oljservatory,  one  of  the  first  in  the 
world    in  respect    to   the  power  of  its  Ecpiatorial,  is  entirely   the 

•  Brown,  4s7. 

\  Tlic  account  of  tlie  MornioPH  In  Illinois  wo  take  cntirt'ly  from  Brown.     A  trustworthy 
and  full  history  of  Mnnnouii  n\  \\\   to   the  destruction  of  Nauvoo,  is  much  to  Ik;  desired. 
\  Sec  the  letter  of  Ilicliards  and  others  (leading  Mormons)  in  Brown,  4.'59. 


584 


Cincinnati  Observatory, 


1845. 


result  of  fhe  cnorp;)',  pprsovomnoo,  and  pationrc,  of  one  man, 
Olmsted  .\r,  Mitchell.  Mr.  Mitchell,  then  a  Profesisor  in  the  Cin- 
cinnati College,  ill  the  spring  of  1842  delivered  in  Cincinnati  a 
course  of  lectures  upon  Astronomy,  in  order  to  see  if  the  suhject 
coulii  be  made  jjopular. — He  perfectly  succeeded.  About  May 
1st  of  that  year  he  began  to  ask  the  citizens  of  Cincinnati  to  con- 
tribute toward  ihe  purchase  of  a  (ireat  E(piatorial  Telescope  to  be 
mounted  in  or  near  that  city.  During  the  same  month,  through 
his  exertions,  a  Society  was  organized  who.»;e  ol)ject  it  was  to 
found  an  Observatory  and  prosecute  Astronomical  researches. 
This  Society  soon  took  into  consideration  the  best  mode  of  pro- 
curing a  fu'st  rate  Instrument,  and  upon  deliberation,  authorized 
Professor  Mitchell  to  go  to  Europe  and  obtain  one.  He  left  Cin- 
cinnati ibr  this  object  on  the  11th  of  June,  1842.  Having  visited 
London  and  Paris,  Mr.  M.  determined  that  his  mission  could  be 
satisAictorily  accomplished  only  by  going  to  Munich,  where  Frau- 
enhofer  had  established  his  celebrated  manufactory  of  achromatic 
refracting  lenses.  At  that  place  Mr.  AT.  made  his  contract,  and 
returning  to  England  stayed  for  awhile  as  an  operative  in  the 
Greenwich  Observatory,  in  order  to  learn  the  detail  of  observa- 
tion, and  thence  returned  to  the  United  States. 

In  November  1843  the  Corner  Stone  of  the  Cincinnati  Observ- 
atory was  laid  by  John  Quincy  Adams,  and  an  address  was  deliv- 
ered by  that  venerable  statesman  and  student.  The  building, 
however,  was  not  really  commenced  until  the  following  May,  and 
was  then  carried  forward  only  by  the  energy  and  untiring  per- 
severance of  Mr.  Mitchell,  who  at  the  same  time  planned,  directed, 
contracted,  raised,  or  rather  made  J'unds,  acted  as  paymaster,  ad- 
vised the  mechanics,  and  labored  by  their  side.  In  April,  1845, 
the  Observatory  building  was  finished.  Meantime  the  Telescope 
had  been  paid  for,  mostly  by  the  single  subscriptions  of  men 
laboring  to  support  their  families;  —  its  cost  being  $10,000. 
It  was  received  at  Cincinnati  in  tlie  spring  of  1845,  and  was 
mounted  about  the  close  of  April;  every  arrangement  having 
been  made  by  the  projector  and  executor  of  the  whole  plan. 

This  we  note,  as  the  First  Observatory  ever  erected  by  "  The 
PeopL'     '1  modern  times. 


1845. 

of  one  man, 
or  in  tlu'  Cin- 

Cinciniinti  a 
if  the   .siil)ject 

About  May 
innati  to  con- 
.'lescope  to  be 
ontli,  through 
[cct  it  was  to 
il  researches, 
mode  of  pro- 
n,   authorized 

He  left  Cin- 
[avin^  visited 
don  could  be 
,  where  Frau- 
of  achromatic 
contract,  and 
'rative  in  the 
il  of  obscrva- 

tinati  Obscrv- 
!ss  was  deliv- 
'hc  building, 
ng  May,  and 
untiring  per- 
iled, directed, 
aymaster,  ad- 
April,  1845, 
le  Telescope 
itions  of  men 
ng  $10,000. 
>45,  and  was 
ment  having 
le  plan, 
ed  by  ''The 


INDEX. 


435- 


Adftir,  Mnjnr,  nttackcci, 

AdJ'l's  liilriyunH, 

Aknnigrn  or  ArkHns^n, 

Alaliania,  or  Oclip(iiiiton  rivrr, 

Alliany,  IiiillaiiH  iiint  at,  I7T.>, 

Allcslmnirs  nxplorrd  hy  Ppnttswood, 

Alioncz,  Clatide,  founds  earliest  permanent 

iniKxInn  in  the  norlliwest, 
Alton,  riots  at, 
Anderson,  Colonel,  surveyor, 
Anthony,  St.  falls  of,  disrovcred  t)y  Ilcnncpl 
Arburi<le,  Capt.  roniiiiands  at  I'l.  Pleasant, 
Arkansas  readied  liy  Martiuetto, 

fort  built  on,  by  TontI, 
Armstrong  aitacks  KIttnning, 

Gen.  John,  «erretary  o.  war, 
Artaguettp,  d',  rommissnry  of  l.ouiuiana, 

goes  against  Cliickasawa, 

liiH  fate. 
Assassination  of  Jnmonville,  allodgcd 
Assun.pilon  fort,  (Memphis,)  army  at,  1739, 
Athens,  university  of,  in  Oliio, 


patr^ 

note 

H 

•U 

MT 

42 

4 
574 

u> 
ig:i 

8 

27 

79 

542 

:i3 

37 
37 
04 

3H 
477 


n, 


Batrgatiway.  an  Indian  gamC)  02 

Rank,  first,  In  Kentueky,  4P3 

Fnitcd  Slates,  In  Ohio,  5.>8 

Banks  in  Illinois,  S7U 

in  Ohio,  554 

Rarclay,  Captain,  544 

Battle  of  Point  Pleasant,  130 

Beaujcu,  M.  de,  rommands  fleet  bound  to 

mouth  of  Mississippi,  20 

Beleter  yields  Detroit,  88 

Benham,  Captain,  liis  adventures,  217 

Bienville  sounds  MissiseippI,  and  turns  back 

English, 

goes  against  Chlckasaws, 
Big  Bottom  sctllemcnisdeMtroyed, 
Big  Gate,  Clark's  treatment  of, 
Biloxi,  bay  of,  d'l'jorvillc  at, 
Blackhawk  war. 
Blue  Lieks,  Uoone  taken  at, 

battle  of 
Bolt,  captain,  travels  of. 
Boone,  Daniel,  explores  Kentuekjr, 

his  character, 

conducts  in  surveyors, 

employed  l.y  Transylvania  co. 

rescues  liis  daughter, 

taken  prisoner  and  escapes, 

at  battle  of  liluc  Licks, 

moves  to  Missouri, 
Boone,  Squire, 
Boonsborough  founded. 
Bouquet,  Colonel,  60.  67 

Boundary,  Indian,  proposed  and  agreed 

to,  1708,  101.  lOG.  107 

Bowman,  Col.  John,  105.  16P.  174.  185.  217 

Bowman,  Major,  or  Capt.  Joseph,  202  to  213 

Braddopk.  Gen.  his  iim.ch  and  defeat,       67  to  78 
Braddock'i  road,  80 

Bradstree,  General,  60.99 

Brant,  Josepli,       145.  332,  Ice.  347,  ke.  ^71.  376. 

381.  382,  3F6 
Brickell's  account  of  hia  captivity,  &,c.  414 

British  influence  over  Indians,    332  to  336.  347  to 

349.  510 
Brodhead,  Col.  Daulel,  216.  265 


32.44 

37 

345 

194 

32 

569  to  572 

195 

352  to  254 

45 

114  to  118 

136— note 

128 

135  to  137 

Vm 

195  to  198 

253.  255 

464 

116,  117 

138 

88.  97.  100 


pa«a 

Ilrown,  John, 'pprerciitaiivo  from  Ky.     312.  313 

nrownsville,  (Kedslone)  64 

llryant'H  station  .itlacked,  249  to  253 

Ilurk,  the  liistDrian,  note,  03 

liullitt,  Captain,  gallant  conduct  of,  85 

BOOS  west,  110.  119 

lliitler,  William,  Indian  trader,  123 

Itntior,  Grneral,  358.  309  and  note 

Dunlin.  Captain,  377 

Ilurr  first  virtiiH  wfBt,  4!t3 

his  inovemciiis  in  1806,  496  to  51)3 

Ills  letter  to  Wilkinson,  400 

his  arrest  and  trial,  803 

his  plans,  504 

Uyrd's  invasion  of  Kentucky,  S94 

Canada,  1'pper,  explorc<l  liy  Frcnrli  4 

Catarocouy,  fort,or  fort  Frontenac,  10 

Cadillac  de  la  Motle  founds  Detroit,  30 

Cahokia  founded  by  Pinet,  30 

Cadillac,  with  Crozat,  takes  Louisiana,  34 

Cahokia  in  1750,  38 

Carolana,  province  of,  43 

Carlisle, treaty  at,  in  1753,  57 

Canada  given  up  by  French,  1700,  86 

Carver,  Captain,  03--noto.  177 

Camp  Charlotte,  131 

Carondelet,  or  Vide  poclie,  history  of,  181 

Baron,  427 

Campaign  of  1812  in  \.W.  blunders  in,  527 

Marrifon's  [ilans,  535 

of  1813,  plans  for,  543 

Campion,  Col.  in  1812,  537 

Rasa's  expedition,  1820,  561 

Canals  in  England,  United  States  and  Ohio,      562 

to  505.  567.  .')08 

in  Illinois,  507 

Cessions  of  land  to  Union,      325  to  228.  230.  2.'>8. 

284 

C^eleron  places  medals  along  the  Ohio,  51  and  note 

Chicka.«aws  visited  by  English,  .12.  34 

war  with  French,  37.  38 

oirendcd  by  Americans,  222 

Charlevoix's  account  of  N.Orleans,  35 

Chartres,  fort,  38 

Cliocidws  and  French,  37 

Clierokees  attack  Carolina,  &c.  88 

claim  Kentucky,  108 

sella  portion  of  their  claim,  107 — note 

attack  whites,  1774,  123 

Christian,  Col.  commands,  1774,  130,  131 

Chillicothe,  Indian  town  on  .^cioio,  131.  462— nota 

do  Little  .Miami. 

195.  462— note 

founded,  403 

Chouteau,  Auguste  and  Pierre,  IPO.  183 

Cholera  in  west,  571.  573 

Cincinnati  founded,  308 

growth  owing  to  Fort  Washington ,        321 

named  by  St.  Clair,  329 

OI)»crvat«ry,  583 

Clark,  George   Rogers,  bis   account  of 

Cresap's  conduct  in  1774,  125  to  127 

150 

160 


1770. 


liis  steps  in  Kentucky, 
procures  powder,  1776, 
procures  the  erection  of  Kentucky 

into  a  county, 
carries  powder  down  tlie  Oliio, 


161 

161 


58G 


INDEX. 


P«Rfi  I 


III! 
IT4 
1H4 
M'H 

IPO  to  l«0 
IbU  In  l!)4 

'JOl 

son  10  '.'(17 

(iOU.  2 1 1 
'il'.' 


■:  I 


2liO 
2ti0 


Clark,  fipor^f  IJok'th,  IiIm  liroihor'H  itfttciiicnl 
an  to  liiiiiiiMirc,  III  1*7.0, 

liU  jdiiriiiil,  l'T7, 

|irit|iosi'M  III  c'iiiii|Mi'r  IIIIiioIh, 

ructMVPH  Ills  liiHiniciidim,  ITTH, 

drsri'iiil-'  ;o  till'  fii'lH, 

toiM|i|iri  KRsknKIa  &i". 

IrcalH  Willi  ilii'  IhilliiiiH, 

tirarH  of  llniiilliiiirH  |iliinM, 

liinri'lii  H  (i^jaliisl  Viiiri'iiiics, 

liM  I'lluriN  anil  i>iillV'riMi!N. 

Hiiiiiiiioiis  llaiiillliiii  Id  yield, 

taK<^<  \'iiii'('nnvii, 

Piiiliarra>Hi'il  liy  |in|i("r  money, 

l>iiilil-<  In  I  Ji'U'rr-oii, 

altai'ki  Iniliaiis  on  Mlaiiiii), 

tu  atluck  lli-iriilt, 

liiaili^  roiiiinanilcr  ill  west, 

allai-kH  liiillaiiH  on  MianiiN, 

ills  I'liMiini^Hlon  withdrawn, 

Urniit  ol'  luiiil  In, 

trcalH  Willi  Iiiiliniw,  I7H);.  870  to  278  A,  iiotp 

fiopi  up  Waliauli  niid  t'uilH,  I7HU,  Ui'.l 

liis  illi'ijal  ai'lHnt  Viiironiirs  IL'Hl 

li/Toiiirs  It'aiirr  uiiiltr  (iuiici's  Inlliictiec.-I'.'l 
Clarkortvillo  Iniinilcil.  200 

Clnvflninl  toiinilcil,  40'i 

Cluv.lii'iioral,  18in,  54;i 

Conneciiriii  ri'iU's  lier  western  landj,  2P4  and  iitiii; 

roscrvi^  sellloil,  407.  473 

Comiiatiy,  MiHsisKiiipi,  (roinpany  of  West 

mill  roinpany  of  Inilics.) 
Coxo,  Dr.  DuiiIl'I,  t'lainij  tu  Carulatia, 

III;!  flrroiliilii,  iir. 
Contrcciiiir  riiiiiiiiunilH  at  fort  Dunucsnc, 
Connolly,  Jolin.  explores  west, 

owns  part  of  liOuisvllle, 

liiH  rondiirt  at  I'ltlHliiirjili,  1774, 

flltnct  s  friciully  Indian^, 

plot  of  177."i, 

In  17H). 

Win  Inuil  at  falls, 

visits  Kcnliicky,  17PP, 
Cornstalk  tries  lo  presi.'rve  peace, 

at  liuttio  of  Point  ricaHant, 

niakea  peace 


122. 


34  to  30 
4:i.  44 

o;t.  01 

II! 
II'J 
123 
I'J'.I 
1.>1 
228 
5KJ9 
315 
129 
130 
132 


licirayed  hy  the  Americana  and  killed,  ]t)2 


Cornpl.iiitcr. 

Conjjo  creek. 

C(>llii'rl  loads  <;iitckasaw3, 

Coiiiiiiissiiiiiers,  I  inlinii, 

Coiiveiitioii,  lirst  Kentucky, 


347 


Becoiid 

do 

third 

do 

fourth 

do 

ni'ih 

do 

sixth 

do 

Bcvcnth 

do 

eiu'litli 

do 

ninth 

do 

£,11(1  note 
131 
234 
SJO.  383.  3ilO 
20.-J 
271 
272 
274.  279 
2fj 


274. 
2M. 
314. 


313 

3ir. 

320 
420 
14 
33 
34 


CrevecQ'iir,  fort,  linilt  I  y  I.aPalle, 
Crozal   I.iiiiisiuna  tratinferied  lo, 

his  plaii!)  all  friixiratcd, 
Crogliaii,  Major,  (1813.)  defence  of  fort 

Stephenson,  544 

attacks  Mackinac,  &c.  .I.'il 

Croghan,  (leorKC,  visits  west,  1765,  101  to  104 

uaili  of,  relative  to  claim  of  Iro- 
quois, 47,  note. 

deed  to,  hy  Iroquois.  107 — note 

Cresap,  Capt.  Michael,  murder  of  Logan's 

family,  «cc.  123  to  127 

Crawford  sent  apainst  Mingots,  132 

sent  west,  1777,  175 

Crawford's  (txpeditior,  and  death,  245  to  24H 

Cuiiilierlaiid  tort  liuilt,  00 

Cutler,  Dr.  auent  for  Ohio  company,  268,  &.c. 

Cumberland  road,  origin  of,  494 

Dalilon  and  Marquette  found  a  mission 

at  St.  Mary's  falls,  4 

Date.J.  dilticulty  in  lellliiig,  252— note 

Danville  founded,  201 

Payton  fettled,  45i:« 


404. 


304 

40.^ 

410 

530 

I 

31,  &c. 

428 

note— 7 

107— note 

273.  321 


p(IB« 

Detroit  founded  hy  de  la  Motte  Cadillac,  30 

U*  citenl,  note— 30 

first  KraiitH  at,  Hi. 

visitiil  liy  lloaors,  P8 

yielded  hy  llcleler,  f8 

ntlarknl  hy  I'oiiliac,  03  to '.;7 

iil/.e  of,  ill  1707,  03— nolo 

III  17(i,-..  Ilj4 

proposition  to  lake,  1770  and  7,  175 

liii,;ht  have  hceii  Inkcn  hy  Clark, 

214  and  nntn 
proposal  In  attack  in  I7H0-1  2J8 

steps  relative  to,  in  17C3,  i-'tiO 

in  l-'IM  anil  5,  489.  4',)0 

Delawares,  triaty   with,  at   I'ittuhuruh,  1778,    200 

Delaware  nlijui!,  to  land  rIaiiiH  of  Vir- 

Uinia    Ac.  22Q 

Dehts  ill  w<  si  in  I  arly  times,  242 

Dennian  and  others  purchaueillo  of  Cincin- 
nati, 

Depositc,  fort,  hnllt, 

Deliance,  fort,  hiiilt,  Scr. 

Dearhorii,fort,(('hlcai!i>]  lakcn,  1813, 

Diriio  Miiiielo  visits  Florida, 

D'llieivllle, 

Disunion,  Spanlsli  plan  of, 

Doi;  feast  of  Indians, 

DonalilHon,  Col.  deeds  of  Kentucky  to, 

Doii<;hly,  Major, 

Dorchester,  Lord,  hia  speech  to  Indians 

395.  390— nofQ 

Dret's  used  in  west  in  early  limes,  2:i5.  230 

Dnqiiesiie,  fort,  plan  of,  03 — iiotB 

lo  he  altar kcd,  07 

taken  hy  I'uriies,  80.  85 

Duqiiesne  coniinaiider  of  Indians,  198 

Duiimore,    Lord,  naid    lo  have  allowed 

surveys,  1709,  109 

sends  Conolly  to  fort  rilt,  122 

is  said  to  hr.vc  thanked  Cr«r-ap,    123— note 
prepares  for  Indian  war,  128 

reproved  for  Cnnolly's  conduct,  l;!0 

prrpures  to  invade  Indian  country,  130 

enieis  the  tihawancse  country  and 

makes  peace,  131 

his  conduct  in  1774,  133  and  note. 

153— note 
denounces  Transylvania  company,  137 

Dunniore's  war,  121  to  133 

Diinniorc  fort,  at  Pittslmrgh,  hiiilt,  &.C.  123 

L'uer,Ciil.  his  coniieclioii  Willi  the  Ohio 

company,  2H9.  454--nota 

Dudley,  Colonel,  at  fort  Meigs,  1813,  543 

Karthqnake  of  1811,  530 

I'.ilucalion  jirovided  for  in  Kentucky,  223 

Kilwards.  Governor,  in  1812.  536 

Kllinipsico,  son  of  Cornstalk,  killed.  103 

Elliott,  Matthew,  131— note.  335— note 

English  claims  lo  the  West,  43.  40.  47 

English  traders  in  N.  West,  50  and  note 

West,  40 -note 

on  (3 real  Miami,  51.53 

Mniiinee,  .'i2 

and  French  in  1753.  56 

England,  conduct  in  relation  lo  Indians, 

1790—95,        332.  384.  394.  400.  403.  411 
relations  to  U.  Stales,  r90-95,  397 

Erie,  (Presqu'ile.)  396 

vessels  built  at,  in  1813,  542.  .'544 

Estill's  defeat,  243 

Evans' maps  of  West,  52 — note.  Ill— note 

Excise  on  spirits,  1791,  435 

Fauquier,  Oovernor,  of  Virf  inia,  79 

Falls  of  the  Ohio  visited  and  surveyed, 

52.  109,  119 
Federalism  and  anti- federalism, 
Finlfy  explores  Kentucky, 
Fincastle  county,  Va,  includes  Kentucky, 
Fincaslle  fori,  at  Wheeling, 
Figliting  in  West,  in  early  times, 


Filson's  work  on  Kentucky, 
Filson,  John, 


433 
114 
119 
109 
243 
2C5-- note 
304 


pan 

s  CadiiriK,         no 
linlc— :io 
III. 

t-3 

HH 

m  to  ',i7 

li:i— iKiia 
KM 
rfl  and  7,  175 

II  liy  Clnrk, 

Ul  'i  and  notn 
"0-1  '.'.'8 

I,  SliO 

il'O.  4'M 
iltalxiruh.  1778,  'JOO 
liiiiH  of  VIr- 

S'.'fl 
'-!48 
tltoorCinciii- 

404    410 

3n,  1812,  iM 

I 

4'J8 
nolo— 7 

ueky  to,  ](i7— iinte 
273.  321 

to  Indians, 

auj.  nno— note 

Ilea,  2:iri.  230 

(J3— note 

07 

80.  M 

ana,  108 

^e  allowed 

109 
lit,  122 

Crtfap,    123— note 
128 
roiidiict,  l:tO 

an  coiiiilry,  130 

ountry  and 

131 
133  and  note. 
I. '53 — note 
A  company,  137 

121  to  133 
liuilt,  &c.  123 

h  the  Ohio 

2f9.  454- -note 
,  1813,  543 


itucky. 


520 
223 
536 

dllcd.  103 

31— note.  335— note 
43.  40.  47 
50  and  note 
40  -note 
51.53 
.Vi 
56 
to  Indiana, 

394.  400.  403.  411 
00-95,  397 

396 
54-2.  544 
S43 

(2— note.  Ill— note 
435 

ia,  79 

surveyed, 

52.  109,  119 

,  432 

114 

Kentucky,        110 

IGO 

|!3,  243 

2C5— note 

304 


INDEX.  587 


paa<^ 
riirti,  Jnlin,  i'M, 

FliiNd,  John,  no' 

iiiH  iciirT,  i::rt.  i."i.'i| 

Floyd,  Colonel,  t^avrd  liy  Wrlln,  833  < 

Flood  In  ilio  Ohio,  Ih;i'.',  y,'i 

III  MI'^U>l|i|i|.  |rM,  .'i>'3' 

Food  ill  Wc!*!  In  rarly  llinea,  23.1 

Forlicj.Oiirral,  PO  lo  H."i 

Fork  of  Ohio,  poil  nl.  (JO  lo  III 

Fort  AH.inin|ilion,  MciiiphN,  3'' 

jlinrliorii,  ('lilrni!.i.  ,VIO 

Ili'liaiire,  on  Mniioiro,  404  410 

Iiciiofllc,  on   Mnimice,  4iit) 

Diiiiinori',  rilalmriili,  l'.'3 

|in(|iif>Hne.  CltlrliurKli,  03 

!-VniiPv.  Finney  or  Frrrlng,  Jclfrrjinn- 

villi",  3V,'0,  nolo. 

Finney,  month  of  flreat  Miami,  27"i 

(•rcenvllle,  (irecnville,  3'i!) 

Hninllton,  IlainllloTi,  Ohio,  3.M) 

llarrluun.on  \Val>a.-<li,  515,  531 

Henry,  Wheelliiit,  Ifill 

Jellerdon,  near  Cranvllle,  Ohio,         3.V.>.  3!iH 
JelTerHon,  on  Mi«Hlsi'liipl,  222 

Knox,  Vinfemiei".  329 

Mnc  Arlhur.nn  Scioto,  530.537 

Mel(>^,  on  Maiiinee,  541.  543 

Miami,  llrillxli   po^it  on  Mautnce,    300,  407, 

note. 
Till,  l'lit!<hurR.  03 

Kei'overy,  ground  of   S'.  Clair'a  defeat,   100 

403. 
Parkvllle,  Vlnrennea,  213 

Hi.  (;iuir,  20  inllM  north  of  Fori  JedeT 

son, 
Pi'hiiyler,  Rome,  N.  Vork, 
Shelliy,  on  upper  Mlsslselppl, 
Sliinu  ix,  Home,  \.  Y. 
Stepheiiion,  Lower  Hnnduaky, 
Steulicii,  J(.'ll'ersonville, 
Wnshliii!ton,  •' inrlnn.nl I, 
Wayne,  at  liond  of  Maiimee,      411 
Franklin,  Iteiijsmiii,  help's  llraddork, 

eonrernrd  in  VVslpolc  Co.  105  to  lll'.l 

Franklin,  fiovernor,  ronrcrned  in  WalpoleCo.  105 
Freeman,  sent  lo  IinlLins',  1702,  381  &  note. 

French  in  West,     4.  5.  II.  note— .53  51.  .V).  ."iH  &. 
nole,  no.  01.  101  10  104.  HI  &,  note. 
Frcnrh  arroiinl  of  the  dc.iili  of  Jninonvillo,         04 
French  Creek— Ulviere  anx  Itipiifs,  53.59 

Frenchlowii,  hatile  and  massacre  of,       533  to  510 
Fronlenac,  Count,  HI 

Fort.  1(1 

Fry,  Joshua,  54  Sc  note.  02 

Oallisniiiere  sends  Celeron  lo  Ohio,  51 

Oallipoia,  70,  4.52  to  4.55 

Gaiie,  (General,  70.  105    100 

his  proclainalinnfl,  170.  177 

Oameliii  sent  to  Wntiash  trlhci,  320  lo  331 

Genet's  inlriijues,  &c.  421 

Cist,  Cliri-l'r,  yoes  down  Ohio,  1751,      52  &  nole. 

siirveyH  .^oulh  of  Ohio,  .52.  .'lO 

lives  wrest  of  I.aun  I  Hill,  ."if.  04 

goes  west  with  WashiiiL'ton,  HP.  00  &  note. 

warns  VVasliiiiL'ton  of  viciiiily  of  French,  04 

Washington  at  house  of,  C5 

crosses  '.'enliicky  and  Ohio,        111  &  nrte. 

Cibsnr-.'c  evide  ce  as  to  liOuan'?  speech,  132 

(Jilison.  Colont;!  John,  at  Fori  Laurens,  201 

Girly  Simon  and  his  brothers,  170  &  noiC,248.25l 


3H3 
140.  207 


20' 


i.V.' 
1||7| 
5)4  ' 
337 
321  I 
531.  535 
OH.  09  I 


pai* 

llBiit'iiry,  Mr.  of  r,oiidnn,  menihcr  of  Ohio  Co.  .'lO 

llnlfklnt',  Irnipiol-  ch|»f,  59,  01,  03 

llnrriHl,  Jnmes,  l'mis  lo  KenMirky.  I2I 

Marl,  Colonel,  IMIVH  land  ni  Clierokeen,  ll'fl 

lliinil.  Geneml,  al  I'orl  I'llt,  |i;9,  190 

llamllloii,  <io\i  (lior,  lake*  Vlnruniir!!,'  201 

Dummoned  to  yield,  20U 

hi^  reply,  210 

llieelH  Clark,  211 

raplliilali'H,  2liJ 

hi'  IreHiineni  In  Virginia,  213 

llflli'illon,  I'orl.  I  iilll,  3.VJ 

llamlllon's  li.innnclMl  ineafurps,  434 

llaMls  and  iimnners  o|  the  VNest,  2:'5— 214 

Mannar,  Fori,  rommeiiccd,  273 

llnniiHr,  irimlles  of,  317 

llarmar,  General,  ;'28 

hiHcniniinlL'ii,  337  lo  34,1 

llarrlBon,  Win.  II.  .'^ecrelary  of  N.  W.  Terr.    405 

Peleirnle  In  Conyrr-s,  4tifl 

Governor  IndiaoH  Territory, 

trials  Willi  IndiiiiiN,  kr.  4PI 

W.  II   Hiipoiiiied  lo  command  In  N.  W 

his  p'aiiH, 

Ilia  conduct  sflcr  mnveinpudi  Of  Win- 

Chester, 

at  Maiden,  jic, 

resi:;iiH, 
Harrison,  Fort,  liiillt, 

I'orl,  ili'lc'iice  of,  liy  Z.  Taylor, 
riardiii,C<ilonel  John,  338  lo344.  359.  3HI 

Hennepin,  I.ouis,  hlx  character,  10 

meets  I, a  Salle,  l7liH.  11 

Henl  lo  exp'ore  .Mi.siii.>slppl, 

his  adveiiliirei), 

his  rclurn, 

works  and  Iheir  nullieiillrily. 
Hcalh.Sir  Kolierl,  i^ranl  lo  Charhs  I. 
Ili'iiry,  Alexander.  L'oes  to  Mackinac, 
Henry,  I'orl,  at  Wheelini.', 

Iiesie^'ed  hy  Indians, 
Henderson,  Col   Kirlmrd, 

j;(ies  west  ;  Ills  letter, 

calls  selllers  toiicthcr, 

his  address, 

runs  south  line  of  Kentucky, 
Heiulerson  &.  Co.  uranl  ol  land  to. 
Helm,  Ca|iiaiii,  his  conduct  at  Vinccnnes, 
lleckewclder,  Mary,  horn, 
llendrick,  chief  ot'Slockliridije  Indians, 
Howard.  Jolin.L'oes  down  the  Oliio, 
Holderness,  Secretary  of  Slate,  authorises  col 

oiiists  lo  resist  French.  l7i-3. 
Houses  in  West,  in  early  limes. 
House  huildini;  in  Wesl  in  early  times. 
Mouse  warniini,', 
Hos|iilalilv, 

Hopkins,  General,  in  1812, 
Holmes,  expedition,  1H14, 

killed, 
ilurons  or  Wyandota, 
Hulchins,  Thomas, 
Hull,  Wni.,  (Jovertior  of  Mirhiijan, 

conimands  \   W,  army, 

his  proijrcss  and  conduct, 

his  surrender, 

Ills  bentencc, 


Gowcr,  fori, 
Grirtin,liuili  hy  La  Salle. 
Gravier,  father,  founds  Kaskaskia, 
Greenliriar  (^o. 
Great  Meadows, 
Grant,  Major,  defeated,  17.")«. 
Grant,  Colonel,  del'eiita  Cherokecs, 
Grealhoii-e  kills  Indians,  1774, 
Green,  Thomas, 
Greenville,  fort,  built, 
treaty  of, 


124 


131 

12 

30 

50.  53 

C4.  65 

84 

80 

128 

281 

390 

415. 


10. 


473 
fcf. 

535 
533 

541 
547 
.551 
51.1 
.531 


H 
IS 

16 

nole. 

43 

89 

100 

1C9  lo  174 

135 

139 

140 

141  to  143 

'J -.'3 

220 

'JO'J 

'.>31 

379 

45 


CO 

235.  237 

240 

241 

243 

530 

550 

551 

nole,  4 

i;0.  17r>.  -^88 

490 

.520 

526  10  .)20 

5-'0. 

529 


Illinois,  trilin  ilrsi  visited, 
Illinois  country,  produclionsof 
irniisferred  to  Fnilaiid, 
stale  of,  from  ITO'.Mo  K77, 
Illinois  and  Wahash  ('oni|i«iiies, 
HIiiiois  settlements  in  17cil,  &c. 
Illinois  H.inks, 
Illinois,  State  formed, 
Iiuliatu,  western,  in  1702, 
"       in  1T03, 
"        lands  protected, 
"        in  1704, 
••        In  1705, 
"        in  I7ii0, 
"        ill  1770  to  1773, 


553 


7 

38.  51 

176 

170, ld7  &.  note. 

177 

271 

.576 

550 

87 

91 

97 

09 

101 

105 

121 


110.  119 


588 


INDEX. 


Iililiaiiii,  HTHlrrn,  iiiiinlprfil  In  ITTt, 
"        Join  Kiiiillih,  kf. 

Ill  \"4, 
"        III  ITT.'i. 
"        nllni'k  Kciiliirky, 
"        III  l"0, 
"        nllAi'k  Kciiliirky, 
"        tlir"!!)''!!  10  uiilla. 

"      111  i:h,-.. 

"        ii>  Ini  nltarkeil, 
"       III  i:«o, 

III  17«l. 

In  171»X 

wlili  for  iirnrc,  IT9I  5, 


Inillnn  roiinrllii, 


MO.  M7,  anil  tldln. 


InUiaiiH,  riiiiiiiil'iiilcinr<rn  in  trial  willi,  'Jj!l.  IDIil 

aiu-iii|i(a  iiirivllUc,  MX 

liiill«il  wnrHrrm-wr'l,  3lfl.  J-.M 

Indian  J)i'|>artiiiriil«,  110 

IliillaMn,  tlio  tinrt  ho  rnlluil  In  170'',  11)7 

Irrrllory  rurincil.  471  to  47n 

InnlH,  Jiiiluf!,  I'.'H 

Itmiirrnrtidii,  \vhlHk''y,  41.>  tn  1.1'.' 

IrotjiKilM,  III  lliinitlrt    lOHl),  i:>.  40. '17 

plni'o  llii'ir  laiiili*  miller  Knglanij,  4ti 

iiniiim  ciC,  itic.  'Ill 


ridlnis  Id  \Vr«l, 
trcftly  Willi,  1744, 
Rpll  l.'inilx  Hiiiilli  orohlOi 
jdlii  I'^i^liiiiil,  1773, 
during  Ufvohiilon, 


Jay,  John,  niinlnlor  to  Rgmln,  9121! 

liUlrn.ily  willi  Ku'ilatiit,           41.''>.  note,  4.'i'J 

Jcirrrtidn,  rcirl.tdii  Mi«iiHr<i|)|il.i  liiiilt   I7ho,        Oj'.' 

Hitarkcil  ami  nliiiMihiiuMl,  'J:i4 

JclT>rfioii  fdrl  (in  Olild)  liiillt.  359! 

Jollcl  eopH  Willi  Miir(|iicll('  td  Hnck  the  MI«hI§-        I 

slp|il,  S 

IdHcs  lil'<  |i.i|ipr!<,  8 

Joiitcl,  hiraidri.'in  of' La  !4allc>  voyni^io  mouth 

of  MlH«inhi|i|il,  21 

pops  Id  eiplorcroBHl  of  (iiilf,  SI 

t-dniniaiiilM  nt  liny  ol  St.  I.oul*,  33 

IiIm  IrdiililPH,  ii4 

rp.'irlicM  .MiHHlssipiii  anil  lllinola,  U7 

Johnson,  Sir  Willlani,  at  Magnra,  9!) 

ninkrslroaly,  ITfl,'),  1(11 

propdii'H  iirw  roliiny,  109 

»:(>ii(Ih  td  Inillanii  to  keep  peace,  1'J9 

liM  death,  urt 

JolinFon.Cny,  inlliienreH  IndianM,  1775,  143.  14H 

mectD  liidlaiiH,  I7i7,  l(i:i 

Joll<  's  staieinnni  an  to  flreftthon'o,  1774,  15H 

Jones,  Koos  with  Clark  to  Va.  1770,  lOtJ 
is  killeil  dii  his  return,  1(51. 

Jumonvillc,  death  otG4. 

Ea8kA.'<kia,  founded  by  Gravler, 

river,  viilagvii  near  in  17'.'1, 

III  I7.i(l, 

In  I77U  and  71,  176 
Keith,  Gdvenidr,  wIhIicii  Wcat  scriired, 
Kentucky,  Indian  claims  to,         46.  1U7.  10H, 


pari  P««« 

ign  Id  Ul    Krntiiiky  la'ki  df  Inlcrnal  liiiprovomenU,        471 

I4i).  l.VI    Kinliin,  Hliiion,  IU7 

IJM    Killaiiln.',  Arin-'IrdiiR  allnfkii,  7!) 

144.  Hl<    Klrklaiid,  Hi'V.  Hauiiiil,aiiiuii||  lru<luol*,  144.  374 

Ij'J.  l.'il    Kiidi,  I'dl.  Jaiiie*,  In  VVeM,  119 

lU-^l  Knlvf>,  l.onB  dr  llli,  IHIJ.  Ih? 

Iil4    Kiidi,  planHof,  atler  St.  Clalr'i  defeat,  JTl 

UIIUI 

'i'H  I.a  Halle,  hU  enlerprlnee,  0lo97 

U7U,  l.akelrnile,  S.'iS 

nun,  &.I-.    I>a  lldiitan,  hi*  Iravelii.  V9 

:i4U    l.acli-de  fdiiniU  St.  I.diila,  170 

194    La  llarre,  ndvernoi  of  Canada,  lUfaineit  !.« 

413  Salle,  90 

Law,  Jiilin  and  hi*  dulnsn  In  France.  34 

Liiiii'aiii'r,  iri'.ity  III',  1711,  47.  40,  note. 

hand  UwK  df  Viruliiln,  1770,  «lrt  to  '.••.'« 

t.aiid  CdiiiinUMiiiiii'rH,  '.'-JO 

1,1'  Cnrdii,  e«ploreM  t'piwr  Cniiada,  4 

1,(1  ('lcri'(|'H  ai-c'iiiiii  111' 1,(1  Snile,  Ifl.  note  . 

IiO    fluciir,    HeekH   and   fliida  copper  m   Si. 

Tcter'N  Kiver,  3:'.  and  niile. 

I,en,  Colonel  'riioniAM,  treaiR  at  I,ancaMtt  r,  49 

fdrinHDIilo  Cdinpnny,  40.  5U 

IjOwIii,  .Andrew,  (inicral,  Hiirveyn  for  fircen- 

liriar  <'diii|>iiin',  ,13 

gdex  nuniiiNt  IndiniiH,   PjO,  7U 

111  ken  prirtdiicr,  I7.»H,  h-J 

prepareii  Id  Invade  Indian  country,  i;iu 

liu'lilH  Iriillle  i)(  Point  rii'.'iMniit,  l:iO 

olilli;edto  return  hy  Kurd  Diinniore,        131 

coiiinii'oloiier   to   treat   with    liidiniiN, 

I77H, 

T.exlnuton.  Ky.  xctlli'd, 

I,et!ioiivilli*, 

l,('wi-i  and  Clarke,  their  ripeditlon, 
Lew  in,  C'olonel,  In  ltJ13, 
l,;iiireii!i,  furl, 
l.iltic  Mi'ndowa. 
I.illlc  'I'lirlle, 


40.  4 


liolr. 

null', 

47 

107 

ll.'i 

314  to'JIli 


21)0 
817 
377 
403 

L'Ol 
«4 
371.  4':n,  note 


337  lo 
UOO. 


explored,  111  to 

first  Ketllcrs,  I'JI, 

first  families  in, 

reroijniscd  as  part  of  Virginia,     Vt'i  lo 
petiiions  Viruliiia,  1776,  157  tu 

ill  1777,  HJ4  to 

chooses  liureesscB, 
divided  Into  three  comities, 
organised,  1761, 
emigration  of  girls  t«>, 
reorganised, 
rapid  urowth  of, 

projioses  separation  from  Virginia,  26(5. 
28-.'.  '.'t'j.  28L. 
views  upon  federal  const  iliii ion, 
disappointed  in  iiutliclng  made  a  slate 

ill  1788, 
adiniticd  to  the  I'nion, 
snieiidii  ber  consijtuiion, 


30 
36 

3H; 

17M, 
4-.'| 

no 

llOi 

i:i8 

149; 

101 

130 

lliH 
174 
2-.!9 
234 
235 
S6ll 
21)31 
271.1 
320.1 
'.'87! 

3121 
4-.;i| 
470 


Logan,  Sei'ielary  of    rennsylvania,    wishes 

west  Hcciircd,  4'2 

Logan,  iiiiirder  of  the  family  of,  l'i!3  lo  I2H 

ills  revenge,  I'.'O 

his  speei'li,  13'J 

Logan,  lleninmiii,  crosses  mounlalni,  1775,       141 

Ills  rehciie  of  llarriMoii.  166 

goes  to  Ilolston  for  powder,  107 

calls  convention,  17^4,  265 

allnrks  Sliawiieo  towns,  270 

Louisiana  taken  posses-sioii  of  for  France  by 

Ln  Salle.  18 

supposid  wealth  of.  33 

transferred  lo  Cro/.at,  33 

resigiieil  liy  lilin  and  given   to  Missis- 
sippi Company,  34 
wesiof  iMIssissippi  transferred  lo  Spain,  176 
measures  relative  to  purcliasc  of  by  U. 

Stales,  4«3  to  4P« 

organised,  489 

r,onsilali',lurd,  proposes  lo  colonize  Louisiana,  44 

Lngstown,  Weiser,  sent  to,  45 

treaty  of  In  1732,  5J 

where  siiuated,  54.53  &  notes. 

Loyal  Co.  .lO 

Loiii!  Hunters,  IH 

Louisville,  nelL'hIiorhood  of  peopled,  223 

cMablislied  by  law,  229 

pop'ilation  of,  1784,  263,  note. 

fioramie's  store,  224 

Losantivillc,  305.  329.  note, 

Lovejoy  killed,  575 

Lulli,  Sieiir  ilii,  meets  Flentuipin,  16 

Lyman.  Oeneral,  asks  grant  of  laud,  ltl6 

goes  lo  Notclicz,  120 

Lud'ow,  Israel,  308 

Marquette  and  Dalilon  foun  1  Hi,  Mary's  mis 

slon,  4 

Mnripielie  fouiuls  station  Si  Ignatius,  at  Mac- 
kinac, 5 
Marquette's  expedition,                                    5  lo  9 
Masi'outeiis,                                                       note  0 
Mary  Bt.,  falls  of  first  visited,                              4 


I 


INDEX. 


r>89 


p«RO 

ii|iroveiiiriii«,  171 
1U7 

«,  7U 

iiig  lriM|uol«,  U4.  374 

110 

mi.   Ih7 

lr'id«rear,  J71 

0lo27 

'.•a 

170 

iiIa,  (IcfanieH  I^ 

go 

•17.  10,  iiMli'. 
UIH  to  '.'■."« 

iiiniln,  4 

If,  10,  note  . 

I  copper  r\\   St. 

'.V.\  ami  riuin. 
lit  I.anrnHtt  r,  'l!l 

4'.i.  W 
rvcyii  for  (Jrccii- 

.■53 
17j0,  70 

Ian  cimntry,  i;iU 

I'lixniit,  i:io 

>ril  Diiiiiiinrn,  l:)l 

t   Willi    liiillniiM, 

gon 

217 

377 

^(lilion,  I!I3 

537  to  .>:iO 

'JUO.  '.'01 

04 

371.  420,  note 

ylvania,    ^vi^ll(•M 

ii 

of,  12310  128 

120 

13a 

iiiitaing,  1775,       141 

lG(i 

rder,  1(17 

MS 

9.  279 

f  for  France  by 

18 
33 
33 
zlvcn   to  Missli!. 

34 
nrfirrrillofpaiii,  17(5 
urcliasc  of  hy  U. 

483  to  4Pi 

489 

lionize  Louisiana,  44 

4i 

51 

54.55  &  notes. 

50 

IH 

)eoplcd.  223 

229 

205,  note. 

224 

305.  329.  note, 

575 

lin,  16 

uf  laud,  U>6 

120 

308 

St.  Mary's  mis 

gnatlus,  at  Mac- 

5 
5  10  9 
note  G 


n 


p«K« 
MalaKorda  liajr,  >>ay  of  Pt.  f.Aulft,  or  htf  of 

HI    lliriiAnl,  r.n  Hall)'  In,  ?. 

MaMHsr,  lurl.  or  Maiwlnr,  41,  note 

MarKlic'i  niTdiihl  of  l.niirAntrr  troaly,  171 1,         47 
Mai'klnaiatlarlifd,  iHI4.  5.'>l 

laki'ii,  17l»:i,  Ih.' 

laki-ii,  1012,  .'>:iO 

Mrltoiinlil  ninrrhrii  Ititn  fiullan  '■oiinlry,  l.'U 

MaHHni'liHM'iiH  I'oiiiii  il  iVar  liulluii*.  I7i5,  1 14 

Mc('ollin-li,  Major,  Itii  pwaiir,  1777,  173 

tlay,  UnirKi.',  aurvcyiir  in  Ki'iitiii'ky, 

22»».  224.  234.  2:.n 
Maiililliii:,  HclilcH  on  Kcd  rivur,  22:i 

Marllri'H  HintlDii  tnkrii,  221 

Mnlilitii,  lliill  prt'parcii  to  allark,  527 

MiK'Kiiiiii-li,  I'ori,  \m 

Mn.-<^nrri!  ol  I 'liicuxo,  Ifll2.  531) 

Mar)laiiil  uliJcrtN  to  land  claiinaof  Virgin- 
la,  &.r.  CTi 
MaNHacre  al  Frrnrlilnwii,  IH13.  53".i 
Marri'iucH  In  Wi^hI  in  early  liliifx,  237  to  2111 
Mnr  Cary,  lil.^  nindiirt  nl  llhi)'  l.irkx,  2.'i:i 
Mn'Ailliiirx  i'.i|iC(lilii(M  Int  i  Cnnnrla,  ."irr." 
Maritliftll,  'I'liuiiiax,  Hiirveyor  In  Keiitnrky, 

234.  2:i0 
ftlarletia  founded,  &r.  3(12 

McK('(',  Alixaihlcr,  liiilinn  nuenl,  33.">,  iiolc. 

May,  VVilliAin,  aciit  to  Indian!),  1702,  Ur. 

3H1,  iinlo,  4(10. 
Mrf'arlnnd,  killnl  atlarking  X'pvlllc'Mlmine,  440 
Rlalclrii  (If!"!'! It'll  hy  I'.riiwli,  ;i47 

Meitiinril  fuiindN  inlMiion  on  I.akc  Hupnrlor,         4 
McsiciriMiii  or  Wi.-cniiHin  rlviT,  0 

Murccr,  ('.  T.  liaM  ori;:liial  paprrH,  49,  note, 

('iiliiiii'l,  xcnl  Id  MiiL'land,  !>l 

McdalH  placed  liy  Froiiili  al'iiiH  Oliio,  .'il 

MfailowH.  (ir(^at  and   I.illlo,  fli 

Meadow  liiiliaiiH,  Clark'ti  Irvalincnt  of,  lUJ 

Mci^'",  fort.lmilt,  541 

llL>Hil!|!l'd,  543 

MiimisMippI,  ri'arlicd  liy  I)e  flotn,  3 

rcaclifd  hy  MurqiuMU;,  G 

naini''<  of,  note,  0.  32.  31, 

nioiilli  ruarlied  hy  I.n  Pnlln,  IH 

d'llifiville,  31 

Bli.i'rtlaMippi  ConipaTiy,  or  Comiaiiy    of  Went, 

or  ('oiiipaiiy  of  Indieo,  34 

taken  l.iiiiisiaiia,  35 

rcHiitiiii  it  atjain,  30 

I7lit>,  lOH 

Misslii.'iippi,  Iroulilea  witli  Spain,  relalive  to, 

221.  2H0.  2H:) 
vicwH  of  Waiiliingtoii  rcapcctiii);,  I7b7,  2«7 
trade  opoiied  upon,  2Hii,  :i(l9.  323 

Mianilh  river  of  La  Salle  Kaine  as  ^t.  Joseplii 

01  lake  Mirlii^'an,  13 

ftliauii  confederacy,  was  it  conquered  liy  Ihe 

Iroipiois.  40.  47.  note. 

Miami  (ircat,  fort   and  trading  Blation,  built 

on,  17.V.',  ."il 

Miami  villaije  on  Maumcc,  importance  of,         3.'i3 
Miami  Universily,  steps  relating  to,  4*-n.  ^>K\ 

Missouri  river,  names  of,  7,11,43 


Moravian!,  iiefrlended  liy  llrliluli, 
Moritan,  (ieoriie.  al  Vivv  Madrid, 
MornionlKni,  lla  rlne  and  liiaiory, 
Murray,  of  Kenliirky, 


pa**"- 

317  k  mile. 

i77  to  .V*3 

42H 


Missouri  ndniitled  to  Union, 
Military  duty  in  early  times, 
Military  clainiants  of  Virginia  lands. 
Miller,  (;iiristn|ilior,  400 

Miro,  (iovernor, 
Mill,  lirsl,  in  West, 
Mill  for  paper-making,  lirst  In  West, 
Milcliell,  I'rof(!ssor, 
Missi^siuneway  expedition,  1SI2, 
Michigan  admit  led  to  Union, 

war  with  Ohio, 
Moliilc, founded  liy  U'lhervillc, 
Montour,  interpreter  at  Lojtstown. 
Montour,  Catharine, 
Moravians  in  the  West, 
Moravians  taken  hy  British  to  Sandusky, 

tried  at  Detroit, 

threatened  by  .Americana, 

murdered  by  Americans, 


note. 


501 
242 
'JliO 
4114 
427 

320,  uole. 
403 
584 
537 
573 
574 
33 
55  &  note. 

55  tc  note. 
149.  1.-.0 
231 
232 
233 
244 


N'ameN  of  irihPK,  lakes,  fcp.  4.r.    9.  note,  II.  nolf. 

Nali'he/.,  loundallon  ol,  3:1 

ronU'Ht  of  nalivea  of,  and  French,  3(1 

(ienerul  l.>nian,  intv»  to,  4ir.      IJd  k,  note 

New  <  irlenn*  laid  uul,  :i.1 

Clinrlevoix's  deKcrlpllon  of,  35 

a  iilarc  ol  de|MiHll,  401 

"  "  rciiHra  to  he,  47(J 

New  York,  prorredliiRs  In  relative  (a  war  of 

1751.  UI.02 

propo.eic  to  cede  landK,  9t7 

Ncedham,  jiiurnal  of  ,Mr.  43 

New  Mexico,  explored  from  Ilos(on,in  IG7H, 

44.43 

Vecexrlly.  Fort,  hiiilt  and  taken,  05 

Newtown,  liatllenf,  215 

New  Jerrey  oljeclH  to  land  claims  of  Virgi- 
nia, «ic.  225 

New  Madrid,  317  and  note. 

Se\ille,  Ceneral  John,  437.  4il,&.  nole. 


'ion    of   hy 


428 


Nicholas,         ofKcniiicky 
Nortliwrsi    taken   formal    poHse».|on 
French, 

measures  to  defend  the,   Ifll'.', 
North  Ameriinn  l.nnil  Company. 
Nulliliiatiiin  in  Kenliiiky, 

in  Ohio. 
Observatory,  Cincinnati, 
Ochetpilton",  or  .Mahama  river, 
Ori'upv  inu  rlaininiit  law  of  Kentucky, 
Ohio   i(iver,  when  lirst  visited  At c. 

42  45  and  notes. 
Ohio  (Jompany  of  174''. 
(>hlo  Company  of  17H0, 

conclude  purcliuse, 

prepare  tOBelllc. 

reach  the  Muskingum, 


9 

525 
4.59 
400 
MO 
.583 
44 
4G1 


4'J  no(e,j().  87 


1 1 1.5.  100 

283.  288 

291 

299 

301 

found  Marietta,  &c.  301  to  305 

ft  ttlemenls  o(  spread,  32(1 

slate  of  Hettlenicnis,  1701,  345 

Ohio,  stale  of,  measures  in  relalinn  I')  fornilng. 

475,477  to  480 
Oldham,  Colonel,  :»;h,  I'O'.I  t  nolo. 

(Jrdinanre  for  government  of  '.'orthwest  Ter- 
ritory, 292  to  298 
dividing  lands  in  Nnrtliwesl  territory,  260 
Orleans 'I'erritory  formed,  489 
Oswego,  Itritisli  and  Indians  meet  at,  1U3 
OuttI  uiiskigon  or  Ohio,  7 

rnmphilo  dn  Xarivnez,  explores  Florida  1 

I'arls,  peace  of  89 

Parsons,  (leiieral,  letter   from,  275 

Patterson,  (Jolonel,  304.  3<)t* 

I'inet,  father,  foundsCahokia,  nO 

Pickawillany,  54  and  note. 

I'ilt    Fort,  plan  of,  C3,  note, 

attacked  hy  Indians,  1703,  00 

<llsniantled. 

PittHhuri.'h,  Inilians  meet  at  1775, 

Pi|ie,  Captain. 

Pittmnn,Cn|iiain.  visits  Illinois, 

I'itt.sliurKh,  laiil  out,  &c. 

Arthur  I.ee's  account  of. 
various  fads  as  to, 

Pickering,  treats  with  Iroipiois.  1791, 

Ponce  de  I.eon  discovers  Florida, 

Povvnall's  Topography, 

Post's  missions  to  the  western  Indians, 

P(«l  settleson  the  MuskiiiKiim, 

Postsof  Norlliwisl  retained  hy  Ilritish,   200  to  2(14 
given  up  to  United  Htatcs,  462 

Po!>ts  (mails)  in  West,  313.  note. 

Pontiac,  visits  Major  Rogers,  88 

visits  Henry,  89 

unites  Indians  against  English,  91 

attacks  Detroit,  93  to  97 

issues  bark  money,  96 


146. 


123 

147 

143 

17G 

'.04 

205 

5.53 

349 

1 

,52,  note. 

83  to  85 

149 


590 


INDEX. 


PasP 

\r, 

IIKI 

I'jo.  i:ii 

■.ri:, 

.  '.■*■■:» 

i: 


Poiiliiir  ilcprrird  Uy  liifl  rullowcri, 

kllli'il  III  IIIIikiIh, 
Point  rirasniil,  Imlllu  ol", 
I'onil's  iiiin-ii)ii,  177-.', 
Powrr,  ■"'mhiuI'', 
I'niilliiiiiiiiii"  liisi  (it  Chickasaw  Iiliin>, 

Fori,  l.n  Salic  at,  1!) 

I'cirl,  liiilll,  17 

Prni-cfl  vcrlml  ul  I.a  Hull(!  an  to  discovery  of 

Mij~i<~i|ilii,  17 

Pr'.'t^iin'ilp  (I  lie)  rrciirli  Torlify,  y.\ 

l(ik<'i\  liy  liiiliaii:-',  17CH,  90.  iKiti'. 

J*ror!«iii(itioii  of  I7(i:(,  U7 

I'liiiiinu'  TrcsHcs,  tirst  in  VVosf,  287  and  nolc. 

P'winf^,  I'ay  ol,  ksmk?  usJIummi  l>ay,  I  ' 

I'liiM.iMi,  liiilM^-,  i.'f-:i.  379.  >'.' 

l{ii\-lown  (llc'dlbrd)  innrch  from  liy  Forlict",  HI 
Jtty,  Janic?,  siiiiplic^i  llarroilHl  nrdli,  1777,  Kili 
IlHiidall  und  otiiois,  land  H|icrnlalorii,  4M 

UcilK'.riin  (Itrownsvillo)  til 

Kodhnwk  killed,  Itill 

Kcynidds  k  (Jirly,  2.»l 

Kciininn  in  Wc.-)!  in  oarly  liinpf,  v!-H 

Kecovcry,  I'orl,  hulll,  40(1 

nliHckc'il,  W. 

Rcscrvf,  N'irdinia,  nnrlliwnst  of  Oliio,  piptllpd,  4,')ri 
ronnc'-liiul,         "         "  "     4J7,  17:1 

lUfidon,  Sidney,  57H 

Rock  I'orl  on  Illinois  river,  19 

Roclieliluve  roniinantU  Kaskaskia,  177P,  180.189 
Kosalie,  l-"oil,  (N'aleJKT;,)  311 

l{oi;er^',  Major,  Uoljerl,  noes  to  Detroit,  87 

"  crosses  Oliio,  t>i> 

Rogers,  Colonel,  attacked  hy  ludiaiis,  1779,  217 
Ruddle's  slalion  taken,  221 

Paint  M.iry,  falls  of,  visited  liy  French, 
Saint  Anlliony,  falls  of,  discovered  by  llennc- 


I'll'. 


Paiiil  l.oiii-,  fort  on  Illinois  river, 

faint  Louis  liay,  (Malasiord*  hay,  La  Salle  in, 

Sail  .  Iternard  hay,  (same  as  hay  of  St.  Louis,) 

Sfl  111  Jerome,  or  Wahasli,  river, 

Saint  Pierre,  French  cotiiinaiider  in  West,  in 

l7,->:>, 
Sandy  Creek  voya^o, 
Sainl  Clair,  Ariliur,  arrests  Connolly,  1774, 

accuses  Connolly, 
Paint  Lonis,  oriiiin  of  and  history, 
Baint  Josephs  taken  hy  Spaniards, 
St.  Clair  asks  court  of  Inquiry, 

lii-ld  ufhis  del'eul  visile  I, 

fort, 

(lovernor,  his  iinpopularily. 
Paint  Ildefonso,  treaty  o'', 
St  Clair's  expedition, 
ParL'eiit  VV'inUuop, 
Poliools  in  Ohio, 

Pciolo,  altemp:  to  settle  on,  1785, 
Penal,  n  Jesuit,  killed  ainong  Chickasaws, 
t'even  ye^rswar  begins, 
Scduciioii  in  West  rare  in  early  times, 
Pehasiian's  Intrii-uea  with  Spain, 
Siiclliy,  (I'overnor,  i;oes  to  aid  Harrison, 

Fort,  fotmrted  and  taken, 

FA'an  and  l.-aac,  at  battle  of  Point  Plea 
sant, 

Phinciss,  l)(da\vare  warrior,  59  t  tioie 

Shepherd,  Colonel,  commands  fort  Henry,  109 
E  x  Nations  or  Irocinois,  (see  Iroijuois)  40.  note. 
Pimcoe,  Hovernor,  384.  411. 

Slandorers  in  West  in  early  times,  243 

Slavery  in  \or(liwcst  Terrilory,  292 

Slou<;li,  Captain,  308,  369  and  note. 


CO 

79 

122 

123 

178  to  1 83 

2:to 

370 

377.  399 

3>i3 

474 

474 

353  to  370 

40'>,  note 

505. 508 

271 

37 

78 

243 

42 

515 

552 

131 


Smith,  James,  Colonel,  at  Fort  Pitt, 

70 

in  Kf.iuuky, 

111 

Smyth,  Dr.  his  travels  and  account  of  Hender- 

son, 

135 

Smith,  Joe, 

577 

death  of. 

582 

Soto,  Fi  rdiiiand  de,  jroca  to  Florida, 

2 

crosses  Mississippi. 

3 

dies, 

3 

paefi. 
De  Soto,  anlhorilies,  in  relation  to,  nole  2 

Spolsu  (Mill,  (Jovernnr,  crosses  Alleahniiies,  12 
Spaiiisli  claims  to  Mlssifsippi  and  We^t,  'J2I.  'J'-O 
Sp.iiiiaids  lake  Si.  Josephs,  230 

Spanish  properly  sei/.i'd  al  Viiicennes,  2ril 

Stolid,  Ca|iuiin,  acidunt    of  French   at  Port 

Dii  (liiesne,  03  note, 

llo.stai;e  of  French,  05 

Planwix,  I  orl.  Fort  Sriiiiyler  or  Rome,)  100.  HO 
Slirlint',  Caplaiii,  lakes  piissessimi  of  llliiioi<.  170 
Spain,  allempis  loseparalc  thejweslern  st.ilis 

from  1,'nlon,  313.  427 

allempis  to  excite  IndianR,  (179;)-9J) 

-.I'M).  397 

dilhculllcs  with  in  1797,  4.C,  404,105 

1HI>0,  490 

Spanish  inlri^Mies  ill  Keiilucky,  4^0 

Speculalions  in  land  in  West,  459.  481 

Slates,  names  of  proposed  western,  2'i2 

Sliles,  lietijamin,  299.  305.  307 

Slory,  Danii'l,  lirst   teacher  and  preacher  in 

Ohio  Company's  purchase,  3211 

Sledmaii's  mission,  1792,  375 

Sleamhouts  in  West,  522  to  524 

Superior,  lake,  visited  by  French,  4 

Sullivan,  invades  lands  of  Iroipioi*,  215 

SymmnK,  J.C.  applies  for  land,  209 

issues  proposals,  ic.  304  to  309 

his  contract,  Slc.  305,  iinle.  4.>8 

Taylor,  Captain   (now  General)  Z,   defends 

fort  Harrison,  531 

Tennessee  river,  English  forts  on,  45 

Teodyusciiiig,  82.  83.  85 

Territory  northwest  of  Ohio,  cessions  of,         225. 

230.  558.  2H4 
settlers  forbidden  to  enter,  2."i7.  200.  270 
ordinance  respect'iis  sale  of  lands  in,  209 
laws  passed  in,  to  1795,  459 

rhnoses  representatives,  4C6.  407 


laws  pa.ssed  by  representatives, 

divisions  among  the  people  of. 
Territory   Mississippi, 

Illinois  formed,  <Slc. 

Orleans. 

Indiana  formed,  Sec. 

Michigan  formed.  Sic. 

Indiana,  slavery  in, 
Tecumlhe,  hiselforts,  &c.  489.  492.  405.  507 


meets  llari     mi,  1810, 

goes  south,  1811, 

killed, 
Thompson,  Oen.  surveys  on  Iilcking, 
Theft  in  west  in  e.-.rly  tlmei, 
Thames,  battle  of, 
Tippecanoe,  hattle  of, 
Tiijress  taken  liv  Uritish, 
Todd,  Colonel,  in  1770, 
Tonli,  I,a  Salle's  lieutenant, 

left  at  forlCreveciiiir, 

''orceil  to  leave  the  IllinolR. 

sent  to  Count  Fronlenar  In  1082, 

remains  in  west  till  1700,  or  later, 
Tramontlne  order  founded  by  Spoils wcod, 
Trent,  William,  sent  loOhio, 

commands  on  frontier, 

deed  to,  by  Iroquois,  17C9, 
Treaty  of  Lan-aster, 

Log  town, 

Winchester, 

Carlisle, 

Kaston, 

Fort  Pill  in  1760, 

Paris,  1703. 

Detroit,  1704, 

Mu<:klngum,  17(54, 

German  Flats,  1705, 

Fort  Stanwix,  1708, 

Locliaber,  1770, 

Wiitn;;a,  17=^-,, 

with  Uelawatcs,  1778, 

ofGrcenville,  1P14, 


409 
475 
405 
5Uil 
489 
473 
400 
500 
508 
510 
513 
514 
548 

120— nolc 
242 

547  to  550 
515 


■:i. 


553 

IGl 

10 

14 

15 
'J 
29 
42 
51.  57 
60.  02 

107 
47 
34 
57 
57 
85 
87 
)0 
99 

100 

101 

106  to  108 

107-nole.  108 

1"6 

soo 
SS3 


81  and  note 


81. 

89. 


INDEX. 


.001 


paijfl. 
n  to,  iioif!  t 

AllcL'liniiirK,         VZ 
iiul  Wot.  -JJI.  'J^O 
'JIIO 
rpniira,  «81 

•'riMicli   at  Fort 

0;t  iiotp. 

or  RoniP.)  inti.  I4tl 
Omi  <>r  llliiicii't,  17G 
.•i\VLHli;rii  sl.ili  s 

iiiB,  (i7ii;)-9J) 

:!'.)(;.  no7 

,  &c,  4til,  I(i5 

■m> 

■VM 

•ir.Jt.  iHi 

tern,  '-"I'J 

200.  no.').  3tt7 
nd  prcai-licr  in 

32tl 

37.1 

522  to  524 

nrli,  4 

i|tiui8,  215 

1,  20'.) 

no4  lo  :\m 

30.'>,  iintc.  I.id 


ral)  Z. 


I  on, 


dcrcnds 

531 

45 

82.  fi3.  85 


cessloiiB  of, 

230.  "."iS. 
lor,  2.">7. 2li0. 
Icor  laiidd  in, 


4C6. 


ntntivcs, 
ople  of, 


402.  405.  50 


[■idling. 


09, 


2H4 

270 

2tin 

450 

4()7 

460 

475 

4G5 

SUO 

480 

473 

490 

500 

508 

510 

513 

514 

318 

120— nolo 

242 

547  to  550 

515 

553 

101 

10 

14 

15 

^>J 

29 

42 

i7 

02 

107 

47 

54 

57 

57 

P5 

87 

00 

99 

100 

101 

106  to  108 

107-liote.  108 

l:-,(5 

200 

553 


)IR. 

in  ir.82, 
,  or  later, 
Ppottswcod, 


51. 
60. 


81  and  tiotr.  ei 
80 


Pasft 

Treaty  of  f:iirnt,  .VV.l 

or<;riiit  Itrltaln  and  U.  StalCB,  1781,  2:.(i.  201 

fort  Siaiuvix.  I7'-I,  21)7.  :!J4 

Mrliitiwli.  I7H."),  207.  325 

riniicy,  iiioiitli  of  (ircst  Miami, 


17»0, 
Uniinnr,  1739. 
with  <;.  Itritairi,   1795, 
with  Hpaiii,  1705. 
of  (licciivilli',  1701, 
Treaties  witli  IiidiunM,       481 


i7l. 


317. 
415— note.  459. 


325 

32') 

102 

4<>0 

415  lo  420 

480.  4HH.  402.  404. 

500,  508.  509.  y>n 

Transylvniiln  roinpnny,  135 

purclinr-e  IniuN,  137 

(IciioMiired  liy  lliintiiore,  137 

()r;;aiii.<(' yovcriiiiii'iil,  141  to  114 

Trlliiiaii,  liis  ihl-sion  Id  liMllans,      378.  3NI--nc)tr 

TwigUvcrH,  wlio  tlii'V  wrc,  52  and  note 

rclaiiiiiiH  with  reimsj  Ivaitla,  ike.  54  A.  note 

killrd  ill  dcleiidiiii;  iOnt^lisli,  53 

ill  170.'),  103 

'J'tipiicr.  Itciijiiiiiin,  283 

(.(■ncral,  in  1812, 
Tiinior,  hieiilenant,  ronquercd, 


530 


Vandalia,  tlie  Irart  ho  railed,  1768,  100 

V'aiidrciiil  tears  Knulirili  In  \Vest,  50 

Vaiilirain,  iiiicrpretor  ai  rapittilatlon  of  fort 

N<T((i.~ity,  65 

VcnatiL'o,  Wasliliigton  nt,  &e.  59 1  note.  51 — note 

I'reiii'li  at,  52  and  note.  Ill 

Vincenni.'-i,  wlicii  fumided,  30— note.  40 

in  171)5,  101 

l^iiliMJ  aiiioiiL' Oliii'knsawa,  37 

iiesieued  liy  Clarli,  207 

Vivier.  IcIU'r^  fioni,  rdalive  to  West,  38.  :iO 

Virjjini.iiis  liny  west  of  Iroipioi.H,  1744,  48 

Freiirli  idea  of,  180.  187 

Virijinia  semis  ('i)ninii.-f.sioncrs  west,  1753,  57 

raises  troops,  GO.  G2 

rtiaii(!es  organization  of  troops,  Gii 

in  17.-)0, 

land  laws,  218. 

first  land  cession, 

second        do 

agrees  to  independence  of  Kentticlvy, 

273  and  note 

reserve,  northwost  of  Oliio,  seliled,        455 

VVabasli,  early  nsed  liv  travellers,  41.  .52 

scUleiii'eiits  ill  1705,  102.   103 

Waliasli  and  lllinniH  companies,  177 

VValtu:^!)  In.liaiid  and  V.  S.  318.  321.  329.  350,  &.C. 


78 

230 
257 


Vnsn 
Walker.  Dr.  107  and  note.   Ill  and  note.  .•■J3 

Walpnlero.  |ll5     101) 

Waiipiiliiniii'a  allarked,   1774, 
Waiiior's  rnail,  .55  and  note 

War  (if  li''l'.',ranse.i  of, 
\VasliiM'.;tiiii,  I,,  ft.  \.  ronrcriied  In  Olilo  ro. 

(;e(ii!;e.  sent  west, 

(liinii;;  war, 

tiiiys  western  Iniidj, 

;.'iies  west,    1770, 

views  ixn  lo  Mi-^sl^^ippl, 

views  Oil  selllin^'  West. 
WasliitiKlon.  fort. 
WaUijn  liealy. 

Wayne,  Ins  movemcnlHin  Wes^t 
398.  403, 

deatli  of, 
Wayne,  fnrt, 
Weiser.  Conrad, 


inO 

I. '9 

114 

5.'.'5 

51) 

58 

00  tdl'irt 

1 10  and  iiiilo 

110.    ll'J.    l-.'l 

2H7 

S57 

321 

no 

370.  377.  3-^0. 

400  to  410.  41 : 
403 
411 

45.  48  and  nolo 


43. 


Wells.  Saiiinel,  noiile  act  of. 
West  in  17511, 

rnulisli  claim  to, 

re ciilered  liy  Kiiijlisli,  1700 

(iranls  in,  liy  Viri;inin, 

troiilile  respectln;;, 

ressionof,  lo  I'.  States,  225.  230.  2.5'' 

inannerH  and  lialiiu  uf, 
West  fall, 
W('tr.ell,  Lewis, 
Wlieeliiij.', 

Wliilecyes,  ('aptain. 
Whiskey  iiisnrreclion, 
Winrhesler,  treaty  at,  in   1753, 
Wincliesler,  fJeneial,  In  ;812, 

at  rapids  of  Mnninee, 
Will's  ('re(tk,  (.'i..niierland, 
Wilkiii.son,  James,  in  Luiinylon. 

acipiires  inllnence, 

toe.sto  N<!W  (Irleans,  280.  300 

goes  asjainst  Waliash  Indians, 

charges,  &.c.  ajainsl 

his  connection  with  Itiirr, 
Wood,  Colonel,  his  travels,  43.  44.  4G— 


234 

38,  35 

4U    47 

8(J 

87 

2,57 

CH4 

235  to  244 

131 

233 

IC8  to  174 

I2,«,  148 

432  to  4,52 

57 

535 

537 

5°.  no.  04 

205 

272 

323 

3,-)2 

420 

505 

note 


Worsley,  Meiit.  takes  Tigress,  &r. 
Wyandots,  or  llurons, 


552 
note  4 


Zane,  family  of,  settle  at  Wlieelin?,  121 

Colonel,  opposes Cipsap,  123.   125 

Isaac,  captive  Rnioi.g  the  Indians, 

',09  and  nolo 
Elizahelli,  lieroic  conduct  of,  172 

Zcislicrger  settles  In  Allegliany,  «cc.  159 


ERRORS  AND  OMISSIONS. 

Some  typographical  errors,  not  noticed  below,  are  to  be  found  in  this  volume,  but  the 
reader  can  correct  them  without  difficulty. 

Page  30  Note  f  1st  line,  atter  "Paris,  VS\,"  Insert  "vol.  vl." 

35  Note*  2n(Illnc,  after  "/iidiana"  insert  "vol.  i." 

41  Note  t  last  li»e,  for  "ii"  read  "No.  2." 

43  No(e  *  lat  line,  for  "354  read  "344." 

50  25111  line,  lor  "57"  read  "1751." 

52  Note  X  l*t  line,  for  "typography"  read  "topography." 

54  Note  t  4tli  line,  place  the  colon  after  "Pickaway." 

57  Note  *  2nd  line,  for  "-184"  read  "434." 

do  Instead  of  the  note  ||  "Sparks,  Wash.  vol.  ii.  p.  230,"  read  "Spark's  Frank!in,  ill.  230." 
an']  for"f' '"  f'e  4ih  note,  read  "|i" 

.56  Note  t,  for  "328"  read  "428." 

69  I:i  5tli  line  from  bottom,*  fter  "appendix  to  the"  Insert  "2d  volume  of  the." 

84  Transpose  the  no'es. 

91  5th  line,  for  "176-j    n^'I  "1774." 

90  Note  t,  for  "o?"  'ea-'.  "100." 

107  Note  *  1st  line,  for  "was"  read  "were." 

116  In  the  heail  line,  for"1707"  read  "1709." 

127  3d  line,  for  "Wangusta,"  read  "West  Augusta." 

131  lapt  line,  for  "Fort"  read  "Camp." 

138  Note  *,  after  "series"  Inferl  "vol.  II." 

152  Note  *  0th  line,  after  "series"  insert  "vol.  i.  278." 

178  2d  line  from  bottom,  for  ".^bbudle"  read  "Ahhadie." 

202  23d  line,  for  "Colonel  Bowman"  read  "Major  Bowman."    N.  U.  John  Bowman  was  Col. 

Joseph  Bowman,  Captain,  and  then  Major. 

26f  Note  II  for  "O.  W.  Leigh"  read  "B.  W." 

868  Note  •  Ist  line,  for  "say"  read  "says." 

278  Note  *  after  "Hall"  insert  "the  Wildernesa  and  War  path." 

.     330  Note  t  2d  line,  for  "1781"  read  "1791." 

341  In  head  line,  for  "Ferguson's"  read  "Armstrong's." 

4(16  3d  line,  for  "Trucman"  read  "Freeman." 

510  6th  line  from  bottom,  for  "Johnson"  read  "Johnstoa" 

520  12th  line,  for  "conduct"  read  "cause." 

529  liiserf  as  a  note  to  the  passage  ending  "red  coats,"  in  5th  line  from  bottom  ;  'Brock's  official 

report,  quoted  by  Armstrong,  I.  35." 

530  Note  t.  for  "in  his  evidence"  read  "in  his  defence." 
543    Note  },  for  "72"  read  "372." 

553    Under  the  head  of  1816  should  be  inserted  the  admission  of  Indiana  to  the  Union. 


611 


9 


/'/ 


7 


is  volume,  but  the 


r«nk!in,  iii.  230." 


the." 


I  Bowman  wag  Col. 


)in  ;  'Brock's  official 


tlie  Union. 


